Programs and Activities

The Office of Integrative Activities leads the following NSF interagency and cross-cutting programs and activities:

PROGRAMS

Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI)
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)
Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
Science and Technology Centers (STC)

Activities

Committee on Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering (CEOSE)
Committee of Visitors (COV)
Developing STEM Talent
Honorary Awards
Neuroscience

Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI)
Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) is NSF's bold five-year initiative to create revolutionary science and engineering research outcomes made possible by innovations and advances in computational thinking.  "Computational thinking" is defined comprehensively to encompass computational concepts, methods, models, algorithms, and tools. Point of Contact: Dr. Tom Russell

Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)
EPSCoR strengthens science and engineering research and education throughout the United States by providing strategic programs and opportunities that advance sustainable R&D capabilities, capacity, and competitiveness in EPSCoR jurisdictions.
 Point of Contact: Ms. Simona Gilbert

Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) strengthens the U.S. scientific enterprise by investing in state-of-the-art research instrumentation at our Nation’s universities, research museums, and non-profit research organizations as well as by providing researchers and students access to cutting-edge scientific and engineering equipment. Point of Contact:  Dr. Randy Phelps

Science and Technology Centers (STC)
The Science and Technology Centers (STC) Integrative Partnerships program supports innovative, potentially transformative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. Partnering with academic institutions, national laboratories, industrial organizations, and/or other public/private entities, STCs conduct research at the intersection of multiple disciplines and foster excellence in education by creating bonds between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process. Contacts:  Dr. Joan Frye, Dr. Magaret E. M. Tolbert, Dr. Dragana Brzakovic and Dr. Randy Phelps

Committee on Equal Opportunity in Science and Engineering (CEOSE)
CEOSE is a Congressionally-mandated body that provides NSF advice on Foundation policies, programs, and activities in order to encourage full participation in scientific, engineering, and professional fields by women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities. Point of Contact:  Dr. Margaret E. M. Tolbert

Committee of Visitors (COV)
OIA coordinates COV reviews for NSF, relying on the judgment of external experts to maintain high standards of program management, to provide advice for continuous improvement of NSF performance, and to ensure openness to the research and education community served by the Foundation. COV reviews provide NSF with assessments of the quality and integrity of program operations and program-level technical and managerial matters pertaining to proposal decisions; and comments on how the results generated by awardees have contributed to the attainment of NSF's mission and goals. Point of Contact:  Dr. James Lightbourne

Developing STEM Talent
OIA administers on behalf of NSF several professional development programs for aspiring scientists and engineers including the American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows and the Summer Scholars Internship programs.
 Point of Contact: Dr. Sherrie M. Blevins Greene

Honorary Awards
OIA is responsible for administering the President’s National Medal of Science and the NSF Alan T. Waterman Award.  It also coordinates within NSF the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and supports efforts involving two other Presidential awards that recognize outstanding mathematics and science teachers as well as science, engineering, and mathematics mentors.
Point of Contact:  Ms. Mayra N. Montrose

Neuroscience
The Neuroscience activity explores the research frontiers that increase cross-fertilization and mutual benefit between neuroscience and the broad physical sciences.
Point of Contact:  Dr. Semahat S. Demir (ENG/CBET)