Building Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology
Agency: National Science Foundation
Posted: 2021-10-07 | Closing date: 2024-07-01
Estimated total program funding: 15000000
Award floor: 500000
Expected number of awards: 30
Cost sharing or matching requirement: No

With a focus on enhancing research capacity and broadening participation of new faculty of biology at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs), and other universities and colleges that are not among the nation’s most research-intensive institutions, the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) offers theBuilding Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology(BRC-BIO) program. The BRC-BIO program aims to a) broaden participation by expanding the types of institutions that submit proposals to BIO, and b) expand opportunities to groups underrepresented in the biological sciences, including Blacks and African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities, especially those serving at under-resourced institutions. Awards will provide the means for new faculty to initiate and build independent research programs by enhancing their research capacity. These projects might also include biology-focused research collaborations among faculty within the same institution, across peer-, or research-intensive institutions, or partnerships with industry or other non-academic partners that advance the candidate’s research program. By providing this funding opportunity, BIO recognizes the national urgency to broaden, strengthen, and diversify the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. In particular, these awards will build capacity for research at institutions that have a primary focus on teaching and undergraduate education, or that have limited capacity for research. Projects should enable the establishment of sustainable research programs for faculty and also enrich undergraduate research experiences and thereby grow the STEM workforce. BRC-BIO welcomes proposals from principal investigators who share NSF's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Proposals in response to this solicitation must be submitted to the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO).

Eligibility: *Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following:   -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting      on behalf of their faculty members.Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an      international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain      the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.   - The emphasis of this activity is helping to launch the careers of new faculty in biology who are pre-tenure (or the equivalent)and who are at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs)that are not among the nation&rsquo;s most research-intensive institutions, and other institutions that are classified as R2, D/PU, or M1-3 (seeCarnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education-<a href="http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/">http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/</a>). If PIs are unclear about the status of their institution, they are encouraged to reach out to the program officers in advance.    Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs):    PUIs are accredited colleges and universities (including two-year community colleges) that award Associates degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and/or Master's degrees in NSF-supported fields, but have awarded 20 or fewer Ph.D./D.Sci. degrees in all NSF-supported fields during the combined previous two academic years.    Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs):    MSIs include historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), Tribal colleges or universities (TCUs), and other institutions that enroll a significant percentage of underrepresented minority students as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. These other institutions include Alaska Native-serving institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and Native American-serving non-tribal institutions. For more information, please see the U.S. Department of Education's definitions and lists of eligible postsecondary institutions (<a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html">Link to MSI definitions and eligibility information</a>). Proposal submissions are permitted from institutions of higher education that primarily serve populations of students with disabilities and can be found<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/od/broadeningparticipation/nsf_frameworkforaction_0808.pdf">here</a>.    Separately submitted collaborative proposals are not allowed; all submissions should be from a single institution. Participation of other institutions should be included using the subaward mechanism.   *Who May Serve as PI:  Lead PIs must be at the Assistant Professor rank (or equivalent), with service at that rank forno more than 3 years by the proposal submission date.    Principal Investigators must hold at least a 50% tenure-track (or tenure-track equivalent) position as an assistant professor (or equivalent rank), be untenured, and be within the first three years of such appointment. For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent, it must meet all the following requirements: (1) the employee has a continuing appointment that is expected to last the three years of a BRC-BIO grant; (2) the appointment has researchandeducational responsibilities; and (3) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the mission of the department or organization.Official leaves