International Polar Year  (IPY)  

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PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Solicitation  06-534

Important Notice to Proposers

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 13-1, was issued on October 4, 2012 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 14, 2013. Please be advised that, depending on the specified due date, the guidelines contained in NSF 13-1 may apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.

Please be aware that significant changes have been made to the PAPPG to implement revised merit review criteria based on the National Science Board (NSB) report, National Science Foundation's Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revisions. While the two merit review criteria remain unchanged (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts), guidance has been provided to clarify and improve the function of the criteria. Changes will affect the project summary and project description sections of proposals. Annual and final reports also will be affected.

A by-chapter summary of this and other significant changes is provided at the beginning of both the Grant Proposal Guide and the Award & Administration Guide.

DUE DATES

Archived

SYNOPSIS

The "International Polar Year 2007-2008" (IPY) will extend from March 2007 through March 2009. IPY is envisioned as an intense scientific campaign to explore new frontiers in polar science, improve our understanding of the critical role of the polar regions in global processes, and educate the public about the polar regions. Projects are expected to involve a pulse of activity during the IPY period; have multi- and interdisciplinary scopes; leave a legacy of infrastructure and data; expand international cooperation; engage the public in polar discovery; and help attract the next generation of scientists and engineers.

A number of NSF programs will respond to proposals for support of IPY activities over the next several years. These are listed on an IPY web page maintained by NSF's Office of Polar Programs (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp). This list will be updated from time to time and should be consulted when considering proposal submissions.

In anticipation of IPY, the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) have identified special emphasis areas that will require preparation in advance of IPY. These are the subject of the present focused solicitation. The research emphasis areas are: ice sheet history and dynamics; biological adaptations at the cellular and genomic level to life in extreme cold and prolonged darkness; and the arctic observing network. Proposed research activities must be integrally related to one or more of these emphasis areas and adhere to the guidance of the National Research Council's report A Vision for the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (2005), including specific significant linkages to international activities.

The educational emphasis areas for this solicitation are: formal science education experiences for K-12 teachers and undergraduate or graduate students, informal science education for the broader public, and coordination and communication for IPY education projects. In addition to the educational activities normally integrated into research proposals, this solicitation will consider standalone proposals that specifically address one or more of these focus areas.

Proposals for IPY activities outside of these emphasis areas should be directed to other solicitations from OPP and NSF. Related programs are listed at the web site above (see also Section IX). Proposals submitted under this solicitation may be co-reviewed with other NSF programs.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

This program provides educational opportunities for  Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, K-12 Educators . Individuals interested in applying for funding should see the program guidelines above.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

Antarctic Research (nsf05-567)

Arctic Research Opportunities (nsf05-618)

RELATED URLS

Antarctic Conservation Act

ICSU International Polar Year Planning Committee

Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic

U.S. Committee to the International Polar Year, 2007-2008

What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)

Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program

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