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NSF to Award $30M for S&T Centers

March 14, 2003

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced it intends to award approximately $30 million in FY 2005 funding under the Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program. NSF is encouraging proposals for high quality innovative research projects that undertake investigations across or within disciplines.

The STC program invests federal funds in areas consistent with NSF's goals to enable the nation's future through discovery, learning and innovation. STCs conduct research in partnerships among academic institutions, national laboratories, industrial organizations, and other public-private entities. Their benefit to society is accomplished via a three-pronged approach:

  • to undertake long-term scientific and technological research and education activities;
  • to explore better and more effective ways to educate students; and,
  • to develop mechanisms that ensure the timely transition of research and education advances.

To date, four competitions to establish STCs have resulted in 36 centers. The first two competitions, one in the late 1980s and one in the early 1990s, led to the establishment of 25 centers that subsequently graduated from NSF support. A third competition culminated in 1999 with the National Science Board's approval to award five new centers. The fourth competition led to the last six centers in late 2002.

An estimated 6-8 new centers will be awarded under new STC program competition. The program guidelines require that each center be based in an academic institution; be directed by a science or engineering faculty member and be integrated into academic programs; and have an annual budget ranging from $1.5 million to $4 million of NSF support. Cost-sharing of 30 percent of the requested total amount of NSF funds is required for all proposals. Additional requirements are listed in the program solicitation.

Academic institutions in the U.S. that have significant research and degree-granting education programs in any area of research normally supported by NSF are eligible to apply for support. Required preliminary proposals for STC projects are due by June 3. Full proposals, which are by invitation only, will be due in 2004.

The STC program solicitation is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf03550

Virginia