National

Center for

Environmental

Research

United States

Environmental Protection

Agency

United StatesEnvironmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentNational Center for Environmental Research (8701R)1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.Washington, DC 20460EPA/600/F-02/001http://www.epa.gov/ncerqaFebruary 2002Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use$300

PRESORTED STANDARD

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

EPA

PERMIT No. G-35

annual solicitations focused in areas of the Agency’s interest. SBIR

solicitations, awards, and research summaries are posted on the

NCER Internet site. These SBIR solicitations, like the STAR grants,

are targeted towards areas of particular importance to EPA’s mission.

Other NCER programs include: the Experimental Program to

Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the Minority Academic

Institution Program for Graduate and Undergraduate Fellowships, and

the AAAS Science and Engineering Fellowship Program.

NCER Leadership

Director, Dr. Peter W. Preuss

Deputy Director, John C. Puzak

Additional Information

ORD believes that communicating the results of its research is

extremely important for the Agency, the scientific community, and the

general public. STAR information is available through its Internet site

at www.epa.gov/ncerqa where research progress and results, grant

and fellowship solicitations, events, published summaries, reviews

and journal articles, and other program information are readily

available.

Building a scientific

foundation for sound

environmental decisions

Recycled/Recyclable

Printed with vegetable-based ink on

paper that contains a minimum of

50% post-consumer fiber content

processed chlorine free.
nation’s best scientists and engineers in targeted research that

complements EPA’s own outstanding intramural research program

and those of our partners in other federal agencies. In addition,

through this same competitive process, NCER periodically

establishes research centers in specific areas of national concern. At

present, these centers focus on children’s health, hazardous

substances, particulate matter, and estuarine and coastal ecosystems.

STAR research is funded through Requests for Applications

(RFAs) that are derived from both the ORD Strategic Plan and ORD

research plans for specific topics. RFAs are prepared in cooperation

with other parts of the Agency and concentrate on areas of special

significance to the EPA mission. At present, STAR is focusing on the

health effects of particulate matter, drinking water, water quality,

global change, ecosystem assessment and restoration, human health

risk assessment, endocrine disrupting chemicals, pollution prevention

and new technologies, children’s health, and socio-economic

research.

NCER receives approximately 3000-3500 proposals every year

for its STAR research and graduate fellowship programs. Each year,

STAR awards about 180 research grants, 40 research grants jointly

with other federal and private-sector partners, and 125 graduate

fellowships, in approximately 280 universities and non-profit

research institutions in all states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District

of Columbia. On an annual basis, NCER manages 650-750 active

research grants and 300 fellowships. About 10 percent of the

applications submitted to STAR are funded after peer review.

STAR partnerships have greatly increased since the program was

initiated in 1995. STAR leverages its resources through joint

solicitations with 12 federal and private-sector research partners

enhancing the NCER research portfolio by about 30-50 additional

grants.

Project abstracts as well as annual progress reports and final

summary reports for each STAR grant and fellowship are posted on

the NCER internet site. Other types of summary reports (topical

research summary reports and research “capsules”) and workshop

proceedings are also available on the Internet site. Internet site users

can signup on line to receive e-mail describing updates of research

results and new grant announcements as they are posted. More

detailed results are available in journal articles that are identified in

the summary reports.

Applying for a STAR Research Grant or Fellowship

RFAs for STAR grants or fellowships are found on the

announcements page of the NCER Internet site (www.epa.gov/

ncerqa). STAR has four formal solicitation periods each year during

January, April, August, and October and awards approximately

$100 million per year. Instructions and eligibility requirements for

applying for any of the STAR announcements are detailed in each

solicitation. In general, solicitations are open for at least 90 days. A

list of current and projected solicitations is available on the Internet

site.

Other NCER Activities

NCER supports the development of innovative environmental

technologies and products through its Small Business Innovation

Research program (SBIR). Small firms are eligible to apply for

National Center for Environmental Research

Who Are We?

The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) is one

of five research organizations that comprise EPA’s Office of Research

and Development (ORD). NCER’s mission is to support high-quality

research by the nation’s leading scientists that will improve the

scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues and

help EPA achieve its goals. NCER is one of three national

laboratories and two national centers that mirror the National

Academy of Sciences’ risk assessment paradigm by focusing on

exposure (National Exposure Research Lab), effects (National Health

and Environmental Effects Research Lab), risk assessment (National

Center for Environmental Assessment) and risk management

(National Risk Management Research Lab). NCER supports leadingedge, extramural research in each of these areas of national

environmental concern.

The technical staff who work for NCER have backgrounds in

engineering, ecological and health sciences, communication and

information management. NCER is headquartered in Washington,

D.C.

Science to Achieve Results

NCER’s Science to Achieve Results or STAR program funds

research grants and graduate fellowships in numerous environmental

science and engineering disciplines through a competitive solicitation

process and independent peer review. The program engages the

...competitive STAR research grants and cooperative agreements...graduate and undergraduate fellowships...small business innovation research contracts...in areas of national environmental concern....