Purpose: The
National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL)
program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of
the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in
informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and
engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and
assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and engage the public of
all ages in learning STEM in informal environments. The products of AISL
investments may include, but are not limited to, exhibitions and programs in
museums, zoos, aquaria, botanic gardens/arboreta, planetariums, nature centers,
parks, libraries, and other environments; science communication; after-school
and out-of-school time (OST) programs; radio, television, film, or media
programs or series; Do-It-Yourself (DIY)/maker initiatives; opportunities for
the public to engage in research including crowd-sourcing and citizen science;
on-line and other digital experiences (e.g., games, simulations, social media,
mobile computing, distributed networks, and massive online open courses); and
research findings that articulate what works, for whom, why, and in what
contexts.
Given that almost any
environment can support informal science learning, there is an opportunity to
understand how learners can be supported to make bridges between what they learn
in one setting and what they learn in another setting. Thus, projects may choose
to include how informal learning practices connect with STEM-related frameworks
and curricula, college and career readiness standards, or other educational
settings.
The AISL program supports
six types of projects:
1) Pilots
and Feasibility projects: up to $300,000 with durations up to two years;
2)
Research in Service to Practice projects: from $300,000 to $2,000,000
with durations from two to five years;
3)
Innovations in Development projects: $500,000 to $3,000,000 with
durations from two to five years;
4) Broad
Implementation projects from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 with durations from three
to five years;
5) Literature Reviews, Syntheses, or Meta-analyses
projects up to $250,000 with durations of up to two years; and
6)
Conferences up to $250,000 with durations of up to two
years.
Funding Amount/ Project
Period: $250,000 to $3,000,000 -
varies by category
Link
to Funding Opportunity Announcement
Institutional Limit:
3
as lead institution
Internal
Competition: To
participate in the university’s selection process,please upload the
following,assembled
into a single PDF file, to the Office of the Vice President for Research via
this
portal
with a copy to your Associate Dean for Research by
September 3, 2019:
A committee will be
convened to review the material and make a recommendation.
For questions or issues
with submission through the portal, email the limited submission mailbox
(limitedsubmissions@uky.edu), or call 257-2861.
Agency Deadline: November
6, 2019