NSF Academic Research Infrastructure Instrumentation Program

Karen A.Holbrook, Ph.D., Vice President for Research, Dean of the Graduate School

The National Science Foundation is soliciting proposals for the acquisition or development of major pieces of scientific instrumentation. Deadline for proposals to NSF is February 3, 1997. Awards will range from $100,000 to $2 million with 50% cost sharing provided by the awardee institution. As in the past, we are limited to two proposals per institution.

Because of the restriction on the number of submissions, the following procedures have been established:

1. Pre-proposals due at 223 Grinter Hall, Office of the Vice President/Research, by 5 p.m., Monday, December 2, 1996. We have set an early internal deadline to allow maximum time for proposal completion.
2. Pre-proposals should be not more than 2-3 pages and include the following:
   • a description of the instrumentation to be purchased/developed;
   • impact the instrumentation will have on current and future research and research training activities;
   • demonstrated need for the instrumentation;
   • qualifications of the persons who will use or develop the instrumentation;
   • projected cost and plans for providing the matching funds (e.g., college share; industry contribution; request to ORTGE; etc.).
3. A list of NSF-funded research that will benefit from this instrumentation must be included. Please provide specifics such as PI, project title, budget/project period, award amount.
4. ORTGE will consider requests for matching funds from eligible colleges and departments (excluding IFAS and Engineering*). Any request for matching funds must be co-signed by the Dean, Department Chair and appropriate Vice President and be attached to the preproposal. Preproposals not accompanied by the written endorsement of the applicant’s Department Chair and Dean will not be considered.(*Exceptions are made for interdisciplinary programs.)
5. The Campus Research Awards Selection Committee will review and rank the preproposals. Applicants will be informed of the results of the competition on or before December 15.

Guidelines are expected to be released by NSF shortly, and will be available from our Program Information Office, 392-4804. I would appreciate your alerting the appropriate faculty in your area to this opportunity.