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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research opportunity (09-612)?

It is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 09-612) that supported early-career scientists in building research and professional experience focused on the Antarctic and/or the Arctic. The program was run through NSF's Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and emphasized training, mentorship, and producing strong, publishable polar research.

What kinds of activities did this program support?

The program supported postdoctoral fellowship projects centered on polar research (Antarctic and/or Arctic), along with associated professional development. It was framed as more than salary support, with a focus on mentorship, research training, and workforce development in U.S. polar science.

Did the opportunity include support beyond the core fellowship?

Yes. In addition to core fellowship awards, the program included travel grants intended to help eligible applicants connect with potential mentors and collaborators, visit facilities, present seminars, discuss shared research or education interests, and lay the groundwork for partnerships and career development in polar science.

Who was this program intended for?

The opportunity was designed for recent Ph.D. recipients (early-career scientists) working in any scientific discipline that fits within OPP program areas, with a strong emphasis on training, mentorship, and publishable polar research outcomes.

Which research areas or disciplines were eligible?

The solicitation indicated that any scientific discipline could be appropriate as long as it fit within NSF Office of Polar Programs (OPP) program areas and had a clear focus on the Antarctic and/or the Arctic.

What were the program's main goals?

NSF highlighted goals that included promoting high-quality scientific research in polar regions, encouraging innovative work (including emerging or rapidly developing topics), supporting interdisciplinary research that crosses traditional boundaries, and fostering activities that create broader impacts for science and society.

Was increasing participation by underrepresented groups an explicit objective?

Yes. A stated objective was to increase participation by groups that have historically been underrepresented in polar research, aligning with NSF's interest in expanding access and representation in a field with significant logistical barriers and limited positions.

How was this opportunity categorized in terms of funding mechanism and activity type?

The funding mechanism was a discretionary grant, under the broad activity category of science and technology and other research and development.

How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated funding level?

The program anticipated making about five awards, with an estimated total program funding level of around $1,000,000.

What was the minimum award size?

Individual awards had an indicated funding floor of $75,000.

Was cost-sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not expected to provide institutional matching funds to meet eligibility rules.

Who submitted the fellowship proposal: the institution or the individual?

Fellowship proposals were submitted directly by the applicant (the postdoctoral candidate), rather than by an institution as the official applicant in the way many research grants operate.

Did applicants need a host organization and mentor?

Yes. Each candidate had to identify one or more U.S. sponsoring scientists and secure a U.S. host organization before submitting.

What types of organizations could serve as the U.S. host site?

Acceptable host organizations included U.S. colleges and universities, government or national laboratories and facilities, and other publicly or privately supported organizations such as nonprofit institutes, museums, and for-profit organizations.

How were travel grants structured?

Travel grant proposals followed the same basic model as the fellowships: they were submitted by individuals and awarded to individuals. They were geared toward professional networking, scoping collaborations, and evaluating research environments and opportunities.

What were travel grants meant to cover, based on the description?

They were intended to support activities such as meeting potential mentors or collaborators, visiting facilities, presenting seminars, discussing shared research or education interests, and establishing relationships that could lead to productive partnerships and career development.

When were fellowship proposals due?

The solicitation listed multiple fellowship proposal deadlines across several years, including December 28, 2009, and October 18 deadlines in 2010 and 2011.

Were travel grant proposals tied to fixed annual deadlines?

No. Travel grant proposals were described as accepted at any time, reflecting that travel to meet mentors or initiate collaborations may arise opportunistically.

Is this funding opportunity still active?

No. The opportunity is archived (archive date September 4, 2014), meaning the specific solicitation is no longer active, though it can still be a reference for how NSF structured polar postdoctoral training programs.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity was associated with CFDA number 47.078 (Polar Programs).

What publication identifier is associated with the solicitation?

The solicitation was published as NSF Publication 09-612.

Where were applicants directed for help with electronic announcement access issues?

For access issues tied to the electronic announcement, the notice directed users to NSF's grants.gov support contact at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

Which NSF office ran the program?

The program was run through NSF's Office of Polar Programs (OPP).

What did NSF emphasize about the nature of the fellowship?

The program emphasized that it aimed to do more than fund a postdoc salary. It was framed as a workforce and field-building effort intended to strengthen U.S. polar research capacity through training, mentorship, and high-quality research outputs.