Funding-Limited Submission - NSF Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships (NSF 14-600); December 11, 2014

The Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports innovative, potentially transformative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among academic institutions, national laboratories, industrial organizations, and/or other public/private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate. They provide a means to undertake significant investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or fresh approaches within disciplines. STCs may involve any area of science and engineering that NSF supports.

Objectives of the STC Program are to:

• Support research and education of the highest quality in a Center-based environment in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts;
• Exploit opportunities in science, education, engineering and/or technology where the complexity of the research agenda requires the advantages of scope, scale, flexibility, duration, equipment, and facilities that a Center can provide;
• Support innovative frontier investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or investigations that will lead to fresh approaches within disciplines;
• Engage and develop the Nation's intellectual talent, including groups underrepresented in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, in the conduct of research and education activities;
• Promote organizational connections and linkages within and between campuses, schools and/or the world beyond (e.g., state, local, Federal agencies, national labs, industry, international collaborations), capitalizing upon cyberinfrastructure to facilitate these linkages;
• Focus on integrative learning and discovery and the preparation of U.S. students for a broad set of career paths; and
• Foster science and/or engineering in service to society especially with respect to new research areas and promising new instrumentation and technologies.

Limit on Number of Preliminary Proposals per Organization: 3

A single organization may submit a maximum of three preliminary proposals as the lead institution. Full proposals are to be submitted only when invited by NSF. There is no limit on the number of proposals in which an organization participates as a partner institution. The STC program will not support more than one Center from any one lead institution in this competition.

See the complete solicitation for additional details and requirements: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14600/nsf14600.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

Because NSF limits an institution to 3 preliminary proposals, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process. Researchers interested in submitting a proposal are to submit the following material electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at limitedsubmissions@uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Tuesday, September 23, 2014:

• Names and departments of the Principal Investigator (PI), project personnel and collaborators at partner organizations/institutions
• Title of the program and/or funding opportunity announcement number
• A brief description (2 pages maximum) of the proposed Center - including the vision for the proposed Center that clearly outlines the grand challenges being addressed or breakthroughs being sought. Also describe how the integration of research, education, and knowledge transfer in a center-level activity will advance the proposed research.

A committee will be convened to review the material and make recommendations as to the University’s submissions. Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).

NSF Deadlines:

Preliminary proposal (required) December 11, 2014

Full Proposal (invited): June 16, 2015