NSF staff will review how and when to prepare a proposal, including discussion of what constitutes a project and a proposal of high quality. Presenters will discuss do’s and don’ts, recent procedural changes, as well as the various sources of NSF programmatic opportunities.

Speakers
Jean Feldman, Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
Bogdan Mihaila, Program Director, Division of Physics; Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Eleanor Sayre, Program Director, Division of Undergraduate Education; Directorate for STEM Education

NSF Program Officers will discuss the philosophy of merit review and how it works, as well as ad hoc and multi-tiered reviews. Presenters will also cover the role of the Program Officer, timing of proposal submissions, reviewer selection, release of reviewer comments, and conflict-of-interest issues related to merit review.

Speakers
Ellen McCallie, Program Director, Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings; Directorate for STEM Education
Colette St. Mary, Program Director, Division of Integrative and Organismal Systems; Directorate for Biological Sciences
Karen Santoro, Assistant General Counsel (Ethics), Office of the General Counsel

This session will address award requirements and conditions and will outline the responsibilities of those involved in the award process–principal investigators, grantee institutions, Program Officers, research administrators, and agency grants officials.

Speakers
Liz DeHart, Grant and Contract Cost Analyst, Division of Institution and Award Support; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
Vanessa Richardson, Team Lead, Division of Grants and Agreements; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
Jeff Vieceli, Head, Systems Office, Division of Institution and Award Support; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management

Staff from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the OIG, as well as how it serves the NSF customer communities. Issues arising from current audits and investigations will also be covered.

Speakers
Jeremy Hall, Audit Manager, Office of the Inspector General
Dwayne Meadows, Investigative Scientist, Office of the Inspector General
Brian McCarthy, Special Agent, Office of the Inspector General
Matias Rosner Ortiz, IT Specialist, Office of the Inspector General

This session will include an overview of CAREER proposal submission logistics presented by a representative from NSF's Division of Information Systems. A demo of how to prepare a CAREER proposal in Research.gov, review of the system-related requirements in the CAREER proposal submission timeline guidance, and a Q&A segment will be included.

Speaker
Stephanie Yee, IT Specialist, Division of Information Systems; Office of Information and Resource Management

NSF’s Payment and Analytics Branch, within the Division of Financial Management, will provide an overview of their financial management practices and operations, as well as new initiatives within the branch. Topics covered include awardee financial reporting and reimbursement responsibilities, best practices and frequently asked questions, recurring monitoring activities, critical fiscal year timelines, as well as new innovations in grant monitoring. This session will be helpful to both new and current NSF awardees to learn more about post-award financial activities at NSF.

Speakers
Dorothy Battle, Operating Accountant, Division of Financial Management; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
Justin Poll, Senior Accountant, Division of Financial Management; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management

NSF’s Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic (SBE) Sciences supports basic research on people and society. The SBE sciences focus on human behavior and social organizations and how social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental forces affect the lives of people from birth to old age and how people in turn shape those forces. SBE scientists develop and employ rigorous methods to discover fundamental principles of human behavior at levels ranging from cells to society, from neurons to neighborhoods, and across space and time. Such fundamental principles help us understand patterns of stability and change at the individual, group, organizational, and societal levels that can be applied to promote the progress of science and to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare. Through its various core disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs, as well as contributions to cross-directorate NSF investments, SBE supports approximately 5,000 scientists, educators, and students in a typical year. Understanding human behavior individually and in groups has far-reaching impacts from optimizing child development to safeguarding our troops; from exploring the origins of our species to finding our way with GPS; from understanding the state of the science and engineering enterprise to securing cyberspace.

Speakers
Betty Tuller, Program Director, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
May Yuan, Program Director, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences

NSF’s newest directorate, “TIP,” Technology, Innovation and Partnerships — creates breakthrough technologies; meets societal and economic needs; leads to new, high-wage jobs; and empowers all Americans to participate in the U.S. research and innovation enterprise. TIP is a unique opportunity that engages the nation’s diverse talent in strengthening and scaling the use-inspired and translational research that will drive tomorrow’s technologies and solutions. TIP brings together teams of researchers, practitioners, and users to shape research directions, catalyze iterative co-design and co-creation, develop game changing technologies and solutions to address the nation’s societal and economic challenges, and grow the future workforce.

Speaker
Barry Johnson, Division Director, Division of Translational Impacts

The mission of EDU (formerly EHR) is to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels and in all settings (both formal and informal) to support the development of a diverse and well-prepared workforce of scientists, technicians, engineers, mathematicians, and educators and a well-informed citizenry that have access to the ideas and tools of science and engineering. The purpose of these activities is to enhance the quality of life of all citizens and the health, prosperity, welfare, and security of the nation.

Speakers
Ellen McCallie, Program Director, Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
Eric Sheppard, Program Director, Division of Undergraduate Education

Research funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) has enriched the understanding of natural systems, enhanced electronics, fortified the nation's infrastructure and introduced the exciting possibilities of engineering to the next generation. Investments in engineering research and education are critical building blocks for the nation's future prosperity. Engineering breakthroughs address national challenges, such as smart manufacturing, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable energy systems. Engineering also brings about new opportunities in areas ranging from advanced photonics to prosthetic devices.

Speaker
Prakash Balan, Program Director, Division of Engineering Education and Centers

GEO supports basic research that advances the frontiers of knowledge and drives technological innovation while improving our understanding of the many processes that affect the global environment. These processes include the role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate, the planetary water cycle, and ocean acidification. Support is provided for interdisciplinary studies that contribute directly to national research priorities such as: understanding, adapting to, and mitigating the impacts of global change; developing and deploying integrated ocean observing capabilities to support ecosystem-based management; and understanding future availability of fresh water. Lives are saved and property is preserved through better prediction and understanding of natural environmental hazards such as earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, drought, and solar storms. Basic research supported by GEO enables preparation for and subsequent mitigation of, or adaptation to, the effects of these and other disruptive natural events. GEO provides about 64 percent of the federal funding for basic research at academic institutions in the geosciences.

Speaker
Rebecca Gast, Program Director, Office of Polar Programs

The mission of MPS is to harness the collective efforts of the mathematical and physical sciences communities to address the most compelling scientific questions, educate the future advanced high-tech workforce, and promote discoveries to meet the needs of the Nation. The NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences consists of the Divisions of Astronomical Sciences, Chemistry, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics, as well as the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. These organizations comprise the basic structure for MPS support of research and education. The MPS Divisions support both disciplinary and interdisciplinary activities and partner with each other and with other NSF Directorates to effectively encourage basic research across the scientific disciplines.

Speaker
Bogdan Mihaila, Program Director, Division of Physics

The mission of the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is to enable the U.S. to uphold its leadership in computing, communications, and information science and engineering; promote understanding of the principles and uses of advanced computing, communications, and information systems in service to society; support advanced cyberinfrastructure that enables and accelerates discovery and innovation across all science and engineering disciplines; and contribute to universal, transparent, and affordable participation in an information-based society. To achieve this mission, CISE supports investigator-initiated research and education in all areas of computer and information science and engineering, fosters broad interdisciplinary collaboration, helps develop and maintain cutting-edge national cyberinfrastructure for research and education, and contributes to the development of a computer and information technology workforce with skills necessary for success in the increasingly competitive global market.

Speaker
Ralph Wachter, Program Director, Division of Computer and Network Systems

The mission of the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) is to enable discoveries for understanding life. BIO-supported research advances the frontiers of biological knowledge, increases our understanding of complex systems, and provides a theoretical basis for original research in many other scientific disciplines.

Speaker
Colette St. Mary, Program Director, Division of Integrative Organismal Systems

NSF staff will highlight updates to NSF proposal and award systems. Staff from the National Institutes of Health will demonstrate SciENcv for the preparation of the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support information.

Speakers
Stephanie Yee, IT Specialist, Division of Information Systems; Office of Information and Resource Management
Alexander Wilson, IT Specialist, Division of Information Systems; Office of Information and Resource Management
Bart Trawick, Director, Customer Services Division, National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health
Carol Radigan, Product Manager, SciENcv, National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health

This session will provide an update to NSF policies and procedures that affect proposal preparation, merit review, and award administration.

Speaker
Jean Feldman, Head, Policy Office, Division of Institution and Award Support; Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management