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“Broader Impacts”:NSF Changes &

SE Researcher Strategies

Margaret Burnett, Lori Clarke, Sebastian Elbaum, Bill Pugh Oregon State Univ., Univ. Mass Amherst,

Univ. Nebraska Lincoln, Univ. Maryland and NSF

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History

• 1981 – 1996: 4 NSF Merit Review Criteria– Competence– Intrinsic merit– Utility or relevance– Effect on infrastructure of science and engineering

• 1997 – 2011: 2 NSF Merit Review Criteria– Intellectual merit– Broader Impacts: 5 BI (sub)criteria

• 2011: National Science Board reviewing current criteria– Both Merit and BI

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NSF has been increasing BI Criteria here and there

• Science/Technology Centers and Engineering Research Centers– Diversity plan and Education plan

• NYI, Career Awards: Education plan

• CISE CE21: Broadening participation plan

• All proposals since Jan. ’11: Data mgt plan

• All proposals with a postdoc:– Mentoring plan

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This Activity is in Response toThis Message:

• The people, through its elected officials, want the researchers that it funds to have impact on society.

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But ... Some Conflicts

• Good research is speculative; it may not, in itself, have societal impact.

• CS researchers may not have:– time, know-how, or $ set aside

to make effective BI by themselves.

in itself

$by themselves

by themselves

• Grantees participate in research-related activities that directly address some of the broader impacts 8 societal goals. – Funding: These activities are funded by the

grant.– Infrastructure: Departments, colleges, and

universities provide infrastructure that researchers can plug into.

– Accountability: Activities are reported in the annual and final reports.

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Possible Resolution

in itself

$

by themselves

in itself$

Congress Steps in...

• On January 4, 2011 Pres. Obama signed into law the – “America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully

Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (America COMPETES) Reauthorization Act of 2010”

• Broader Impacts Criterion were explicitly listed

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America COMPETES Act:The New BI Criteria

• The Act directs the NSF to apply these Broader Impacts review criteria: 1. Increased economic competitiveness of the United States.2. Development of a globally competitive STEM workforce.3. Increased participation of women and underrepresented

minorities in STEM.4. Increased partnerships between academia and industry.5. Improved pre-K-12 STEM education and teacher

development.6. Improved undergraduate STEM education.7. Increased public scientific literacy.8. Increased national security.

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America Competes Act:Furthermore...

• Deadline: – “Not later than 6 months after the date of

enactment of this Act, the Director shall develop and implement a policy for the Broader Impacts Review Criterion...”

– It became law on January 4, 2011• July 4, 2011 is the deadline

• NSF Program Director/panel education:– “provides for educating professional staff ...,

<grant> review panels, and applicants”

Where Do I Start?

• Broader Impact (BI) activities don’t have to be novel (except for BI-focused grants).

• You don’t have to cover all categories.• Build your track record.• You don’t have to do it alone!!!

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Anti-Patternsand why they’re anti-patterns

• No broader impact:– I’ll train my grad students.– I’ll teach it in a grad course.

• Open question: Need it be responsive to the “message” of the research having an impact?– I’ll mail some money to NCWIT.– (See Bill’s discussion of “sidecars”.)

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Who Can Help?

• Collaborators in CS, in Education, ….• Department/University support and

infrastructure• Organizations for underrepresented groups: NSF

BPC Alliances, CRA-W, CS/AMP, ….• NCWIT’s “In-a-box” kits

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The Big Picture: Why Do Such BI Activities

• They make the world better• BIs can lead to better science

– New ideas, researchers, collaborations, etc.

• They pay the bills– American taxpayers fund our research

• NSF won’t fund without them– It’s the law

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