Inside NSF: What are peer reviewers really looking for? Liz Dorland Chemistry Department, Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ Program Officer: NSF-DUE August 2003-August 2004 First Year Chemistry International Conference, UIUC

Peer Review at NSF How can you best sell your brilliant idea? First, consider the process...

How can you best sell your brilliant idea?

First, consider the process...

Program Officers in DUE Chemistry, biology, engineering, math, geology, computer science, social science Rotators vs permanent PDs 2004 : Chemistry - 1 permanent, 2 rotators Hixson Parson Ungar DD: Haggett ATE: Teles

Chemistry, biology, engineering, math, geology, computer science, social science

Rotators vs permanent PDs

2004 : Chemistry - 1 permanent, 2 rotators

Peer Review - Panels How are reviewers selected? How can you get onto a panel, and why should you want to? (email discipline PO) What will be involved if you go?

How are reviewers selected?

How can you get onto a panel, and why should you want to? (email discipline PO)

What will be involved if you go?

Panel Process 5 - 6 panelists, one is “chair” 10-12 proposals, read/write/rate in advance submit reviews in Fastlane before arrival 1.5+ days at the Doubletree Hotel or NSF discuss proposals in panel room “ Scribe” on ~2 proposals, writes panel summary approve/submit summaries in Fastlane “ Interactive Panel System”

5 - 6 panelists, one is “chair”

10-12 proposals, read/write/rate in advance

submit reviews in Fastlane before arrival

1.5+ days at the Doubletree Hotel or NSF

discuss proposals in panel room

“ Scribe” on ~2 proposals, writes panel summary

approve/submit summaries in Fastlane

“ Interactive Panel System”

Proposals Inside NSF Submission -> Sorting to panels Inviting reviewers -> Panel Meeting Proposal processing What happens between the submission deadline and when you see your reviews in Fastlane several months later?

Submission -> Sorting to panels

Inviting reviewers -> Panel Meeting

Proposal processing

Proposal Processing Proposal GPA Spreadsheet vs $$ available What gets funded?? Assignment to PO “My Work” Low Declines Awards Negotiation High Declines 70% Rule (in 6 months)

Proposal GPA Spreadsheet vs $$ available

What gets funded??

Assignment to PO “My Work”

Low Declines

Awards Negotiation

High Declines

70% Rule (in 6 months)

The Secret Life of the PO/PD respond to phone calls and emails from current and prospective PIs manage ~70-100+ projects read/approve annual & final reports approve some changes in budget/scope site visits and/or NVC meeting if large project weekly division PD meeting, seminars, etc. give the “NSF Talk” at conferences (e.g. ICCE) do proposal writing workshops proposal processing for 5-6 programs/panels write solicitations, design/modify programs workshops at NSF & National Academy

respond to phone calls and emails from current and prospective PIs

manage ~70-100+ projects

read/approve annual & final reports

approve some changes in budget/scope

site visits and/or NVC meeting if large project

weekly division PD meeting, seminars, etc.

give the “NSF Talk” at conferences (e.g. ICCE)

do proposal writing workshops

proposal processing for 5-6 programs/panels

write solicitations, design/modify programs

workshops at NSF & National Academy

NSF Acronyms: Which two are the “ringers”? ATE A&I ASA STEP NSDL EMD BIO CISE MPS SBE CCLI ENG EHR GEO DUE HRD REC ESIE DGA NSB NRC NAS MSP DRL

ATE

The Night Before 2YC3 Powerpoint at NSF: 3 AM Meridian in the rain... A night at the Hilton Flight to LAX Hilton Meridian

Powerpoint at NSF: 3 AM

Meridian in the rain...

A night at the Hilton

Flight to LAX

What do DUE reviewers look for? The same thing that reviewers in the research directorates look for. knowledge of field/what’s been done knowledge of the literature (beyond JChemEd) innovative ideas that can potentially have broad application in other settings buy-in from department/administration partnerships/collaborations a well-developed and detailed plan with timeline formative/summative assessment from day 1 well organized, no long rationale/set-up

The same thing that reviewers in the research directorates look for.

knowledge of field/what’s been done

knowledge of the literature (beyond JChemEd)

innovative ideas that can potentially have broad application in other settings

buy-in from department/administration

partnerships/collaborations

a well-developed and detailed plan with timeline

formative/summative assessment from day 1

well organized, no long rationale/set-up

Commercial Break: Molit - Concord Consortium Molecular Literacy Project Interactive modules Editable/authorable “ Word for Molecules” Free to download www.molit.concord.org Workshop Wednesday AM!!

Molecular Literacy Project

Interactive modules

Editable/authorable

“ Word for Molecules”

Free to download

www.molit.concord.org

Workshop Wednesday AM!!

... new materials that use highly interactive molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics models, and embed these models in learning activities that are appropriate for both core science courses and specialized courses teaching biotechnology and nanotechnology...

Don’t forget BCCE and ICCE 2006! Questions?

Independent Agencies: NSF, NASA, NRC, EPA, Smithsonian...