Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities

The Instrumentation and Facilities Program in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/IF) supports meritorious requests for infrastructure that promotes research and education in areas supported by the Division (see http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=EAR). EAR/IF will consider proposals for: 1) Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment that will advance laboratory and field investigations, and student research training opportunities in the Earth sciences. The maximum request is $750,000. The maximum request for upgrade of research group computing facilities is $75,000; 2) Development of New Instrumentation, Analytical Techniques or Software that will extend current research and research training capabilities in the Earth sciences. The maximum request is $750,000; 3) Support of National or Regional Multi-User Facilities that will make complex and expensive instruments or systems of instruments broadly available to the Earth sciences research and student communities; 4) Development of Cyberinfrastructure for the Earth Sciences (Geoinformatics) that will enable transformative advances in Earth science research and education through novel application, development or adaptation of information technologies. 5) Support for Early Career Investigators to facilitate expedient operation of new research infrastructure proposed by the next generation of leaders in the Earth Sciences. This opportunity allows for submission of a proposal for Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment that includes budget line items associated with support of a new full-time technician who will be dedicated to manage the instrument(s) being requested. Any request for technical support under this opportunity is limited to three years duration and a declining schedule of maximum annual funding as follows: Year 1 = $80,000, Year 2 = $60,000 and Year 3 = $40,000. Planned research uses of requested instruments, software, facilities, and cyberinfrastructure must include basic research on solid-Earth and surface-Earth processes.Support is available through grants or cooperative agreements awarded in response to investigator-initiated proposals.Human resource development and education are expected to be an integral part of all proposals submitted to EAR/IF. Efforts to support participation of underrepresented groups in laboratory and/or field instrument use is encouraged. All proposers to EAR/IF under the categories of Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment, Development of New Instrumentation, Analytical Techniques or Software, and Support for Early Career Investigators may include up to $10,000 in Support for Outreach Activities (please refer to Section V.B Budgetary Information). Proposals requesting equipment, infrastructure or personnel that will also serve disciplines outside the Earth sciences may be jointly reviewed with other programs within the Foundation. EAR/IF will consider co-funding of projects with other NSF programs.