Grant Opportunities for Week Ending Jan. 18, 2008

National Science Foundation

Joint Domestic Nuclear Detection Office/National Science Foundation: Academic Research Initiative (ARI) - In FY 2008, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will invest, in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), in frontier research at academic institutions. This transformational research effort will be focused on detection systems, individual sensors or other research that is potentially relevant to the detection of nuclear weapons, special nuclear material, radiation dispersal devices and related threats. The joint DNDO/NSF effort, in coordination with the efforts of other agencies, seeks to advance fundamental knowledge in new technologies for the detection of nuclear threats and to develop intellectual capacity in fields relevant to long-term advances in nuclear detection capability. This research and the research community that will be built under the ARI are seen as critical to our nation's ability to deploy effective nuclear detection measures to counter the serious threat of a nuclear terrorist attack. Full Proposal Deadline(s): April 11, 2008; April 01, 2009; and, the First Wednesday in April, Annually Thereafter through 2011.

A flood of new information, from whole-genome sequences to detailed structural information to inventories of earth's biota to greater appreciation of the importance of lateral gene transfer, is transforming 21st century biology. Along with comparative data on morphology, fossils, development, behavior, and interactions of all forms of life on earth, these new data streams make even more critical the need for an organizing framework for information retrieval, analysis, and prediction. Phylogeny, the genealogical map for all lineages of life on earth, provides an overall framework to facilitate information retrieval and biological prediction. Currently, single investigators or small teams of researchers are studying the evolutionary pathways of heredity usually concentrating on taxonomic groups of modest size. Assembly of a framework phylogeny, or Tree of Life, for all 1.7 million described species requires a greatly magnified effort, often involving large teams working across institutions and disciplines. This is the overall goal of the Assembling the Tree of Life activity. The National Science Foundation announces its intention to continue support of creative and innovative research that will resolve evolutionary relationships for large groups of organisms throughout the history of life. Investigators also will be supported for projects in data acquisition, analysis, algorithm development and dissemination in computational phylogenetics and phyloinformatics. Full Proposal Deadline: March 14, 2008.

Antarctic Research: Aeronomy & Astrophysics, Organisms and Ecosystems, Earth Sciences, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, Glaciology, Integrated System Science - Scientific research and operational support of that research are the principal activities supported by the United States Government in Antarctica. The goals are to expand fundamental knowledge of the region, to foster research on global and regional problems of current scientific importance, and to use Antarctica as a platform from which to support research. For projects involving fieldwork, the U.S. Antarctic Program supports only research that can be done exclusively in Antarctica or that is best done from Antarctica. The program also supports antarctic-related analytical research performed at home organizations. NSF is the designated lead agency for the International Polar Year, 2007-2009, for the United States and has made a number of awards in response to IPY solicitations (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipy_awards_list.jsp). These awards will result in new data sets that could be used in follow-on research such as modeling and synthesis work. Proposals that make use of IPY datasets or that otherwise build on IPY investments are welcome in the regular programs. For information concerning other Federal agencies and their IPY programs, please go to the U.S. government interagency IPY site at http://www.us-ipy.gov/. Full Proposal Deadline(s): May 02, 2008 For proposals for research on the Oden during Nov-Dec 2008. June 06, 2008 For all proposals for antarctic work other than work proposed on Oden for Nov-Dec 2008.

Centers for Chemical Innovation Phase I (CCI-I): Formerly known as Chemical Bonding Centers (CBC) - The CCI Program is designed to support the formation of centers that can address major, long-term basic chemical research problems that have a high probability of both producing transformative research and leading to innovation. Appropriate research problems are high-risk but potentially high-impact and will attract broad scientific and public interest. Centers are expected to be agile structures that can respond rapidly to emerging opportunities and make full use of cyberinfrastructure to enhance collaborations. Center teams may include researchers from disciplines other than Chemistry and from academia, industry, government laboratories and international organizations. CCIs are expected to integrate research, education, and outreach and to include a plan to broaden participation to under-represented groups. Proposals should contain a compelling strategy for achieving demonstrable impact in all of these areas. The CCI program is a two-phase program. The Phase I review process consists of a preliminary proposal that will be peer reviewed, followed by an invited full proposal to explore development of a Phase I CCI. Phase I CCI's receive significant resources to develop the scientific, educational, innovation and management aspects of a CCI before requesting Phase II funding. Phase I proposals funded in FY 2008 will seek Phase II funding in FY 2011. Preliminary Proposal Due Date (required): April 17, 2008. Full Proposal Deadline: July 25, 2008.


Department of Defense

Vulnerability Detection and Management – AFRL - This BAA is focused on technologies for dealing with security on modern high speed digital networks and enterprise systems. A modern enterprise system is faced with numerous threats, both internal and external. The current ability to protect against the full spectrum of threats poses a severe economic and performance burden on the enterprise and national infrastructure. This BAA addresses factors related to our ability to understand and decompose these threats; we are interested in both new paradigms and existing concepts applied in new and novel fashion. This BAA will consider issues related to software vulnerabilities. Other types of vulnerabilities are not excluded, but since most problems relate to software design and coding, these areas will receive the majority of resources. It is recommended that white papers be received by the following dates to maximize the possibility of award: FY 08 should be submitted by 1 February 2008; FY 09 by 1 June 08; and FY 10 by 1 June 09. White papers will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 1 June 2010, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. FORMAL PROPOSALS ARE NOT BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA): NATIONAL SECURITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FACULTY FELLOWSHIP (NSSEFF) PROGRAM - The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will receive applications for the National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowships (NSSEFF) Program. The Department of Defense (DoD), Office of the Director, Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) has established the NSSEFF program with the following objectives: provide extensive, long-term financial support to distinguished university faculty scientists and engineers to conduct unclassified, fundamental research on topics of interest to DoD; ensure that our nation has an active, long-term, well informed, and aggressive research and engineering portfolio that attracts creative and energetic scientists, engineers, and their students. Universities intending to nominate faculty should do so by 22 January 2008. The "intent to nominate letters" are not binding on DoD, the university, or the individuals names. These letters have been requested for planning purposes. Formal nominations and white papers may be submitted from 8 January 2008 until 21 February 2008. Semi-finalists will be required to apply for a security clearance by 11 March 2008, to submit full proposals by 28 March 2008, and to present their proposals in the Washington D.C. area 18-20 April 2008.

Naval Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement - This is NRL’s Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the years 2007 and 2008 issued under the provisions of paragraphs 35.016 and 6.102(d)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). Proposals may range from theoretical studies to proof-of-concept to include fabrication and delivery of a prototype. BAA topics include all NRL sites located in the Washington, DC area, the Stennis Space Center, MS, and Monterey, CA. Proposals submitted in response to a BAA announcement that are selected for award are considered to be the result of full and open competition and are in full compliance with the provisions of Public Law 98-369, "The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984." NRL is interested in receiving proposals for the research efforts described under this BAA. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to make any award or to pay for any response preparation costs. Closing Date: 31 December 2008.




This posting is excerpted from the weekly "Grant Opportunities" e-mail distributed by the Division of Science and Research, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Contact Dr. Jan Taylor to receive the weekly e-mail.