Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that recognizes exceptional mentoring in STEM. Its central purpose is to identify and honor individuals whose mentoring has measurably increased participation and retention in STEM for people who have historically faced barriers to access and advancement, including persons with disabilities, women, and racial and ethnic minorities. Awardees are viewed not just as strong mentors within their own settings, but as national leaders who strengthen the United States STEM talent pipeline by developing human resources and helping more students persist and succeed across STEM education and training pathways.

A key change highlighted in this opportunity is that PAESMEM shifted from being a forward-looking grant program (funding proposed future activities) to an award that is primarily a recognition of past performance and documented outcomes. In other words, nominees are expected to show a sustained record of mentoring already completed, supported by evidence that the mentoring made a meaningful difference for a significant number of learners. This emphasis on proven impact shapes what a competitive nomination looks like: it should focus on what has been done, over what period of time, for whom, and with what measurable results.

Eligibility is broad compared to many NSF opportunities, but it has specific boundaries. For the individual award, the nominee must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. Federal employees may be nominated as well, except for certain categories of employees excluded under Title 5 of the U.S. Code (the announcement points applicants to the specific legal reference). The program also states that eligibility has been expanded to include any U.S. citizen or permanent resident who has carried out exemplary, measurable mentoring, including those in the private sector, and it references that both individuals and organizations may be eligible depending on the award category rules described in the full announcement.

The mentoring record required is substantial and must be both outstanding and sustained. Individual nominees must have provided effective mentoring and guidance to a significant number of underrepresented students at the K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and even postdoctoral levels, with a minimum track record of five years. The nomination must clearly separate and attribute the individual nominee's achievements from those of the broader institution or organization. That distinction matters because the program aims to honor the nominee's direct and demonstrable contributions rather than general programmatic success that cannot be tied to the individual’s mentoring leadership and practices.

There are also important restrictions related to prior award recipients. Former recipients of the Individual PAESMEM award are not eligible to receive the individual award again. However, prior recipients of the Organizational PAESMEM award may later be considered for an Individual award, but only if at least 10 years have passed since receiving the organizational recognition. These rules are meant to widen opportunities for recognition while still allowing long-term leaders to be honored in different capacities over the course of a career.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant mechanism under NSF’s Education and Human Resources portfolio (CFDA 47.076). The archived solicitation listed an estimated total funding amount of $160,000 with an award floor of $10,000 and an expectation of up to 16 awards. The solicitation noted no cost sharing or matching requirement. The posting date for the version provided was July 25, 2011, with a full proposal deadline of October 5, 2011, and the opportunity was later archived on April 15, 2014. While the program itself is a longstanding NSF effort, the specific notice described here is no longer open, so anyone interested would need to look for the most current PAESMEM solicitation and deadlines rather than rely on this archived one.

For supporting materials and official requirements, the solicitation references NSF Publication 11-563 and includes guidance to contact Grants.gov support if there are access issues with the full announcement. The practical takeaway is that PAESMEM is a recognition-focused award centered on demonstrated, long-term, high-impact STEM mentoring of underrepresented groups, with clear eligibility rules and a strong expectation of measurable outcomes and documented mentoring effectiveness.

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