This document has been archived and replaced by NSF 13-114
(http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13114).


Title: Frequently Asked Questions by Ocean Sciences PIs for the CAREER 
       Competition
Date:  06/26/12

NSF 12-102

Frequently Asked Questions by Ocean Sciences PIs for the CAREER Competition

   June 26, 2012

  1. Why would I submit a CAREER proposal rather than a regular science
     proposal to OCE?

     The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program offers the
     National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of
     junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through
     outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of
     education and research within the context of the mission of their
     organizations. In addition, CAREER awardees are eligible to be
     nominated for the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists
     and Engineers (PECASE). PECASE Awards are intended to recognize
     some of the finest early career scientists and engineers who show
     exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific
     knowledge during the twenty-first century.

     Beyond the great honor, a CAREER proposal gives the PI an
     opportunity to develop expertise in both facets of his/her
     position-as a scholar and an educator. The research and education
     components should be intertwined in such a way that the PI grows in
     his/her skills and knowledge in both dimensions of the work. At the
     same time, a well-designed education component will positively
     impact the audience served and the institution overall.

  2. When is the right time to submit a CAREER proposal?

     A PI can submit a proposal to the CAREER program three times. Your
     success in writing a successful CAREER proposal may be increased
     with prior experience in proposal writing. In addition, prospective
     PIs are more successful when they more fully understand the
     expectations of their position within their institution and can
     build upon existing programs and opportunities at their
     institution.

  3. I recently joined the faculty as a non-tenure track Assistant
     Research Professor. Within the institution all new hires come
     under the Research Track rather than tenure track. I have
     teaching, service and research responsibilities just like a tenure
     track professor, and I get salary from the University to do those
     duties. Am I eligible for a CAREER award?

     NSF provides some guidance on what is considered a CAREER-eligible
     tenure-track equivalent appointment, but it is up to the proposer
     and the proposer's institution to determine whether or not the
     appointment meets these requirements. 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-track positions to any new
     hires; (2) the employee is engaged in research in an area of
     science or engineering supported by NSF; (3) the employee has a
     continuing appointment that is expected to last the five years of
     the grant; (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 or organization. Adjunct, Instructor, or
     Visiting positions are not considered CAREER-eligible
     tenure-track-equivalent positions. Through the official submission
     of your CAREER proposal you are indicating that your position meets
     the CAREER-eligibility requirements. In addition, your Department
     Chair will verify that your position is CAREER-eligible in the
     Departmental letter.

  4. I am an assistant professor at an undergraduate institution that
     does not give graduate degrees. Am I eligible to apply?

     Yes. NSF encourages submission from primarily undergraduate
     institutions offering two or four year degrees.

  5. How can I include other experts in my work? Science research is
     increasingly interdisciplinary and many young scientists work on
     large projects with large teams. It is a way for young scientists
     to broaden their expertise. Yet the CAREER program does not allow
     any co-investigators. What can be done about this?

     You may provide funds for others to work on your research or
     educational activities, but they may not be listed as Co-PI or in
     the senior personnel section of the proposal-either in the primary
     budget or within a sub award to a collaborating institution. This
     requirement precludes including salary for other faculty or senior
     personnel at your institution or any subawardee institution.
     However, there are a number of strategies for collaborating with
     other experts on your CAREER project, other than having them as a
     co-investigator. You may pay someone outside your institution as a
     consultant to your project. You may pay for collaborators' travel,
     field/lab expenses, materials and supplies, or access fee to a
     laboratory, whether they are within or external to your
     institution.

     Beyond formally including someone in your proposal, you can also
     develop your overall research portfolio with multiple projects, the
     CAREER being just one of them. This is an excellent strategy
     whether you submit a CAREER proposal or not. In your other
     projects, you may be working on an interdisciplinary team to
     address a large, complex problem. Your CAREER proposal could be
     developed as a complementary broadening investigation that allows
     you to build upon the expertise in the team project, but work
     independently on a particular research direction.

  6. How do I choose a pathway for my education component? 

     The education component should be tightly integrated with your
     research. Like your scientific research it should be focused, have
     a clear and established need, specific goals, and a means of
     evaluating whether those goals are met. It is best when it is
     aligned with your personal goals as an educator and your
     institution's educational goals. Ideally, your education component
     is as exciting and motivating to you as the science component.

  7. What are common mistakes PIs make in developing their education
     component?

     A very common mistake is to propose too many different and
     unrelated activities. Choose one or two meaningful activities and
     do them really well.

     Another common mistake is to propose activities without having done
     any background research on what is possible, what has already been
     done, or whether the work is needed. Do your homework and develop a
     solid plan, with clear and meaningful goals, based on a real need.
     Find out who has done similar work and learn from their
     experiences.

     A third common mistake is not taking advantage of existing
     educational programs and services on your campus, professional
     societies or elsewhere that are available to you. Most universities
     have a teaching and learning center with resources and experts to
     help you develop innovative courses and determine the impact of
     those innovations on your students' learning. Many campuses have
     centers that conduct outreach to local schools. Partnering with
     them can provide you with critical support and guidance that can
     increase the potential for success in your project and reduce the
     time you must invest. You can include these collaborators in your
     proposal as consultants and other personnel, but not as
     co-Investigators.

  8. I have heard that I need to do some evaluation of my education
     component. What is this and how do I do it?

     Evaluation can take many forms, from elaborate to quite simple, but
     the goal is the same-to provide evidence of the impact of your
     work. Consider this analogy. In your scientific research, you are
     pursuing a question, testing a hypothesis, developing experimental
     methods, and analyzing the results to try to understand a process
     or phenomena. In the end, you have evidence whether your efforts
     have effectively tested the hypothesis and answered the question.
     The same process applies to your education efforts. You may develop
     an innovative curriculum module, a software application for use in
     teaching or partner with a museum on an exhibit. In any of these
     activities there should be a question that piques your curiosity.
     For example, you might wonder whether developing a new
     simulation-learning tool will it make it easier for students to
     understand a complex process? Your hypothesis might be that by
     allowing students to control the simulation and look at the process
     from multiple perspectives at different stages, they will better
     understand the key concept. Your goal might be for all students to
     understand the process, as shown by their ability to do a
     particular task or solve a particular problem. The evaluation would
     be designed to help you determine how well you designed the tool
     and whether it helps students learn the content better. An
     evaluation expert knows how to design your evaluation and how to
     gather the appropriate data to determine the impacts.

   For more information please contact the following Program Officers in
   Ocean Sciences:

   OCE Biological: Lewis Incze [1]lincze@nsf.gov; David Garrison
   [2]dgarriso@nsf.gov
   OCE Chemical: Simone Metz [3]smetz@nsf.gov
   OCE Education: Michelle Hall [4]mihall@nsf.gov; Elizabeth Rom
   [5]elrom@nsf.gov
   OCE Physical: Baris Mete Uz [6]bmuz@nsf.gov
   OCE Marine Geology/Geophysics: Bil Haq [7]bhaq@nsf.gov

References

   1. mailto:lincze@nsf.gov
   2. mailto:dgarriso@nsf.gov
   3. mailto:smetz@nsf.gov
   4. mailto:mihall@nsf.gov
   5. mailto:elrom@nsf.gov
   6. mailto:bmuz@nsf.gov
   7. mailto:bhaq@nsf.gov