Chicago, Illinois
June 18, 2006
June 18, 2006
June 21, 2006
2153-5965
New Engineering Educators
13
11.70.1 - 11.70.13
10.18260/1-2--404
https://peer.asee.org/404
3271
A Model for Preparing the NSF Career Proposal
Introduction A CAREER award from the National Science Foundation can help to advance the careers of Assistant Professors in Engineering.1 The CAREER program is the descendent of several earlier NSF programs to enable junior faculty to perform quality research and education. These programs began in 1983 with the Presidential Young Investigators (PYI) award, which was replaced by the NSF New Young Investigators (NYI) award in 1992. In 1992, NSF instituted the Presidential Faculty Fellows (PFF) award as a more selective program that awarded young faculty up to $100,000 per year for five years with no matching-fund option. Among the results of a 1992 report on the Presidential Young Investigator program, was the finding that awardees believed that educational activities were not valued by their institutions. Partly in response to this concern, the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program was approved by NSF’s National Science Board in 1994, and the first awards were made in fiscal year (FY) 1995. While the focus of earlier programs was primarily on research, the focus of the CAREER program is on integrating teaching and research in accordance with NSF’s core strategies of; developing intellectual capital, integrating research and education, and promoting partnerships. In 1996 the Presidential Faculty Fellows award was replaced by the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) program. Beginning in FY 1997, applicants to the CAREER program could also apply for consideration for a PECASE. To be eligible for a CAREER grant applicants must meet the following criteria: “By the Directorate's July deadline for submission of CAREER proposals, they must hold a doctoral degree in a field of science or engineering supported by NSF, be untenured, and have not previously received an NSF PECASE or CAREER award. Additionally, by October 1st following the July deadline for submission of CAREER proposals, they must be employed in a tenure-track position (or tenure-track-equivalent position) as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) at an institution in the U.S., its territories, or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that awards degrees in a field supported by NSF; or be employed in a tenure-track position (or tenure-track-equivalent position) as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) at an organization in the U.S., its territories, or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that is a non-profit, non- degree-granting organization such as a museum, observatory, or research lab. Proposers may submit only one CAREER proposal per annual competition, and may not participate in more than three CAREER competitions. Proposals that are not reviewed (i.e., are withdrawn or are returned without review) do not count toward the three-competition limit. For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent position, it must meet all of the following requirements: (1) the employing department or organization does not offer tenure; (2) the employee is engaged in research in an area of science or engineering supported by NSF; (3) the appointment is a continuing appointment; (4) the appointment has substantial educational responsibilities; and (5) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the goals of the department/organization.”2
Louis, G. (2006, June), A Model For Preparing The Nsf Career Proposal Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--404
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