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Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
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Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)

Important Announcements

Interdisciplinary Research Across the SBE Sciences, Including a New Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Sciences (IBSS) Competition.  Based on feedback gathered during the SBE 2020 visioning process and presented in Rebuilding the Mosaic, the Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE) encourages investigators to submit proposals that go beyond the boundaries of traditional disciplines, span across the existing core SBE programs, or extend outside the SBE sciences.  A new Dear Colleague Letter outlines a range of options for pursuing support for interdisciplinary research that bridges the social, behavioral, and economic (SBE) sciences.  Among these options is a new competition for Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (IBSS).  Consult the IBSS website and the IBSS solicitation for more information.

A new Strategic Plan for the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) has been released to guide the division's pursuits and activities.  The goals of the division align with and flow from the new NSF Strategic Plan and the foundation's goals to Transform the Frontier, Innovate for Society, and Perform as a Model Organization.

The resource Tips and Guidelines on the Submission of Effective Annual, Final, and Project Outcomes Reports is now available to inform principal investigators about how project reports are used at NSF and how to write them.

About BCS

The Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) supports research to develop and advance scientific knowledge about humans spanning areas of inquiry including brain and behavior, language and culture, origins and evolution, and geography and the environment. In addition to the core program areas, BCS sponsors several additional crosscutting and NSF-wide funding opportunities.

Programs and Funding Opportunities

Key: Crosscutting Crosscutting | NSF Wide Flag NSF-wide

Anthropological Sciences
bullet Archaeology and Archaeometry
bullet Biological Anthropology
bullet Cultural Anthropology
bullet Cultural Anthropology Scholars Awards
bullet High-Risk Research in Biological Anthropology and Archaeology  (HRRBAA)
bullet Integrative Paleoanthropology Grants  (IPG)
Geography and Environmental Sciences
bullet Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems  (CNH) Crosscutting
bullet Geography and Spatial Sciences Program  (GSS)
bullet Long-Term Ecological Research  (LTER) Crosscutting
Psychological and Language Sciences
bullet Cognitive Neuroscience
bullet Developmental and Learning Sciences  (DLS)
bullet Documenting Endangered Languages  (DEL)
bullet Linguistics
bullet Perception, Action & Cognition  (PAC)
bullet Social Psychology
Additional Opportunities
bullet Building Community and Capacity for Data-Intensive Research in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and in Education and Human Resources  (BCC-SBE/EHR) Crosscutting
bullet SBE Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants
Interdisciplinary Behavioral and Social Science Research (IBSS)

Featured NSF-wide Programs

View All NSF-wide Programs

NSF Educational Opportunities by Audience

For Undergraduate Students

For Graduate Students

For Postdoctoral Fellows

For K-12 Educators

Recently Announced Funding Opportunities See All

Research Experiences for Undergraduates
(NSF  13-542) Posted February 22, 2013

Building Community and Capacity for Data-Intensive Research in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and in Education and Human Resources
(NSF  13-519) Posted November 30, 2012

Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education
(NSF  13-518) Posted November 21, 2012

Major Research Instrumentation Program:
(NSF  13-517) Posted November 20, 2012

EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Track-2
(NSF  13-509) Posted October 31, 2012


Upcoming Due Dates See All

Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education
(NSF  13-518) Letter of Intent: March 29, 2013, INSPIRE Track 1 Inquiries

SBE Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants
(NSF  11-547) Full Proposal: April 5, 2013, Biological Anthropology

Perception, Action & Cognition
(PD  09-7252) Full Proposal: April 15, 2013, The April proposal window is only for workshop and conference proposals, not for research proposals. Proposals for workshops and conferences that will be held less than one year after submission may be returned without review.

Integrated NSF Support Promoting Interdisciplinary Research and Education
(NSF  13-518) Full Proposal: May 13, 2013, INSPIRE Track 2 Full Proposals

Research Experiences for Undergraduates
(NSF  13-542) Full Proposal: May 24, 2013, Deadline for REU Site proposals requiring access to Antarctica. All other REU Site proposals must be submitted to the August REU deadline.


News See All

people and society graphic One Region, Two Functions: Brain Cells' Multitasking Key to Understanding Overall Brain Function
Released March 6, 2013
News From the Field
image of homes destroyed by Joplin tornado Living Through a Tornado Does Not Shake Optimism
Released March 1, 2013
News From the Field
A sample has been removed from this tree slice to examine it for traces of gold. Trace Gold Reveals Tree's Past
Released June 14, 2005
Press Release
Full-body view of Lophocebus kipunji. New Primate Discovered in Mountain Forests of Tanzania
Released May 19, 2005
Press Release
Globalization and other factors speed language loss Federal Agencies Partner to Document Endangered Languages
Released May 5, 2005
Press Release

Discoveries See All

Photo of a father holding a baby. Six-month-old Word Learners
Study of infants challenges developmental sequence of human language learning
Released  March 8, 2012

Photo of a hunter enlarging a burrow and his dog at other burrow end and the words Photo Gallery. Older Is Better for Hunting Dogs
Research examines key demographic variables of Nicaraguan canines
Released  January 17, 2012

Image of seated child with three cyberbullies each with belt lock rising from her laptop. Foiling the Plan of a Cyberbully
Researchers suggest listening to students to craft prevention policies
Released  November 22, 2011

Illustration showing a depressed child holding a tablet with 3 cyberbullies coming out of tablet. Recognizing a Cyberbully
Anonymous nature of digital aggression clouds identities of virtual bullies
Released  November 15, 2011

Illustration showing a depressed child holding a tablet with 3 cyberbullies coming out of tablet. Defining a Cyberbully
Social scientists struggle to characterize new form of harassment
Released  November 8, 2011


Events Calendar See All

April 11, 2013  - April 12, 2013
Advisory Committee Meeting for Geosciences
Advisory Committee Meeting




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