Equity

Learn about the new tracks in NSF’s Convergence Accelerator

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The NSF Convergence Accelerator has issued a new funding opportunity for three new research track topics: Equitable Water Solutions, Real-World Chemical Sensing Applications, and Bio-Inspired Design Innovations.

Researchers and innovators have two submission pathways to submit their proposals: Solicitation, NSF-23-590, and Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), NSFBAA-CA23-01.

  • Required letters of intent are due by July 11, 2023.
  • Full proposals are due by 5 p.m. local time on August 22, 2023.

More information on the tracks and potential topics can be found on the program webpage.

Opportunities to Learn More: Upcoming Webinars

Join an NSF Convergence Accelerator webinar to learn about the program and the current funding opportunity.

Webinars will be held: May 25, 2023 and June 6, 2023 from 3 – 5 p.m. EDT.

Register now

During the webinars, participants will learn about:

  • the program’s model and fundamentals, including:
    • the program’s phased approach
    • innovation processes used to accelerate basic research into practice
  • the solicitation opportunity and the research track focuses
  • required Convergence Accelerator fundamentals, and important submission information.

The goal of these webinars is to bring awareness of this exciting opportunity to develop use-inspired solutions to have a positive impact on national and societal challenges. 

Optional 30 minute Track Breakouts

At 4:30 p.m. EDT, join us for an optional 30 minute breakout session featuring the three track topics. Here you can ask additional questions and engage with similarly-interested stakeholders and researchers to potentially assist you in forming your team and formulating your proposal.

NSF Launches New Opportunity for Professional Societies to Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

NSF_BIO1 Comment

The National Science Foundation has recently released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) encouraging professional societies to work together to form networks to promote cultural change in biology to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. The DCL, called LEAPS (LEAding cultural change through Professional Societies) of Biology, intends to fund conference proposals, planning proposals, and Research Coordination Network (RCN) proposals that will facilitate collaboration among biology professional societies with the goal of broadening participation of the STEM workforce at scale.  

This DCL encourages submissions from societies focused on broadening participation (SACNAS, AISES, ABRCMS) and/or from the NSF INCLUDES National Network. Professional societies are uniquely positioned to lead cultural, structural, and social change through appointing or electing society leaders, convening meetings, publishing, issuing awards, providing training, and creating career support networks. They can shape the culture at the scale of the (sub-) discipline and have the potential to influence other disciplines, institutions, and departments.

Potential partnerships could also include Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other organizations/institutions serving diverse populations. The participation of multiple societies from more than one biological discipline and/or of multiple societies from the same discipline that range in membership size is also encouraged.  

For more information, please read the full DCL. To be considered for funding in fiscal year 2021, proposals should be submitted by May 14, 2021. Proposals submitted after that date will be considered for fiscal year 2022 funding.

For questions concerning the DCL, please contact one of the following Program Directors: