Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the Research on Gender in
Science and Engineering Program (GSE) (NSF
07-501)
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090509011305im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/greenline.jpg)
The following FAQs pertain to the program solicitation for Research
on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE) (NSF-07-501)
PROGRAM SPECIFICS
COLLABORATION
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION/FINANCIAL/BUDGET/START DATE
PANEL PARTICIPATION
PROGRAM SPECIFICS
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Question: What
kinds of projects is GSE currently funding? Answer: GSE currently
funds research on gender issues in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM) fields, the outreach and communication of
research findings, and extension services that lead to a larger
and more diverse domestic STEM workforce. Research includes both basic and applied
research in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences and education
research fields. Projects will contribute to our knowledge
base by examining gender-related similarities and differences in
learning and in the educational experiences that affect student
interest, performance, and choice of careers; and how pedagogical
approaches and teaching styles, curriculum, student services, and
institutional culture contribute to causing or closing gender gaps
that persist in certain fields.
Question: I would like to design an intervention that
will give girls and/or women hands-on experiences in STEM education
and/or research. Would such an activity fall within the
scope of the GSE program?
Answer: No, the GSE program
no longer funds demonstration or intervention projects for women
or girls. There are other
NSF programs that do fund such projects, such as the Information
Technology Experiences for Teachers and Students (ITEST) program
(http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5467&org=ESIE&from=home)
and the Broadening Participation in Computing program (http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13510&org=CNS).
Question: I’d like to design an evaluation research
project that assesses the effectiveness of an intervention. Would
this fall within the scope of the GSE program?
Answer: No, the GSE program does not fund evaluations. Other
NSF programs that do fund evaluation studies include the Research
and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE)
program (http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13667&org=REC&from=home),
and the Discovery Research K-12 (DR-K12) program (http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=500047&org=ESIE&from=home)
Question: Can an intervention be included in a research
project?
Answer: Only if the intervention is an integral
part of gathering data for a research project and if the findings
from the intervention would substantially answer the research questions
posed within the context of theory and hypotheses. There should
be meaningful control groups also included in the design. The
major thrust of the proposal must be focused on theory and research
and not on the design and implementation of the intervention.
Question: I’d like to conduct research on the underrepresentation
of women faculty members in STEM fields. Could I propose
a research project that addresses tenure-track and family policies?
Answer: No. The GSE program focuses on
the K-16 levels of education and workforce issues, but not faculty
issues. Gender research and implementation of promising practices
at the faculty level are covered substantially by the ADVANCE program
at NSF, so those interested in faculty issues should direct their
efforts to ADVANCE.
Question: If I am
not a social/behavioral scientist or education researcher, may
I still apply to the GSE program?
Answer: Yes, but you are strongly advised to
include a social/behavioral scientist or education researcher as
a Co-PI or on the research team. Your proposal will be reviewed
by social/behavioral scientists and education researchers and will
be assessed in comparison to other social/behavioral science and
education research proposals. Major emphasis in the review
will be on theory and methods used.
Question: I want to develop a new course in Computer Science
that would incorporate gender neutral/friendly/equitable practices
into the curriculum. Would that fall under the scope of
the GSE program?
Answer: No. The GSE program does not fund
course or curriculum development. Please refer to the NSF’s
Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program (http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5741&org=DUE&from=home)
or the Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program for
funding opportunities in course or curriculum improvement.
Question: I want to make a documentary about women scientists,
their lives and work. Would that be appropriate for Outreach
and Communication?
Answer: No. Outreach and communication
grants are meant to publicize research findings that inform efforts
to mitigate the underrepresentation of women in certain fields. Biographies
(film or print) about women scientists are out of scope with the
GSE solicitation at this time.
Question: I run a very successful intervention for girls
and would like to broaden the number of girls involved by managing
new projects in several locations. Would this be appropriate
for Extension Services?
Answer: No. Extension services are a “train-the-trainer” model
of outreach and communication of promising practices. Extension
services proposals should not include direct interventions for
women or girls. Rather, extension services should focus on
a “unified program of change” that is delivered through
training to a group of practitioners. Extension service agents
should then provide support to those practitioners as they implement
the program, and evaluate the effectiveness of the training. The
extension services idea is borrowed from the US Department of Agriculture’s
extension service agents, who serve as expert intermediaries between
researchers and farmers. Extension service agents inform
farmers about practices that show promise at increasing corn yields,
for example, and serve as experts when questions arise. Extension
service agents also bring back to researchers the experiences of
practitioners in the field so that more investigations may be conducted
on pressing issues and implementation anomalies. In that
way, a feedback loop is created among practitioners, researchers
and extension agents focused on research-based innovation and change. Our
version of extension services is meant to adopt this successful
model in an education context to work toward effecting change in
the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM fields on a
larger scale than one-time interventions.
Question: I am interested in the underrepresentation of
boys and/or men of color in STEM fields. Could I propose
a research project where the research questions of interest involve
boys?
Answer: Yes, as long as the project incorporates
some comparison to women/girls or some element of interaction between
boys and girls, and addresses underrepresented groups. Those
interested in doing research on boys or men of color in STEM are
strongly advised to speak with the program officer first about
their ideas before submitting a preliminary or full proposal.
Question: My question is not in this list and is not answered
in the solicitation. What should I do?
Answer: Send e-mail to: jjesse@nsf.gov
COLLABORATION
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Question: What type(s) of inter-organizational collaborations
is NSF encouraging? Answer: The GSE Program expects that proposers
will put together the best team possible to carry out the project. The
GSE program especially encourages research intensive and extensive
universities to partner with other types of colleges and universities,
especially 2-year colleges and institutions serving underrepresented
minority populations.
Question: If multiple organizations are cooperating in
the proposed project, what are the mechanisms for submitting
a proposal?
Answer: NSF has two mechanisms for submission
of proposals from multiple organizations: as a single proposal,
in which a single award is being requested with subawards administered
by the lead organization to partnering organizations; or as collaborative
proposals submitted simultaneously from different organizations,
with each organization requesting a separate award (although the
total budget for all collaborators should not exceed the maximum
award size designated in the program solicitation for a single
project). In either case, the lead organization’s proposal
must contain all of the requisite sections as a single package
to be provided to reviewers (that will happen automatically when
FastLane procedures are followed). All collaborative proposals
must clearly describe the roles to be played by the participating
organizations, specify the managerial arrangements, and explain
the advantages of the multi-organizational effort within the project
description. These collaborative proposals are described more fully
in Section II.D.3 of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
(http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_sum.jsp?ods_key=gpg). The
GPG also includes instructions for submission of these types of
proposals.
Question: My question is not in this list and is not answered
in the solicitation. What should I do?
Answer: Send e-mail to: jjesse@nsf.gov
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090509011305im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/bluefade.jpg)
Question: What needs to be included in the Project Summary? Answer: The NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)
(available at
http://nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg) specifies
that the Project Summary must clearly address, in separate statements
within the one-page limit and font restrictions, both the Broader
Impacts and the Intellectual Merit of
the proposed activity. Proposals that do not address both
merit-review criteria in separate statements in the project summary
will be returned without review. The GPG also states that the broader
impacts must be addressed in the Project Description and described
as an integral part of the narrative. This requirement is
in effect for both full and preliminary proposals.
Question: Do citations and references count against the
Project Description page limit?
Answer: No. They should be included in the References
Cited section of the proposal.
Question: What about the 5-page preliminary proposals? Should
they include references, and do those count against the 5-page
project description?
Answer: References should
be included in preliminary proposals. It is important for the reviewers to assess the
intellectual merit of the preliminary proposal by understanding
the theory and methodological traditions (yours and other’s)
on which the research will be building. References should
be included in the References Cited section of the proposal, and
do not count against the 5-page limit.
Question: If I did not submit a preliminary proposal for
Research or Extension Services, may I still submit a full proposal?
Answer: No, preliminary proposals are required
for Research and Extension Services proposals.
Question: I see a deadline for preliminary proposals
for Research and Extension services, but not one for Outreach
and Communication Proposals. Should I submit a preliminary
proposal for Outreach and Communication anyway?
Answer: No. There are no preliminary proposals
required for Outreach and Communication proposals. Simply
submit a full proposal by the full proposal deadline.
Question: My question is not in this list and is not answered
in the solicitation. What should I do?
Answer: Send e-mail to: jjesse@nsf.gov.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION/FINANCIAL/BUDGET/START DATE
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090509011305im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/bluefade.jpg)
Question: Should I submit proposals via FastLane or Grants.gov? Answer: Proposers may opt to submit proposals
via Grants.gov or via NSF’s FastLane system. A guide
to submitting proposals via Grants.gov is available on the NSF
web site at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide.
At this time, all collaborative proposals must still be submitted
via FastLane only.
Question: May I submit the same proposal to GSE and to
another NSF program?
Answer: No. A unique proposal can be submitted
only once to NSF. If the proposal is a duplicate of or substantially
similar to a proposal already under consideration by NSF, it will
be returned without review.
Question: Can I request an extension of time to submit
a proposal?
Answer: No.
Question: What if FastLane or my university computer is
unavailable on the submission deadline?
Answer: Please avoid this problem by submitting
early. If you choose not to submit until the last minute, it is
at your own risk.
Question: What if there is an earthquake, fire or other
disaster?
Answer: Please contact us at jjesse@nsf.gov immediately.
We will make determinations on a case-by-case basis.
Question: How do we submit supplementary documents?
Answer: Supplementary documents that are in accordance
with the solicitation and the GPG should be scanned into the Special
Information and Supplementary Documentation section of the FastLane
proposal.
Question: Is there a limit to the amount of funds I can
request for my proposal?
Answer: The GSE solicitation outlines the maximum
award sizes for each type of proposal. Research proposals
may request up to $500,000 for three years; Outreach and Communication
proposals may request up to $200,000 for two years; and Extension
Services proposals may request up to $2.5 million dollars for five
years.
Question: Can funds be used for graduate student stipends
or tuition waivers?
Answer: Yes, GSE proposals may request support
in all the usual NSF budget categories.
Question: When will the announcement of the grant awards
be made, and how soon afterward would you expect a project to
begin?
Answer: We plan to communicate with successful
applicants by July and expect awards under this solicitation to
be made by end of summer. Grantees would have some flexibility
in when they actually start their grant-supported activities; you
should request a starting date that makes most sense to you. That
is one item that can be negotiated if necessary after the proposal
has been reviewed.
Question: My question is not in this list and is not answered
in the solicitation. What should I do?
Answer: Send e-mail to: jjesse@nsf.gov
PANEL PARTICIPATION
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090509011305im_/http://www.nsf.gov/images/bluefade.jpg)
Question: May I be a member of a panel that will review
GSE proposals this year? Answer: The GSE program is always looking to
expand our reviewer pool. If you are on
a GSE proposal submitted this year, then you cannot be a panelist
this year. If you did not submit a GSE proposal this year in response
to the current solicitation, you may volunteer to be a panelist.
If you want to volunteer, notify the program officer. Include a
URL for your biosketch and a brief description of your research
expertise in your e-mail. The program officer will contact you
if your area of expertise is relevant and we need panelists in
that area. Please send the information to jjesse@nsf.gov.
Question: My question is not in this list and is not answered
in the solicitation. What should I do?
Answer: Send e-mail to: jjesse@nsf.gov.
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