New Investigator Opportunity for Engineers funded by NSF

Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in Engineering (BRIGE) Program Solicitation NSF 07-589
National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer’s local time): February 08, 2008

Synopsis of Program:
With the goal of broadening participation to all engineers including members from groups underrepresented in the engineering disciplines, the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) at NSF offers a research initiation grant funding opportunity. These grants are intended to increase the diversity of researchers who apply for and receive ENG funding to initiate research programs early in their careers, including those from under-represented groups, engineers at minority serving institutions, and persons with disabilities. By providing these funding opportunities, ENG intends to further broaden participation of engineering researchers who share NSF’s commitment to diversity in the following ways:

* Expand the population of role models who will interact with an increasingly diverse student population, the workforce of the future
* Increase the number of engineering researchers at minority serving institutions actively and competitively engaged in research as independent investigators, thereby creating new research opportunities for students from underrepresented groups
* Fund engineering research projects that use innovative ways to attract and retain members of under-represented groups to careers in engineering.

Awards are for 24 months and are limited to a maximum of $175,000 total costs (direct plus indirect). Principal Investigators must be U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted U.S. permanent residents at the time of application; visa-holders are not eligible.

PI Limit: Proposers must be affiliated with an engineering department or a department closely related to engineering. Co-investigators are not permitted, but collaborations with other scientists and/or visiting scientist status in other laboratories are permitted. Principal investigators must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents

Full details at:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07589

Applications Now Accepted For East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students

East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI)
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer’s local time): December 12, 2007

Synopsis of Program: The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes provide U.S. graduate students in science and engineering: 1) first-hand research experience in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science and science policy infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) orientation to the society, culture and language. The primary goals of EAPSI are to introduce students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering in the context of a research setting, and to help students initiate scientific relationships that will better enable future collaboration with foreign counterparts. The institutes last approximately eight weeks from June to August.

* Applications are submitted directly by the individual graduate student, unlike standard NSF proposals that are submitted through the principal investigator’s

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
* U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
* Enrolled in a research-oriented master’s or Ph.D. degree program at a U.S. institution located in the United States;
* Pursuing studies in fields of science and engineering research and education supported by the National Science Foundation;
* Pursuing studies in fields that are supported by the foreign co-sponsoring organization.

Previous EAPSI awardees may not receive funding to the same location (Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or Taiwan). Students selected for the program who are matriculated at the time of application and subsequently graduate may still receive an award and participate in the EAPSI program.

Full details at:
URL: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07584

11th Annual GLOBE Conference To Be Held in San Antonio, Texas, July 29-Aug. 3, 2007

The 11th Annual Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Conference, scheduled for July 29-Aug. 3, 2007, will take place in San Antonio, Texas. The annual conference brings together teachers, scientists, academics, program managers and government officials from around the world to address the key ideas for improving education through GLOBE, supporting awareness of sustainable development and scientific elements of GLOBE, and sustaining the strength of GLOBE.

This year’s conference will highlight GLOBE’s new Earth System Science Projects that are the focus of the Next Generation GLOBE. Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with scientists who are using GLOBE data in their own research, learn about new technology and science education, and discuss effective methods to enhance and implement GLOBE. Conference sessions will offer discussions on strengthening and sustaining GLOBE, with particular attention paid to building regional consortia that strengthen and empower GLOBE coordinators and learning communities with top scientists and educators from around the world.

For more information and to register online, visit:
http://www.globe.gov/fsl/html/templ.cgi?sanantonio2007&lang=en&nav=1