CAREER WORKSHOP

APRIL 6, 2015

Overview of the CAREER Program

Beth HodgesDirector, Office of Proposal Development

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

What is CAREER’s Purpose• CAREER Awards provide recipients the opportunity to

enhance their professional career development, better integrate their research and education responsibilities and build academic leadership abilities.

• All National Science Foundation directorates participate in the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, designed to support junior faculty in their dual roles as teacher-scholars.

More About the Award

• Is based on a development plan, “a well-argued and specific proposal for activities that will, over a 5-year period, build a firm foundation for a lifetime of contributions to research and education”

• Duration: 5 years*• Strategic Planning

• Where are you today?• Where do you want to be in the future (5, 10,

20 years from now)?• How do you get from here to there?

Am I Eligible?• Eligible CAREER Award Principal Investigators:

• Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF• Are employed in a tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent)

position as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) or will be by October 1 following the deadline for submission of CAREER proposals

• Will be untenured until October 1 following the deadline• Have not received a previous CAREER award• Have not submitted to CAREER more than twice previously.

_________________________• Not for Associate Professors• No Citizenship Requirement (except PECASE)

Award Limits: Proposals & Budgets• Proposal Limits: Principal investigators may only submit

one CAREER Award proposal per competition. Faculty members are limited to participation in three CAREER Award competitions.

• Budget Limits: CAREER Award budgets currently have a minimum $400K limit (total costs) for five-year projects (the Biological Directorate and the Office of Polar Programs stipulate a minimum of $500K.)

Minimum figures also represent the general maximums you can expect. You will want to discuss these budget limits with your program officer.

Proposal Deadlines for 2015

July 21, 2015Biological Sciences,

Computer & Information, Science & Engineering,

Education and Education & Human Resources

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July 22, 2015

Directorate for Engineering

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July 23, 2015Geosciences

Mathematical & Physical Sciences

Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences

Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

Many agencies participate. Selection based on two criteria:

1) innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology, and

2) community service demonstrated through scientific leadership, education or community outreach

No application– This is initiated by NSF- White House OSTP makes final selections. This does not provide additional funds for the project.

What is PECASE

Get to Know the Program

CAREER

Visit the CAREER Web Page• Access to the latest program announcement • Directorate Contacts for each Directorate (Program

Officers)• See what has been funded previously (with abstracts) • Link to the GPG is also on this page

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214

Know the CAREER Announcement• CAREER AWARD PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT (NSF

15-555, Updated March, 2015) The CAREER Award announcement provides specific details about the program.

(http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15555/nsf15555.htm)

Proposers should be very familiar with this document as well as the NSF Grant Proposal Guide.

GPG

• NSF GRANT PROPOSAL GUIDE (NSF 15-1) The NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) provides standard proposal requirements.

Last update was posted in November, 2014. Make sure you are using the most current version.

Remember• Begin work on a CAREER Award

proposal early. • Do not wait until the last minute to

contact a program officer• Unlike any other proposal you will submit

to NSF

• Use all of the resources available to you.

CAREER Awards represent a true balance between your faculty research and education roles.

When planning this component, design innovative outreach efforts that go well beyond what you normally do in your faculty role.