NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION  http://www.nsf.gov/

The National Science Foundation (NSF) offers institutional training grants in the form of Enhancing the Mathematical Sciences Workforce in the 21st Century  (EMSW21) grants and Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT) grants.  Northwestern currently has three training grants from these programs which support predoctoral PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and/or undergraduate students.

Enhancing the Mathematical Sciences Workforce in the 21st Century  (EMSW21)

NSF's long-range goal for the EMSW21 program is "to increase the number of well-prepared U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents who pursue careers in the mathematical sciences and in other NSF-supported disciplines."  One of the components of this funding mechanism is the Research Training Groups (RTG), which supports the training activities of a group of faculty who have a common research interest (see program solicitation 05-595). Northwestern is the proud recipient of two RTG awards, as indicated below.

• Current:

  • EMSW21-RTG: Applied Mathematics Training Program for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering, PI: Alvin Bayless
  • Geometry and Physics EMSW21-RTG, PI: Ezra Getzler

Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT)

Information about specific IGERT projects, resources, events, and other IGERT-related information can be found at http://www.igert.org/, and via NSF page listings such as an IGERT Introduction and related pages.  Northwestern has one current IGERT training program and two past programs.

• Current:

  • IGERT: Quantum Coherent Optical and Matter Systems, PI: John Ketterson

• Past: 

  • IGERT: On a Virtual Tribology System: Future Engineers and Future Powertrain Virtualization Technology, PI: Leon Keer
  • IGERT: Dynamics of Complex Systems in Science and Engineering, PI: Stephen Davis

IGERT Interdisciplinary Research Workshop Report - NSF 09-33: NSF issued an informative report Impact of Transformative Interdisciplinary Research Graduate Education (IGERT) - Workshop Report, May 2008 on June 4, 2009, which summarizes a two-day workshop held with principal investigators of IGERT projects and senior leadership of U.S. universities that had active IGERT grants at the time of the workshop.  The report summarizes the impact of interdisciplinarity on Research, Faculty, Graduate Education, and Academic Institutions.  It discusses measuring the impact and provides recommendations in each area.

Applications for an IGERT training grant:  NSF solicits IGERT proposals for IGERT training grants once each year.  The process includes submission of a limited number of preliminary proposals from each institution, from which NSF invites full proposals for submission.  Details of the proposal requirements and procedures are found in the 2009 IGERT Program Solicitation - NSF 09-519. 

NSF provides an informative 20 minute streaming video of two NSF IGERT program officers discussing the proposal preparation process, requirements, and frequently asked questions.

Because of NSF's limited submission requirements, Northwestern's Office for Research holds an internal Limited Submissions Competition to select the set of Preliminary Proposals that can be submitted to NSF from Northwestern.

Key dates for the 2009 IGERT proposal process are:

NSF Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):  March 13, 2009

Full Proposal Deadline(s) BY NSF INVITATION ONLY (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):  September 14, 2009