Navigating the NSF System Workshop

 

 

 

This workshop has been held annually from 2009 to 2017 in conjunction with AGU Education.

How do you make your proposal as NSF-savvy as possible? How do you best describe your broader impacts? What is cutting edge in data management? How do you identify the best program for application? How do you access available education and outreach funds? There are always new initiatives starting at NSF, beyond core programs. How do you identify and apply for these opportunities? How are initiatives different than core programs? How can you design effective integrated research? Answer these questions and meet in small groups with Program Officers, get to know what they are looking for, and learn how to ask the right questions, give the right answers, and get funded. This workshop is open to all AGU Fall Meeting attendees and will be particularly helpful to early-career to midcareer participants, especially graduate students, post-docs, researchers, and tenure-track faculty thinking about applying for NSF funding for the first time. Co-sponsored by the Earth Science Women’s Network and AGU Education.

Here are slides from the 2017 workshop: AGU Navigating NSF 2017

Here are some useful resources from the 2014 workshop:

An example agenda (from the 2013 workshop) is below:

Facilitators: Jennifer Wade (NSF) and Meredith Hastings (ESWN)

Welcome 0900h-0915h

  • Roger Wakimoto, Assistant Director, Geosciences Directorate
  • Meredith Hastings, Assistant Professor, Brown University and ESWN Board Member

Session 1  0915-1020h, What constitutes an effective review?

This session will cover the criteria for NSF proposal reviews and what program officers rate as effective. This session will help you in preparing great proposals and reviews for NSF programs.

Presentation by Jennifer Wade (EAR/Petrology & Geochemistry) followed by

Q&A with Panelists from Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences, Polar Programs, Ocean Sciences, and Earth Sciences

Session 2  1020-1100h, Early Career Options

This will be an informational session about new NSF-wide competitions, upcoming news and highlights from NSF, and early career opportunities (post-doctoral fellowships, AAAS fellowships and CAREER awards). 

Presentation by Jennifer Wade (EAR/Petrology & Geochemistry) followed by

Q&A with Panelists from Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences, Earth Sciences, Polar Programs, and Ocean Sciences

Session 3  1100-1200h, Connecting with NSF

This session will provide tips to connect with NSF program officers including how to prepare for a helpful discussion about your proposal idea with a program officer. It will feature a chance for participants to meet with program officers in small groups.

Brief introductions of program officers in the room, followed by small group meetings between participants and POs form across the Geosciences Directorate. (22 POs attended)