Funding Opportunities

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2014/2014_star_water-reuse.html Protecting our nation’s water resources is one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s priorities. In support of this priority, EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) in cooperation with the Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) Safe and Sustainable Water Research (SSWR) program announces an extramural funding competition supporting projects that focus on understanding the impacts of water reuse and conservation practices on human and ecological health and how they relate to broader issues of energy-efficient processes for water conservation and nutrient management and recovery. The Agency is interested in supporting research on water reuse and water conservation practices that promotes public and aquatic ecosystem health protection and how that may be assessed over the long-term, so as to manage the availability of water resources more holistically. The research needs include data and information that would be most valuable in helping municipalities and their stakeholders to assess their options for selecting and implementing water reclamation, reuse or harvesting projects in their water management districts. Research needs also include assessments and measurements of economic and non-economic impacts (e.g., health, economic, societal, and ecological), and identification and evaluation of impacts of implementing these projects. Options to achieve these endpoints include developing novel tools, models and methods, developing surveys, conducting field studies, or a combination of these approaches. Due Date: 02/18/2014

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (NSF 14-508) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14508/nsf14508.pdf The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The Noyce Scholarship Track provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K- 12 school districts. The NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Track provides funding to support STEM professionals who enroll as NSF Teaching Fellows in master's degree programs leading to teacher certification by providing academic courses, professional development, and salary supplements while they are fulfilling a four-year teaching commitment in a high-need school district. This track also supports the development of NSF Master Teaching Fellows by providing professional development and salary supplements for exemplary mathematics and science teachers to become Master Teachers while they fulfill a five-year teaching commitment in high- need school districts. Capacity Building Projects support the development of new programs and activities to increase the capacity for institutions to provide innovative teacher preparation programs that enable increasing numbers of STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers and to develop the capacity to prepare Master science and mathematics teachers. Letter of Intent Deadline Date: February 5, 2014 Full Proposal Deadline Date: March 5, 2014

Systems-Based Research for Evaluating Ecological Impacts of Manufactured Chemicals http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2014/2014_star_eco-impacts.html The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications focusing on integrated, transdisciplinary research that would advance scientific understanding of potential for impacts to ecosystem wellbeing associated with the use of manufactured chemicals. Specifically, the RFA would solicit proposals for systems-based research to develop and apply innovative metrics and modeling approaches to improve evaluation of ecological resilience and impact analyses, and to support environmental sustainability. Successful proposals will translate emerging and advanced methods, data, and computational tools to address complexity of these systems and distill drivers of adverse outcomes to ecological organisms and populations. This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B.5.c), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation. Deadline: March 4, 2014

Petascale Computing Resource Allocations (PRAC) – (NSF 14-518) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14518/nsf14518.htm?org=NSF In 2013, a new NSF-funded petascale computing system, Blue Waters, was deployed at the University of Illinois. The goal of this project and system is to open up new possibilities in science and engineering by providing computational capability that makes it possible for investigators to tackle much larger and more complex research challenges across a wide spectrum of domains. The purpose of this solicitation is to invite research groups to submit requests for allocations of resources on the Blue Waters system. Proposers must show a compelling science or engineering challenge that will require petascale computing resources. Proposers must also be prepared to demonstrate that they have a science or engineering research problem that requires and can effectively exploit the petascale computing capabilities offered by Blue Waters. Proposals from or including junior researchers are encouraged, as one of the goals of this solicitation is to build a community capable of using petascale computing. Deadlines: March 10, 2014 and November 14, 2014

Cognitive Neuroscience (NSF 14-514) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14514/nsf14514.pdf The National Science Foundation announces the area of Cognitive Neuroscience within the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences. Cognitive neuroscience has emerged in the last decade as an intensely active and influential discipline, forged from interactions among the cognitive sciences, neurology, neuroimaging (including physics and statistics), physiology, neuroscience, psychiatry, and other fields. Of particular importance for this discipline have been new methods for non-invasive functional neuroimaging of humans performing psychological tasks. As this field is reaching maturity, the National Science Foundation intends for the new cognitive neuroscience emphasis to spur the development of highly novel techniques and models directed toward enabling basic scientific understanding of a broad range of issues involving brain, cognition, and behavior. The emphasis at NSF will be placed on integration of the cognitive sciences, social and economic sciences, and engineering in service of insights into healthy functions of brain, cognition, and behavior.

The cross-disciplinary integration and exploitation of new techniques in cognitive neuroscience has generated a rapid growth in significant scientific advances. Research topics have included sensory processes (including olfaction, thirst, multi-sensory integration), higher perceptual processes (for faces, music, etc.), higher cognitive functions (e.g., decision-making, reasoning, mathematics, mental imagery, awareness), language (e.g., syntax, multi-lingualism, discourse), sleep, affect, social processes, learning, memory, attention, motor, and executive functions. Cognitive neuroscientists further clarify their findings by examining developmental and transformational aspects of such phenomena across the span of life, from infancy to late adulthood, and through time.

New frontiers in cognitive neuroscience research have emerged from investigations that integrate data from a variety of techniques. One very useful technique has been neuroimaging, including positron emission tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), optical imaging (near infrared spectroscopy or NIRS), anatomical MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A second class of techniques includes physiological recording such as subdural and deep brain electrode recording, electroencephalography (EEG), event-related electrical potentials (ERPs), and galvanic skin responses (GSRs).

In addition, stimulation methods have been employed, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), subdural and deep brain electrode stimulation, and drug stimulation. A fourth approach involves cognitive and behavioral methods, such as lesion-deficit neuropsychology and experimental psychology. Other techniques have included genetic analysis, molecular modeling, and computational modeling. The foregoing variety of methods is used with individuals in healthy, neurological, psychiatric, and cognitively- impaired conditions. The data from such varied sources can be further clarified by comparison with invasive neurophysiological recordings in non-human primates and other mammals. Deadline: February 25, 2014 Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders https://www.humphreyfellowship.org/ The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship program has recently announced the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. According to the announcement, it is a new flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and will bring 500 young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa, aged 25 to 35, to the United States beginning in 2014 for academic coursework and leadership training and will create unique opportunities in Africa for Fellows to put new skills to practical use in leading organizations, communities, and countries. One of the highlights of the Fellowship is the opportunity to participate in a Summit with President Obama in Washington, DC. All applicants for this opportunity must be between the ages of 25-35 and Humphrey Alumni who meet this age requirement are eligible to apply. Applications are due on January 27, 2014.

Netherlands Fellowship Programs 2014-2015 http://www.studyinholland.nl/scholarships/scholarships-administered-by- nuffic/netherlands-fellowship-programmes Netherlands Organization for Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC) offers opportunities for professionals in 50 developing countries to pursue masters degrees, PhD studies, and short courses in the Netherlands. Individuals applying for fellowships must be admitted to the relevant academic programs in order to be eligible for funding. Programs include subjects in agricultural and veterinary sciences; sustainable energy; marine biology; water resources; environmental governance; and various other areas related to environment and natural resources. Application deadlines vary by sub- programs -- with deadlines on 04 February 2014, 06 May 2014, and 07 October 2014.

ANSTI/DAAD Post-Graduate Fellowships 2014 http://anstigrants.unon.org/daad/ The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) cooperates with the African Network of Scientific and Technical Institutions (ANSTI) - by offering financial support for Masters and Ph.D degrees at institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fellowships are awarded to nationals in Sub-Saharan Africa for studies outside the applicants' home countries. Participants must be from ANSTI member institutions, and be less than 36 years old at the time of application. The application deadline is 31 May 2014.

Fellowships for Agricultural Research at U.S. Universities http://borlaugleap.org/ The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (Borlaug LEAP) offers fellowships for graduate students from developing countries for agricultural research at universities in the USA. The program currently invites applications from citizens of USAID-assisted countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Each research project is coordinated by a university in the student's home country, a university in the USA, and a mentor in the CGIAR. The application deadline is 01 May 2014.

Cyber-Innovation for Sustainability Science and Engineering (CyberSEES) (NSF14-531) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14531/nsf14531.pdf The Cyber-Innovation for Sustainability Science and Engineering (CyberSEES) program aims to advance interdisciplinary research in which the science and engineering of sustainability are enabled by new advances in computing, and where computational innovation is grounded in the context of sustainability problems.

The CyberSEES program is one component of the National Science Foundation's Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) activities, a Foundation- wide effort aimed at addressing the challenge of sustainability through support for interdisciplinary research and education. In the SEES context, a sustainable world is one where human needs are met equitably without harm to the environment or sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Computational approaches play a central role in understanding and advancing sustainability. CyberSEES supports research on all sustainability topics that depend on advances in computational areas including optimization, modeling, simulation, prediction, and inference; large-scale data management and analytics; advanced sensing techniques; human computer interaction and social computing; infrastructure design, control and management; and intelligent systems and decision-making. Additionally, the widespread, intensive use of computing technologies also introduces sustainability challenges and motivates new approaches across the lifecycle of technology design and use. Deadlines: April 8, 2014 and February 3, 2015