Research on Gender in Science and Engineering FY 2010 | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the NSF "Research on Gender in Science and Engineering (GSE) FY 2010" opportunity?

This NSF opportunity supports work that strengthens the evidence base on why gender gaps persist in certain STEM fields and what helps close them. The emphasis is on research, the diffusion of research-backed innovations, and education-related extension services that help proven ideas move into broader use.

2) What is the main goal of the GSE program?

The larger goal is to expand and diversify the U.S. science and engineering talent pool by improving understanding of gender-based differences in STEM education and participation in the STEM workforce.

3) What kinds of projects does GSE prioritize?

GSE prioritizes projects that investigate how educational experiences shape student interest, learning, performance, and STEM career choices, and that communicate usable results and practical products to a broader STEM and education community (not only academic audiences).

4) What education factors are projects expected to study?

The solicitation highlights factors such as teaching styles and pedagogy, curriculum design, academic support services, and institutional culture, including how these can reinforce barriers or help remove them.

5) Is the program focused only on girls and women?

No. While the program has historically focused on girls and women, it defines "gender" broadly and allows research that examines men and boys when they are underrepresented in specific STEM areas.

6) Does GSE fund general STEM outreach activities?

No. The solicitation explicitly distinguishes this program from general outreach. The emphasis is on research and on spreading and extending research-backed innovations into broader use.

7) What does NSF mean by "diffusion of research-backed innovations" in this context?

Based on the description provided, diffusion refers to spreading innovations that have research support so they can be adopted or used more widely beyond the original setting.

8) What are "education-related extension services" under GSE?

The opportunity references extension services as education-related efforts that help move proven ideas into broader use. Projects are expected to share evaluation evidence, results, and practical products or promising practices in ways that a wider community can use.

9) What is a key expectation for how results should be shared?

Projects are expected to go beyond publishing in academic journals and also communicate results, evaluation evidence, and practical products or promising practices in usable forms for the broader education and STEM community.

10) What types of projects will NOT be funded by this solicitation?

The program is not intended to fund projects whose primary purpose is to directly deliver educational services to students (for example, a stand-alone camp, tutoring program, or classroom initiative mainly to serve participants).

11) Will GSE fund a student camp, tutoring program, or a classroom initiative if it is well-designed?

Not as a primary purpose. Student-facing interventions can be included only when they are necessary to create a setting for collecting data and when the results meaningfully answer theory-driven research questions.

12) Does GSE fund projects that only evaluate a student intervention?

No. The solicitation states it does not fund projects that only evaluate a student intervention without advancing broader research questions.

13) If a project includes an intervention, what does NSF expect methodologically?

When appropriate, NSF expects rigorous designs that include control or comparison groups so that findings are interpretable and useful beyond the immediate setting.

14) What should applicants do if they mainly want to implement or evaluate an intervention?

The solicitation advises applicants who mainly want to implement or evaluate an intervention to look for other NSF programs that are a better fit.

15) What is the "Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3)" concept mentioned in the solicitation?

I3 encourages institutions to strategically integrate multiple NSF-funded efforts, particularly those supported by NSF's Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), emphasizing coordinated institution-level approaches rather than isolated projects.

16) How is I3 connected to GSE for FY 2010?

The FY 2010 notice references I3-related proposal activity across nine EHR programs, including GSE, indicating NSF interest in coordinated approaches that integrate multiple NSF investments.

17) Which EHR programs are referenced in relation to I3?

The solicitation references these nine programs: CREST, GSE, HBCU-UP, ITEST, LSAMP, MSP, Noyce, RDE, and TCUP.

18) What agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

19) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is 10-516.

20) What is the CFDA number and program area listed?

The CFDA is 47.076, listed under Education and Human Resources in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

21) How much total funding is estimated for this competition, and how many awards are expected?

The estimated total program funding level is about $5,000,000, with an expectation of roughly 22 awards.

22) Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. Cost sharing or matching is listed as required, with specific expectations defined in the full solicitation.

23) When was the opportunity posted and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was originally posted in December 2009, and the original closing date was March 23, 2010. The notice also indicates that updated deadlines are reflected in the full solicitation materials.

24) Are there limits on organizations or Principal Investigators for standard GSE proposals?

Based on the summary information provided, no specific organizational or PI limits are stated for standard GSE proposals.

25) Who is eligible to submit an I3 proposal?

I3 proposal eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (two- or four-year) with a U.S.-based campus.

26) Who is expected to serve as PI for an I3 proposal?

For I3 proposals, the PI is generally expected to be the provost, president, or equivalent chief academic officer, unless the proposal is exclusively for I3 STEM educational or related research, in which case NSF Grant Proposal Guide categories of proposers may apply.

27) Where are applicants directed for complete requirements and official details?

Applicants are directed to NSF Publication 10-516 for complete requirements.

28) Where should applicants go for technical access issues related to submission?

Technical access issues are routed to grants.gov support.

29) How long has NSF supported this line of work?

The solicitation notes NSF support since 1993 under earlier program names, and the FY 2010 competition continues that long-term investment with a research-grounded, scalable impact focus.

30) What were some of the earlier NSF program names referenced for this work?

The earlier program names mentioned are: Program for Women and Girls; Program for Gender Equity in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology; and Gender Diversity in STEM Education.