Opportunity Information: Apply for 16 611
Apply for 16 611
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (IF)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 24, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 09, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (IF) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity run through the Division of Earth Sciences, specifically the Instrumentation and Facilities program (EAR/IF). The main purpose is to strengthen Earth science research and education by supporting critical infrastructure needs tied to advanced scientific instrumentation and facilities. Rather than funding a specific predefined project, this program operates through investigator-initiated proposals, meaning researchers propose what they need and why it matters, and NSF funds the strongest, most impactful requests.
A central focus of this particular solicitation is Laboratory Technician Support connected to Earth science research instrumentation. The grant support is intended to ensure advanced instruments are operated optimally and efficiently over time, not just purchased or installed. Technician-funded activities can include routine and specialized operation of equipment, maintenance and quality assurance practices that keep instruments producing reliable data, development and refinement of analytical protocols (for example, improving workflows, calibration routines, sample preparation methods, or data handling procedures), and training users so that students, researchers, and other lab users can competently and safely use the instrumentation. In other words, the program recognizes that cutting-edge instruments only deliver strong science when there is skilled technical expertise behind them, along with clear procedures and a culture of user support.
Proposals are expected to integrate human resource development and education as an essential part of the technician role. That means the technician support being requested should not be framed as purely operational staffing; instead, it should clearly contribute to training, mentoring, knowledge transfer, and building broader capacity in the research community. User training is emphasized, and applicants are encouraged to describe how the technician will help grow the skills of instrument users, improve access to complex analytical capabilities, and enable high-quality research outcomes across multiple users or projects.
The solicitation also explicitly encourages efforts that broaden participation, particularly activities that support underrepresented groups in laboratory and/or field instrument use and training. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate inclusive training practices and outreach or access strategies into the technician duties described in the proposal. This aligns with NSF's Broader Impacts expectations and signals that proposals will be stronger when they demonstrate thoughtful plans for equitable access to instrumentation, training opportunities, and professional development pathways tied to the supported facility or lab.
Early-career investigators are specifically encouraged to apply when serving as lead investigators, defined here as tenure-track but untenured faculty. While the program remains competitive for all applicants, proposals led by early-career researchers are noted as receiving due consideration under the Broader Impacts criterion, reflecting NSF's interest in building long-term research capacity and supporting the next generation of scientific leadership.
From the published opportunity details, this is a discretionary grant program under NSF's science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.050). The opportunity number is 16-611. The listed award ceiling is $750,000, and the expected number of awards is 5. The original closing date shown is February 9, 2017, and the opportunity record notes a creation date of September 24, 2016. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation materials, which typically means applicants should consult the official NSF eligibility language and institutional requirements before preparing a submission.
Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as support for the people and practices that make sophisticated Earth science instrumentation truly usable and impactful: keeping instruments running at high performance, improving and documenting analytical methods, training a diverse community of users, and building sustainable research and education capacity within the Earth sciences.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (IF) - Laboratory Technician Support
What is the Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (IF) funding opportunity?
Earth Sciences: Instrumentation and Facilities (IF) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity offered through the Division of Earth Sciences, specifically the Instrumentation and Facilities program (EAR/IF). Its purpose is to strengthen Earth science research and education by supporting critical infrastructure needs tied to advanced scientific instrumentation and facilities.
What is the main goal of this program?
The main goal is to improve Earth science research and education capacity by ensuring that advanced instrumentation and facilities are supported in ways that keep them effective, reliable, and accessible to users over time. The emphasis is on infrastructure needs that enable strong science, including the people and processes that keep instrumentation producing high-quality results.
Is this program focused on predefined projects?
No. The program operates through investigator-initiated proposals, meaning researchers propose what they need and explain why it matters. NSF then funds the strongest and most impactful requests.
What is the central focus highlighted in this solicitation?
A central focus is Laboratory Technician Support connected to Earth science research instrumentation. The solicitation emphasizes that instruments deliver the best science when they are supported by skilled technical expertise, strong procedures, and ongoing user support.
What types of technician activities are supported?
Technician-funded activities can include routine and specialized operation of equipment, maintenance and quality assurance practices, development and refinement of analytical protocols, and training users so they can competently and safely use instrumentation.
Does the program support maintaining and operating instruments, not just buying them?
Yes. The solicitation emphasizes ensuring advanced instruments are operated optimally and efficiently over time, not solely purchased or installed. Support can cover the technical work and practices that keep instruments functioning well and producing reliable data.
What does "quality assurance" mean in this context?
In this context, quality assurance refers to practices that help ensure instruments produce reliable data over time. This can include maintenance routines, checks that verify performance, and procedures that keep results consistent and trustworthy.
What does "analytical protocol development and refinement" include?
It can include improving workflows, calibration routines, sample preparation methods, and data handling procedures. The idea is to strengthen and document how the instrumentation is used so outputs are high quality and reproducible.
Is user training an expected part of the technician role?
Yes. User training is emphasized. Applicants are encouraged to describe how the technician will help users learn to operate instruments competently and safely, and how this training will improve access to complex analytical capabilities.
Does the proposal need to include education and human resource development?
Yes. Proposals are expected to integrate human resource development and education as an essential part of the technician role. Technician support should not be described as purely operational staffing; it should contribute to training, mentoring, knowledge transfer, and building broader capacity in the research community.
How should applicants frame technician support to align with the solicitation?
Applicants should connect technician support to broader outcomes such as training and mentoring users, improving access to instrumentation across multiple users or projects, improving documented methods and workflows, and building sustainable capacity in Earth science research and education.
Does the solicitation encourage broadening participation?
Yes. The solicitation explicitly encourages efforts that broaden participation, particularly activities that support underrepresented groups in laboratory and/or field instrument use and training.
What kinds of broadening participation efforts are encouraged?
Applicants are encouraged to incorporate inclusive training practices and outreach or access strategies into the technician duties described in the proposal, with the goal of equitable access to instrumentation, training opportunities, and professional development pathways.
How does this connect to NSF Broader Impacts?
The emphasis on inclusive training, outreach/access strategies, and capacity-building aligns with NSF's Broader Impacts expectations. Proposals can be stronger when they present thoughtful plans that expand equitable access to instrumentation and user training.
Are early-career investigators encouraged to apply?
Yes. Early-career investigators are specifically encouraged to apply as lead investigators. In this opportunity, early-career lead investigators are defined as tenure-track but untenured faculty.
How are early-career led proposals treated?
The solicitation notes that proposals led by early-career researchers receive due consideration under the Broader Impacts criterion, reflecting NSF's interest in building long-term research capacity and supporting the next generation of scientific leadership.
What is the opportunity number for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity number is 16-611.
What is the CFDA number and category listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.050 and categorized under NSF's science and technology research and development area.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount listed?
The listed award ceiling is $750,000.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is 5.
What is the listed closing date?
The original closing date shown is February 9, 2017.
What is the listed creation date of the opportunity record?
The opportunity record notes a creation date of September 24, 2016.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation materials. Applicants are expected to consult the official NSF eligibility language and institutional requirements in the full solicitation before preparing a submission.
What does "Others" eligibility imply here?
Based on the opportunity record, "Others" indicates that eligibility is not fully specified in the brief listing and requires review of the full solicitation for the precise NSF eligibility requirements and any institutional constraints.
What kinds of outcomes does this program ultimately support?
This opportunity is best understood as support for the people and practices that make sophisticated Earth science instrumentation usable and impactful: keeping instruments running at high performance, improving and documenting analytical methods, training a diverse community of users, and building sustainable research and education capacity within the Earth sciences.
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