DECISION RISK, AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Proposal

Decision, Risk, & Management Science Program DRMS Homepage.
Room 995
Division of Social and Economic Sciences
4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Arlington, Virginia 22230

E-Mail: Jacqueline Meszaros(jmeszaro@nsf.gov) or Robert O'Connor(roconnor@nsf.gov); Telephone: (703) 292-7261 (for Meszaros) and (703) 292-7263 (for O'Connor)

Fax: (703) 292-9068

Several points should be noted about submissions of proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants to the Decision, Risk, & Management Science Program. They are:

• Submission Dates: DRMS accepts proposals on an ongoing basis. Decisions about support are made within 6 months of each target date.
• Project Duration: Maximum 12 Months
• Proposal Title must read, "Doctoral Dissertation Research in DRMS: ....."
• The major professor must be listed as the Principal Investigator and the dissertation student may be listed as the Co-Principal Investigator.
• All proposals must be submitted electronically via Fastlane.

If you have additional questions, please contact either of the Program Directors listed above.

Dissertation Advice to Students

The DRMS Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement grants are designed to cover expenses such as travel, special equipment, participation fees. DRMS does not provide general stipends or cost-of-living support. Outstanding proposals specify how the knowledge to be created advances our theoretical understanding of the subject.

Dissertation proposals are accepted on an on-going basis. The review process may involve only mail reviews, or may include both mail reviews and assessment by DRMS advisory panel. In general, proposals whose timing is appropriate for panel meetings will be panel reviewed. The review process rarely lasts more than 6 months.

Follow the proposal preparation guidelines in the Doctoral Dissertation. Program Announcement, especially the instructions for spacing (single-spaced), length (15 pages for the project description), font size (12 point is best, no smaller than 15 characters/2.5 cm), CVs (biographical sketch), and proposal summary. The summary must address in separate paragraphs the "intellectual merit" and the "broader impacts". (See the Grant Proposal Guide for guidance about the meaning and importance of "intellectual merit" and "broader impacts".)

Use a clear and concise writing style. Reviewers will include scientists from a variety of specialty areas in Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences. It is possible that no specialist from your particular area of research will be on the panel. Defining key terms and keeping your proposal free of jargon will ensure that all reviewers will be able to understand your proposal and evaluate it fairly.

Do not attach any appendices unless you have received permission from the NSF program director.

The project description section should describe your research design in such a way that reviewers can assess its soundness and the scientific importance of the question being examined. Include:

• Statement of the research problem
• Literatrue Review
• Hypotheses
• Research site
• Data to be collected
• Methods of Analysis
• Schedule

Students who propose international research and who have a formal affiliation with a foreign research institution, may be eligible for additional funding. Please contact the appropriate program in NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering INT.