TITLE: Dear Colleague Letter: Stimulating Research on Effective Strategies in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-Year Hispanic Serving Institutions (nsf15078) DATE: 5/11/2015 NSF 15-078 Dear Colleague Letter: Stimulating Research on Effective Strategies in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-Year Hispanic Serving Institutions Colleagues: NSF invites proposals that address effective approaches in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for students at two-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), which encourages research on the science of broadening participation and related STEM education areas, is one of two DCLs highlighting funding opportunities focused on students at HSIs in STEM in Fiscal Year 2015. NSF encourages the submission of proposals for Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) and Conferences that focus on evidence-based practices that have been shown to be particularly effective for students at HSIs, as well as exploratory research that may lead to new models and best practices. Examples of appropriate topics include: * Understanding factors that will lead to improved retention of students in STEM programs at two-year HSIs * Understanding barriers and challenges that prevent the transfer of students at two-year HSIs to four-year colleges; understanding factors that promote the transfer of students including articulation agreements * Improving the quality of STEM undergraduate academic and research experiences at two-year HSIs * Research on strategies that enhance interest and motivation of students and improve persistence and graduation rates in undergraduate STEM programs at HSIs through innovations in STEM curricula, instructional materials, and research experiences * Building capacity at HSIs through collaborations with majority institutions that support faculty research, professional development, and mentoring * Building capacity at HSIs for successfully competing for federal funding aimed at improving STEM education and research SUBMISSION DEADLINE Proposals for funding in Fiscal Year 2015 must be submitted by June 19, 2015; proposals for funding in Fiscal Year 2016 must be submitted by May 31, 2016. FUNDING LEVEL AND AWARD DURATION * EAGER: Up to $300,000 and two years duration * Conferences: Up to $50,000 PARTICIPATING DIRECTORATES AND PROGRAMS The following NSF Directorates and Program Offices will accept inquiries and submissions of EAGER and Conference proposals: BIO [1]DBI, [2]DEB, [3]EF, [4]IOS, [5]MCB Contact the cognizant program officer in the appropriate Biological Sciences Organization & Program. [6]http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=BIO EHR [7]A. James Hicks [8]Tasha Inniss Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Bridges to the Baccalaureate [9]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13646 [10]Dave Brown Advanced Technological Education [11]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464 [12]John Krupczak [13]Paul Tymann NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics [14]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5257 [15]Myles Boylan Improving Undergraduate STEM Education [16]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504976 CISE [17]Jan Cuny Contact the CISE program officer listed for information on participating programs. [18]http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=CISE ENG [19]Bevlee Watford Contact the ENG program officer listed for information on participating programs. [20]http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=ENG GEO [21]Lina Patino Contact the GEO program officer listed for information on participating programs. [22]http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=GEO IIA [23]Dragana Brzakovic [24]Joan Frye Science and Technology Centers [25]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5541 MPS [26]AST, [27]CHE, [28]DMR, [29]DMS, [30]PHY Contact the cognizant program officer in the appropriate Mathematics and Physical Sciences Organization & Program [31]http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=MPS SBE [32]Sally Dickerson Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Science [33]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=BCS [34]Linda Layne Division of Social and Economic Sciences [35]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=SES SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS Please contact the Program Director or Division listed above prior to submission to ensure that the proposed idea is in compliance with the program of interest and meets with program submission requirements. Proposals should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidance in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) (NSF 15-001): [36]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp. Specific instructions for EAGER proposals are found in [37]Chapter II.D.2 of the GPG and specific instructions for proposals for Conferences are in [38]Chapter II.D.9. NSF uses the definition for HSIs as defined in the [39]Higher Education Act (Title V, Part A of the Higher Education Act as amended (20 U.S.C. 1101a (5)) which defines an Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) as an institution of higher education that is (A) is an eligible institution; and (B) has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application. For your convenience, the National Center on Education Statistics (NCES) publishes [40]IPEDS data on HSIs. The following resource is designed to help with educational research proposal preparation: [41]Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development (NSF 13-126). This new publication was jointly developed by the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education and describes six types of research studies that can generate evidence about how to increase student learning. The Common Guidelines may be accessed at the following link: [42]NSF 13-126. A set of supporting FAQs is also available: [43]NSF 13-127. To ensure proper processing, please begin the proposal title with: DCL:HSI. Both two-year and four-year institutions are eligible to submit proposals, however, four-year institutions of higher education are strongly encouraged to partner with a two-year HSI or have the two-year institution serve as the lead organization. Three informational webinars will be held to provide general guidance on EAGER and Conference proposals. For more information or to join a webinar, please use the following links: May 11, 2015, 2 p.m. Eastern: [44]https://bluejeans.com/647487561 May 18, 2015, 2 p.m. Eastern: [45]https://bluejeans.com/458616321 May 20, 2015, 3 p.m. Eastern: [46]https://bluejeans.com/820621887 If you prefer to call in for audio only, dial: +1-888-240-2560 (US Toll Free) and enter conference ID (the nine-digit # at the end of the URL above). Sincerely, Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Assistant Director Directorate for Education and Human Resources PARTICIPATING DIRECTORATES AND OFFICES Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) Directorate for Geological Sciences (GEO) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate for Social, Behavior, and Economic Resources (SBE) Office of International and Integrative Activities (IIA) References 1. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DBI 2. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DEB 3. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=EF 4. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=IOS 5. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=MCB 6. http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=BIO 7. mailto:ahicks@nsf.gov 8. mailto:tinniss@nsf.gov 9. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13646 10. mailto:drbrown@nsf.gov 11. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464 12. mailto:jkrupcza@nsf.gov 13. mailto:ptymann@nsf.gov 14. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5257 15. mailto:mboylan@nsf.gov 16. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504976 17. mailto:jcuny@nsf.gov 18. http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=CISE 19. mailto:bwatford@nsf.gov 20. http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=ENG 21. mailto:lpatino@nsf.gov 22. http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=GEO 23. mailto:dbrzakov@nsf.gov 24. mailto:jfrye@nsf.gov 25. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5541 26. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=AST 27. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=CHE 28. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DMR 29. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DMS 30. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=PHY 31. http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=MPS 32. mailto:sdickers@nsf.gov 33. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=BCS 34. mailto:llayne@nsf.gov 35. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=SES 36. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp 37. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf15001/gpg_2.jsp#IID2 38. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf15001/gpg_2.jsp#IID9 39. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1101a 40. http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/ 41. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13126 42. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13126 43. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13127 44. https://bluejeans.com/647487561 45. https://bluejeans.com/458616321 46. https://bluejeans.com/820621887