An Open Letter from the Ecological and Environmental Sciences Community Regarding the New Preproposal Process in the Directorate of Biological Sciences
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An Open Letter from the Ecological and Environmental Sciences Community Regarding the New Preproposal Process in the Directorate of Biological Sciences August 21, 2012 Dr. Subra Suresh, Director, National Dr. Katherine Gross, Member, BIO AC Science Foundation Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, Member, BIO AC Dr. Cora Marrett, Deputy Director, Dr. John Wingfield, Assistant Director, National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences Dr. Dan Arvizu, Chair, National Science Dr. Joann Roskoski, Deputy Assistant Board Director, Directorate for Biological Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, Vice Chairman, Sciences National Science Board (NSB) Dr. Parag Chitnis, Division Director, Dr. Bonnie Bassler, Member, NSB Division of Molecular and Cellular Dr. Alan Leshner, Member, NSB Biosciences Dr. G. P. “Bud” Peterson, Member, NSB Dr. Judith Verbeke, Acting Division Dr. Douglas Randall, Member, NSB Director, Division of Biological Dr. Joseph Travis, Chair, Advisory Infrastructure Committee for Environmental Research Dr. Jane Silverthorne, Division Director, and Education (AC-ERE) Division of Integrative Organismal Dr. Anthony Janetos, AC-ERE Systems Dr. Stephanie Pfirman, AC-ERE Dr. Alan Townsend, Division Director, Dr. José Nelson Onuchic, Chair, Division of Environmental Biology Directorate for Biological Sciences Dr. Chuck Liarakos, Senior Policy Advisor, Advisory Committee (BIO AC) Directorate for Biological Sciences Dr. Carol Brewer, Member, BIO AC Dear Directors, Chairs, and Members of Boards and Committees: We are writing as members of the ecological and environmental biology community to voice our disappointment with the newly adopted process by which proposals are reviewed within some Divisions of the Directorate for Biological Sciences1. We recognize that increasing proposal submissions and declining funding rates are creating undue burdens on Program Directors, investigators, and the community of reviewers. Nevertheless, we feel that the new preproposal process is slowing the pace of science at a time when societyʼs need is increasing for timely and sound science to inform solutions to tough environmental problems. Moreover, the new process does not ensure that the best science is funded with the limited funds that are available. 1 The new process in the Divisions of Environmental Biology and Integrative Organismal Systems consists of a single preproposal due date in January each year followed by a single full proposal submission deadline in August each year (by invitation only). An individual may be PI, co-PI, or lead senior investigator of a subaward on only two preproposals per year. See http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11078/nsf11078.jsp?org=NSF. The preproposal process slows the pace of science in the following ways. The process creates an exceedingly long lag between the time when ideas are first proposed and when funding becomes available to investigators. Even if the two preproposals allowed per Investigator per year are successful, it takes over one year from submission to funding (as opposed to 6-9 months in the former system). This lag time increases to over two years or longer if a preproposal is unsuccessful. The increased lag period comes at a time when the rapid pace of environmental change requires science-based solutions to address societal needs. It also hinders the development and deployment of new tools and technologies (e.g., molecular and informatic) that inform solutions that address such rapid environmental change. The long lag between idea generation and funding is particularly hard on junior scientists who are establishing their research programs, but also hinders progress of more senior scientists seeking to sustain active research programs and to educate the next generation of scientists. The process limits the scope of science by (1) selecting against complex, interdisciplinary science that cannot be convincingly described in four pages and (2) hindering collaboration among scientists (by limiting the number of submissions per investigator per year) at a time when research programs and teams need to be increasingly multifaceted, innovative, and interdisciplinary to address complex issues. The process limits feedback to scientists, slowing the pace at which creative ideas advance during the iterative submission-resubmission process, because of the lack of ad hoc reviews for proposals. Although investigators faced low rates of proposal success with the former process, it at least offered comprehensive feedback and allowed for relatively quick resubmission, increasing the chances for success with future submissions. The delays, the reduced opportunities for collaborative proposals, and the more limited feedback are likely to have a disproportionate effect on young scientists and members of groups who are not yet well represented in our science. We fear that this new process will result in the loss of some very promising people from the pipeline who are already discouraged by bleak prospects for funding research. We are optimistic that thoughtful modifications of the new preproposal process, made in consultation with the ecological and environmental sciences community, will ensure that science progresses as rapidly as possible given the level of funds available, thereby providing maximum benefit to society. In any such modifications, we believe it is essential (1) to ease current restrictions that limit collaboration and the pursuit of high-risk, high- reward ideas and (2) to provide two deadlines per year, even if that requires taking other measures, such as reducing the number of ad hoc reviews or reducing proposal length, to ensure reasonable workloads for NSF staff and the reviewer community. Sincerely, Sarah E. Hobbie Professor, Dept of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior and Resident Fellow, Institute on the Environment University of Minnesota Saint Paul, MN Pamela A. Matson Chester Norman Dean of the School of Earth Sciences; Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Environmental Studies; and Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment Stanford University Stanford, CA Whendee L. Silver Professor, Dept of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, and Ecology Faculty, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA Peter M. Vitousek Clifford G. Morrison Professor of Population and Resource Studies, Dept of Biology and Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment Stanford University Stanford, CA Diana H. Wall University Distinguished Professor; Director, School of Global Environmental Sustainability and Professor of Biology; and Senior Research Scientist, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO And 550 additional signatories: Byron Adams Zachary T Aanderud Cheyenne M Adams Associate Professor Assistant Professor Undergraduate Dept of Biology Dept of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Zoology Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories Brigham Young University Southern Illinois University Brigham Young University Provo, UT Carbondale, IL Provo, UT William W Adams Greta Aeby Victor A Albert Professor Asstistant Researcher Professor Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Dept of Biological Sciences University of Colorado University of Hawaii University at Buffalo Boulder, CO Kaneohe, HI Buffalo, NY Sonia Altizer Neel Aluru Priyanga Amarasekare Associate Professor Assistant Scientist Professor Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Biology Dept Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Odum School of Ecology Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution University of California University of Georgia Woods Hole, MA Los Angeles, CA Athens, GA Roger A Anderson Donald M Anderson Kristina J Anderson-Teixeira Professor Senior Scientist Postdoctoral Scientist Biology Dept Biology Dept Energy Biosciences Institute Western Washington University Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bellingham, WA Woods Hole, MA Urbana, IL David A Andow Janis Antonovics Amy Apprill Distinguished McKnight University Professor Professor Assistant Scientist Dept of Entomology Dept of Biology Dept of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry University of Minnesota University of Virginia Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution St Paul, MN Charlottesville, VA Woods Hole, MA Steven R Archer Clay P Arango Marcelo Ardon Professor Research Associate Assistant Professor School of Natural Resources and the Biology Biology Environment Central Washington University East Carolina University University of Arizona Ellensburg, WA Greenville, NC Tucson, AZ Giri Athrey David W Armitage Heidi Asbjornsen Postdoctoral Scientist Graduate Student Associate Professor Vector Biology Integrative Biology Natural Resources and the Environment Entomology University of California University of New Hampshire Texas A&M University Berkeley, CA Durham, NH College Station, TX Lisa August-Schmidt Amy T Austin Peter Baas Graduate Student Associate Professor Graduate student Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology Dept Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Odum School of Ecology University of California University of Buenos Aires University of Georgia Santa Barbara, CA Buenos Aires, Argentina Athens, GA Sara G Baer Joseph K Bailey Lisa Bain Associate Professor Assistant Professor Professor Dept of Plant Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Biological Sciences Center for Ecology University of Tennessee Clemson University Southern Illinois University Knoxville, TN Clemson, SC Carbondale, IL Nick J Balster William S Baldwin Associate Professor David A Baltrus