International Polar Year Funding Opportunities
National Science Foundation
Dear Colleague Letter on NSF website:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07008/nsf07008.jsp
For additional IPY information developed for the
Research and Education Communities, please go to:
http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp
Dear Colleague,
The next International Polar Year (IPY) will occur from March 2007
through March 2009. IPY is envisioned as an intense scientific campaign
to explore new frontiers in polar science, improve our understanding of
the critical role of the polar regions in global processes, and increase
public understanding of polar science. This Dear Colleague letter
provides information on anticipated FY-07 National Science Foundation
(NSF) funding opportunities for IPY research and education activities
that have been identified to date. These opportunities will be supported
through a special IPY Solicitation with focused science and education
themes, and through ongoing program activities at NSF. The special IPY
Solicitation and the ongoing NSF programs that will support other IPY
activities are described below. Additional information can be found at
http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp.
The U.S. National Committee for IPY, formed under the auspices of the
National Academy of Sciences, has published a vision document "A Vision
for the International Polar Year 2007-2008", which is available at
http://www.us-ipy.org/. The International Council for Science-World
Meteorological Organization (ICSU-WMO) Joint Committee published an
additional planning framework and is facilitating international
cooperation through an International Programme Office in Cambridge,
England. Further information on international efforts and the history of
the IPY is available at http://www.ipy.org. The U.S. Office of Science
and Technology Policy designated NSF as the lead federal agency for U.S.
IPY activities. The NSF Director hosted several interagency planning
meetings to elicit the agencies' preliminary plans for IPY. These are
summarized at http://nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf0545/nsf0545_3.pdf.
Desirable characteristics and goals of IPY projects include those that:
involve a pulse of activity during the IPY period; are interdisciplinary
in scope; leave a legacy of infrastructure and data; expand
international cooperation; engage the public in polar discovery; and
help attract the next generation of scientists and engineers. In
particular, proposals for IPY activities should focus on the polar
regions, and where possible and appropriate, should develop and expand
international partnerships and cooperation.
Priority will be given to proposals that take integrative or
interdisciplinary approaches and forge collaborations among
traditionally separate disciplines. Collaborations with researchers and
educators who have not previously been involved in polar research are
strongly encouraged. Such proposals will leave a legacy by promoting and
stimulating new collaborations designed to further our understanding of
fundamental questions in polar science, including interactions of human
communities with the environment. As an important contribution to the
IPY legacy, data management is expected to be an integral part of all
proposals, although standalone data management proposals will also be
considered. All proposals should include an explicit discussion of plans
for data management and data sharing.
NSF FY '07 International Polar Year Solicitation:
The National Science Foundation is planning a special joint solicitation
for IPY proposals to support specific research and education activities
within the following emphasis areas:
Understanding Environmental Change in Polar Regions: Research that
advances understanding of the drivers of environmental change at the
poles, including physical, geological, chemical, human and biological
processes, and their interactions with ecosystems and the climate system.Human and Biotic Systems in the Polar Regions: Research that addresses
fundamental questions about social, behavioral, and/or natural systems
that will increase our understanding of how humans and other organisms
function in the extreme environments of the polar regions.Education and Outreach: Educational activities that specifically
invigorate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
education in the context of IPY: formal science education projects at
the K-12, undergraduate, or graduate level; informal science education
projects for the broader public; and coordination and communication for
IPY education projects.
Scientists from numerous countries are engaged in IPY research.
International efforts during IPY present opportunities for collaboration
with foreign scientists in the development of interdisciplinary projects
that could lead to important advances in scientific understanding of the
polar regions and enhance our ability to conduct research in these
extreme environments. Collaboration and participation of U.S.
organizations in foreign-led efforts within the emphasis areas are
strongly encouraged, as is participation of non-U.S. scientists in
proposals supported under this IPY Solicitation. Therefore, researchers
and educators who are planning on submitting proposals are encouraged to
begin exploring possibilities for international collaborations as soon
as it is feasible. Please note that awards made through this program
will support U.S.-based institutions. Collaborators from institutions
outside the U.S. must seek funding from their respective funding
organizations.
NSF Ongoing Program Activities in Support of IPY:
Researchers and educators who anticipate proposing IPY projects that are
not relevant to the thematic areas described above should consider
submitting proposals to an ongoing NSF program. IPY proposals should
meet the goals and priorities of the ongoing program. If there is
uncertainty about whether an IPY proposal is relevant to the ongoing
program, proposers should consult the cognizant program officers before
submission. Biological Sciences (BIO), Geosciences (GEO), Office of
International Science and Engineering (OISE), Office of Polar Programs
(OPP), and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) encourage the
submission of IPY proposals to their ongoing programs. The specific
programs within these Directorates and their cognizant program officers
are listed on the special IPY web page at
http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp. This web site will be updated
as new opportunities for IPY are identified within NSF. IPY proposals
are expected to help implement the vision developed by and articulated
in the NAS document, "A Vision for the International Polar Year
2007-2008" (http://www.us-ipy.org/).