Call for Proposals: NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows Proposals Due April 8, 2025


 
For NON-UVM submitters.
Please contact your sponsored programs representative for your institution’s internal submission guidelines.
 
UVM submitters please contact the UVM Sponsored Projects Office for UVM specific deadlines and guidelines.
 

EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement: EPSCoR Research Fellows

Supports early-career investigators located in eligible jurisdictions to go on extended collaborative visits to private, government or academic research centers. Investigators may be affiliated with institutions of higher education or nonprofits.

 


 

Upcoming due date:

Full proposal to the NSF

April 8, 2025


 

Synopsis

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. EPSCoR jurisdictions that are eligible for Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) competitions are listed in the RII Eligibility table, which can be found here . Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to effect sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and hence, its R&D competitiveness.

EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows directly aligns with the NSF EPSCoR strategic goal of establishing sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professional development pathways that advance workforce development and effects engagement in STEM at national and global levels. EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows provides awards to build research capacity in institutions and transform the career trajectories of investigators and further develop their individual research potential through collaborations with investigators from the nation's premier private, governmental, or academic research institutions and/or centers. The fellowship provides opportunities to establish strong collaborations through extended or periodic collaborative visits to a selected host site. Through collaborative research activities with the host site, Fellows will be able to learn new techniques, develop new collaborations, advance existing partnerships, benefit from access to unique equipment and facilities, and/or shift their research toward potentially transformative new directions. The experiences gained through the fellowships are intended to have lasting impacts that will enhance the Fellows' research trajectories well beyond the award period. The benefits to the Fellows are also expected to improve the research capacity of their institutions and jurisdictions more broadly.

EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII): EPSCoR Research Fellows offers the following two tracks:

1) EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF; and

2) EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA

While the two tracks are similar in achieving the same goals, EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF is open to a broad community and EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA focuses on faculty from institutions with high enrollments of students from underrepresented populations in STEM (See Section "IV. Eligibility Information" for more details) to collaborate with researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers. PIs who are eligible for both tracks may apply for only one track per competition cycle.

In both tracks, the EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows program provides opportunities for the participation of one trainee, who must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time in an accredited degree program, or a postdoctoral researcher from an EPSCoR jurisdiction. Staff members, such as technicians or lab assistants could be considered as trainees when properly justified.

Limit on number of proposals per organization:

For EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF: 4

A maximum of four proposals may be submitted in response to this solicitation by any single organization in an RII-eligible jurisdiction.

For EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA: 4

A maximum of four proposals may be submitted in response to this solicitation by any single organization in an RII-eligible jurisdiction.

In the case that the institution is eligible to submit both EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF and EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA proposals, a maximum total of eight proposals, including a maximum of four EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF proposals and four EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA proposals, may be submitted in response to this solicitation by any single organization in a RII-eligible jurisdiction.

If more than the maximum allowable proposals are submitted from any single institution, all proposals from that institution are subject to return without review.

The organization's Sponsored Projects Office is required to ensure that the above requirements are met.

Proposals may only be submitted by certain types of PIs. Please see solicitation for details.

Limit on number of proposals per PI or Co-PI:  1

An investigator may serve as PI on only one proposal submitted in response to this solicitation. Co-PIs are not permitted.

Review full program guidelines and learn how to submit a proposal in the latest solicitation.
Read the Solicitation NSF 24-528


NSF EPSCoR Program contacts

Jose Colom-Ustariz

jcolom@nsf.gov

(703) 292-7088

OD/OIA

Chinonye Whitley

cwhitley@nsf.gov

(703) 292-8458

OD/OIA

Hongmei Luo

hluo@nsf.gov

(703) 292-8867

OD/OIA

Pinhas Ben-Tzvi

pbentzvi@nsf.gov

(703) 292-8246

OD/OIA