TITLE: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for NSF 15-117, PREEVENTS
(nsf16022) | NSF - National Science Foundation
DATE: 10/29/2015
NSF 16-022
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for [1]NSF 15-117, PREEVENTS
1. What makes PREEVENTS proposals different from those normally
submitted to GEO programs?
The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) has long supported research
applicable to natural hazards and extreme events. PREEVENTS is
intended to enhance activities within existing GEO program that are
relevant to the goals described in the [2]Dear Colleague Letter
(DCL). It also allows GEO to foster areas that may benefit from a
broader approach than is easily accomplished through existing GEO
programs, including multi-hazards and/or cascading hazards.
2. How can I submit a PREEVENTS proposal?
It is important to remember that PREEVENTS is in the initial
implementation stages. At this time, proposals to pursue PREEVENTS
science goals are only accepted through existing programs.
Potential proposers should consult with program officers in the
relevant area(s) about what constitutes a good fit.
3. Should the scope of PREEVENTS proposals be different from a typical
single investigator or small collaborative proposal?
A proposal should be appropriate in scope for the regular core
program(s) to which it is submitted. In future stages of PREEVENTS,
we anticipate there may be additional emphasis in
cross-disciplinary areas or in areas for which a mix of resources
might be used that goes beyond that typical in existing programs.
4. I have a proposal in for review right now that fits the PREEVENTS
model. Should I contact my program officer to let them know?
Yes, contact your program officer and the PREEVENTS team at
[2]preevents@nsf.gov
5. Does every proposal have to incorporate some form of geoscience
process study? For example, can a project address the impacts of an
extreme event on "natural, social, and economic systems" without
conducting research on the hazard itself?
The focus is on the fundamental science behind natural hazards and
extreme events. Incorporating impacts of natural hazards and
extreme events in terms of social and economic systems is
encouraged but not required; for example, such impacts could be
considered a broader impact for a proposal focused on a fundamental
science question. You should consult with your program officer(s).
6. The discussion of workshops references "cross-disciplinary areas
that are not yet well established." What is meant by "not yet well
established?"
Please note that workshops can be within a discipline and/or
cross-disciplinary. The phrase "not well established" means
bringing together groups that have only occasionally interacted or
have not traditionally worked together on issues focused on natural
hazards and extreme events.
7. What is meant by "subject to the limitations for the particular
program(s)?" If the proposal is within the program scope what makes
it a PREEVENTS proposal? If it's not within scope, will the program
accept it?
The scope of both the scientific project and the required resources
should be appropriate for the program(s) to which a proposal is
submitted. If a proposal is highly relevant to PREEVENTS but falls
outside the scope of any existing programs, e.g. because of its
interdisciplinary connections or its size, it may be more
appropriate to wait for a future program opportunity in this area.
8. Must every project address all three of the PREEVENTS goals listed
in the DCL?
The first goal is central to both PREEVENTS and the core programs
and should be addressed in all proposals. The remaining two goals
are long-term goals of PREEVENTS.
9. What is meant by the third PREEVENTS goal, to "enable development
of new tools to enhance societal preparedness and resilience?"
It may be easiest to address this with an example. A project might
"enable development of new tools" by providing information on
earthquake or faulting processes that enable improved seismic
hazards maps, but it would not generate the maps themselves such
activities would be more appropriate for support by a related
mission agency. Another project might provide fundamentally better
knowledge of key parameters related to hurricane progression that
would enable greatly reduced errors in intensity forecasts.
PREEVENTS would be focused on the improved knowledge, while the
intensity forecasts themselves would be more appropriate for
support elsewhere. In any case, topics addressed under this goal
could be articulated in, and contribute to, the Broader Impacts
section of a proposal.
10. The DCL states that NSF "intends to release a formal PREEVENTS
solicitation in 2016." Should prospective PIs wait until the
solicitation is issued or submit to an existing program?
If your idea would not fit with an existing GEO program that
supports research on natural hazards and extreme events, it may be
more appropriate to wait for a formal solicitation. Note that
workshop proposals pursuant to the DCL may provide useful
information for future PREEVENTS solicitations.
11. For the purposes of PREEVENTS, what is a natural hazard? What does
"resilience" mean?
For "natural hazard" and "resilience", PREEVENTS uses the
definitions found in the 2009 UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk
Reduction published by the United Nations International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Geneva, Switzerland
([3]http://www.unisdr.org/files/7817_UNISDRTerminologyEnglish.pdf).
+ Natural hazard: Natural process or phenomenon that may cause
loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage,
loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic
disruption, or environmental damage.
+ Resilience: The ability of a system, community or society
exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and
recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient
manner, including through the preservation and restoration of
its essential basic structures and functions.
PREEVENTS is focused on natural hazards and extreme events in the
geosciences, and would not be an appropriate home for projects that
are focused on deliberate or accidental events. Some hazards do
span this boundary. For example, some natural hazards may trigger
technological hazards and disasters, such as the cascading failure
of the Fukushima nuclear plant caused by the 2011 Tohoku, Japan,
earthquake and tsunami or a potential severe disruption of
electrical grids by geomagnetic storms. However, many hazards would
not be appropriate for study under PREEVENTS, including those
originating from human-caused industrial accidents, purely
technological events, or hazards related to war, acts of terrorism,
and other malicious human activity.
12. Which natural hazards are of interest to PREEVENTS?
Any natural hazard related to areas of science of interest to GEO,
which include but are not limited to:
a. Coastal inundation, rapid erosion, and related processes
b. Drought and flood
c. Earthquakes
d. Extreme heat waves
e. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and other severe storms
f. The occurrence of toxic algal blooms
g. Landslides and other debris flows
h. Space weather events
i. Tsunamis
j. Volcanic eruptions
k. Wildland fires
13. What is an "extreme event"?
The PREEVENTS Management Team has chosen not to adopt a strict
definition of "extreme event", because such a definition depends
strongly on the research topic or process being studied, as well as the
spatiotemporal and intensity scales being used. Rather, we prefer to
leave this to the expert judgment of GEO program officers for
particular areas. However, some examples may be illustrative:
* Earthquakes happen on a daily basis around the United States, and
thus an earthquake might not be considered an extreme event, but an
M7 event in a populated area of the U.S. would be an extreme event.
* Thunderstorms are a daily occurrence, especially in the spring in
the Midwest, and thus might not be considered extreme. However,
some storms spawn tornadoes and other severe weather, which could
be an extreme process.
* Sea level rise, on an annual scale, may not be considered an
extreme event, but it exacerbates other extreme processes like
hurricanes and storm surge. On the other hand, for processes on a
centennial or millennial scale like the breakup of an ice sheet,
sea level rise could be an extreme process.
* Drought is an annual occurrence in the United States, but severe
droughts such as that in California and more generally across the
Southwest might be considered extreme from a particular
perspective.
14. Are PIs from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
permitted to submit proposals to PREEVENTS?
Possibly, depending on a few factors: (1) NCAR's participation must be
consistent with NCAR's mission; (2) participation is expected to be in
partnership with non- FFRDC organizations; (3) funding requested by
NCAR must be consistent with AGS guidelines to NCAR for proposal
submissions; and (4) such proposals must be allowed under the terms of
the solicitation(s) for the GEO program(s) to which the proposal would
be submitted.
References
1. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf15117
2. mailto:preevents@nsf.gov
3. http://www.unisdr.org/files/7817_UNISDRTerminologyEnglish.pdf