Research on Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning (RETTL)

Synopsis:
The purpose of the Research on Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning (RETTL) program is to fund exploratory and synergistic research in emerging technologies (to include, but not limited to, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and immersive or augmenting technologies) for teaching and learning in the future. The program accepts proposals that focus on learning, teaching, or a combination of both. The scope of the program is broad, with special interest in diverse learner/educator populations, contexts, and content, including teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and in foundational areas that enable STEM (e.g., self-regulation, literacy, communication, collaboration, creativity, and socio-emotional skills). Research in this program should be informed by the convergence (synthesis) of multiple disciplines: e.g., learning sciences; discipline-based education research; computer and information science and engineering; design; and cognitive, behavioral, and social sciences. Within this broad scope, the program also encourages projects that investigate teaching and learning related to futuristic and highly technological work environments.

Award Information:

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 20

Contingent upon availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $19,000,000

Each project will be funded for a duration of 3 years and up to a total funding amount of $850,000.

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

Due Dates:

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s local time):

     January 25, 2021

Deadline for FY 2021 competition

     October 18, 2021

Deadline for FY 2022 competition

     October 17, 2022

Deadline for FY 2023 competition

For more information about eligibility and submission instructions, please refer to the NSF page here.

Collaborative Research

Debate, exchange of ideas, and working together—all are basic activities that advance humanities knowledge and foster rich scholarship that would not be possible by researchers working on their own. The Collaborative Research program aims to advance humanistic knowledge through sustained collaboration between two or more scholars. Collaborators may be drawn from a single institution or several institutions across the United States; up to half of the collaborators may be based outside of the U.S. The program encourages projects that propose diverse approaches to topics, incorporate multiple points of view, and explore new avenues of inquiry in the humanities.

The program allows projects that propose research in a single field of study, as well as interdisciplinary work. Projects that include partnerships with researchers from the natural and social sciences are encouraged but must employ a humanistic research agenda. Partnerships among different types of institutions are welcome as well as new collaborations with international partners.

Proposed projects must aim to result in tangible and sustainable outcomes, for example, co-authored or multi-authored books; born-digital publications; themed issues of peer-reviewed journals; a series of peer-reviewed articles; and open-access scholarly digital resources. All project outcomes must incorporate interpretive work and collaboration to address significant humanities research questions.

A pre-application webinar Collaborative Research 2020-21: What’s New and Application Preparation Tips will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 3:00-4:30 EST. Please register here https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8606030752340970767. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The webinar will be recorded and made available on this web page.

For more information and how to apply, please refer to the NEH page here.

New NIH COVID-19 Related Proposal Opportunities

NIH Emergency Awards: Automatic Detection and Tracing of SARS-CoV-2 (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Letter of Intent Due Date: August 21, 2020

Full Proposal Due Date: September 15, 2020

This opportunity aims to support proof-of-concept projects to develop a virus-sensing platform that integrates biosensing with touchscreen or other digital devices to achieve automatic virus detection, tracing, and data collection in real-time.

Objectives

  • Identify aptamers or other biorecognition elements that bind to SARS-CoV-2 or its signature molecules with high specificity and affinity. Examine how various conditions (pH, ion concentrations, temperature, hydrophobicity, etc.) may modulate the binding sensitivity and specificity. Introduce necessary modifications to improve virus binding.
  • Validate the functionality of aptamers or other biorecognition elements immobilized on the virus sensing and transduction material (VSTM). Evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the target binding.
  • Establish and validate the transduction mechanism (electrochemical, optical, etc.) that can effectively convert virus binding to the signal that can be captured by a touchscreen or other digital device. Determine the quantitative relationship of the signal conversion.
  • Validate efficiency of detection for the intended use and establish sensitivity, cross reactivity, and the detection limit.

Application budgets are limited to $300,000 in direct costs annually.

For more information, please see grants.gov or the specific NIH RFA-OD-20-014

NSF Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program (PD-20-1260)

Full Proposal Deadline: December 15, 2020

SYNOPSIS

The primary aim of the Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program is to foster the continuing health of the mathematical sciences research community as a whole. In addition, the program complements the Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences in its goal to increase the number of well-prepared U.S. based individuals who successfully pursue careers in the mathematical sciences and in other professions in which expertise in the mathematical sciences plays an increasingly important role. The DMS Infrastructure program invites projects that support core research in the mathematical sciences, including: 1) novel projects supporting research infrastructure across the mathematical sciences community; 2) training projects complementing the Workforce Program, and 3) conference, workshop, and travel support requests that include cross-disciplinary activities or have an impact at the national scale. See below for more information about each category.

(1) Novel projects that serve to strengthen the research infrastructure: The DMS Infrastructure Program will consider novel projects that support and strengthen the research infrastructure across the mathematical sciences community. These projects most often cut across multiple sub-disciplines supported by DMS or involve interdisciplinary collaborations. The main goal of these projects should be to create a new research infrastructure or substantially enhance or transform an existing infrastructure with regional or national impact that goes substantially beyond the submitting institution or the location of the project. In case of questions regarding suitability of a project for the program, please email an Infrastructure Program Officer with a one-page description of the proposed project and a tentative budget. Full proposals must be submitted by the Full Proposal Deadline Date.

(2) Training projects: Training proposals submitted to DMS Infrastructure must not fit into one of the areas covered by solicitations in the Workforce Program in the Mathematical Sciences; they must be submitted by the Full Proposal Deadline Date; and they must:

  • Include a core research component for trainees in mathematical sciences;
  • Demonstrate promise for an impact at the regional or national scale that goes substantially beyond the submitting institution or the location of the project;
  • Satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
    • Serve as models to be replicated (an EHR review may be solicited),
    • Promote partnerships with non-academic entities, minority-serving institutions, or community colleges, or
    • Include a substantial broadening participation initiative.

More information can be found on the NSF program page.