National Science Foundation NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) Program October 14, 2014 MRSEC Directors Annual Meeting: Second Tuesday in October annually? Daniele Finotello mrsec.org mrfn.org

National Science Foundation MRSEC History Interdisciplinary Research Labs (IDLs) -ARPA Proposal to transfer IDLs to NSF as a result of the Mansfield Amendment NSF establishes DMR, MRL program DMR establishes MRG program DMR establishes MRSEC program DMR requests a study of the MRSEC program by the National Academies DMR establishes CEMRI and MIRT programs DMR drops CEMRI/MIRT nomenclature and returns program name back to MRSEC with no small group competition

National Science Foundation IDL/MRL UniversityYear InitiatedYear Terminated Cornell1960 Pennsylvania1960 Northwestern1960 Brown Chicago1961 Harvard1961 Maryland MIT1961 North Carolina Purdue1961* Stanford1961 Illinois (Urbana)1962 (with AEC) Carnegie Mellon Massachusetts (Amherst)1973 Pennsylvania State Case Western Reserve1974* Ohio State1982* *Materials Research Laboratories at these institutions are being phased out. Materials Research Groups have recently been established at Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Purdue University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and the University of Texas at Austin. TABLE 1 Year of Establishment and Termination of Interdisciplinary Laboratories (IDLs)/Materials Research Laboratories (MRLs) From “Advancing Materials Research” chapter ‘Materials Research Laboratories: Reviewing the First Twenty-five Years’.

National Science Foundation MRSEC Program Goals Stimulate and support outstanding interdisciplinary research and education in materials of a scope and complexity that requires a center Critical mass of investigators Address fundamental, complex materials problems that are intellectually challenging and important to society Foster partnerships between academia and industry as well as other sectors Broaden participation of groups under-represented in the sciences Re-competition model and Seed program provide a mechanism for a reinvention and adaptation to address emerging areas (flexibility)

National Science Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRG): Core Unit 2014: two or more IRG(s) in each MRSEC Each IRG: –Addresses a major materials topic or area synergistically –Involves several researchers with complementary backgrounds, skills, knowledge. –Provides sustained support for interactive effort. –Is more than a ‘collection of individual investigators’. Interaction within an IRG is critical; Interaction among IRGs not required Collectively, the MRSECs span the entire breadth of research topics that DMR addresses as a division (and more): balanced portfolio

National Science Foundation MRSEC Program Balance – Mapping to DMR Individual Investigator Program 23 Centers with a total of 58 IRGs

National Science Foundation MRSEC Awards Existing MRSEC compete with new proposals in open competition in the 6th year of the award Six year awards, $56M* total in 2014; Individual Center support from ~$1.6M to ~$3.6M * $51M in 2003

National Science Foundation 2014 MRSEC Competition: PP Panel Review: August 26, 2013 – November 22, 2013  Topics were sought that solve fundamental, timely and complex materials problems that are intellectually challenging, important to society, and that potentially broaden the current portfolio. MRSECs include 2-5 IRGs.  Preliminary proposals reviewed based on the topical areas of IRGs, thus the IRGs in a MRSEC proposal may have been reviewed by different panels if the research areas are dissimilar.  81 pre-proposals (246 IRGs) reviewed in seven topical panels convened at NSF from October 28 to November 15,  Outcome: 26 MRSEC Full Proposals including 65 IRGs Invited on Nov. 22, 2013

National Science Foundation MRSEC Pre-Proposals Review 7 Panels 79 Panelists 28 Mail Reviewers 545 Reviews

National Science Foundation 2014 MRSEC Competition: FP Full proposals (Mail Review) due January 10, 2014: Invitations communicates on November 22, 2013 All Full Proposals received on 1/10/14 Compliant 274 Review Requests ed 224 Acceptances 392 IRG Reviews <26 Proposals invited on April 10, 2014 to Reverse Site Visit Panels

National Science Foundation 2014 MRSEC Competition: RSVP Reverse Site Visit Panels: <26 MRSEC with <65 IRGs Invited on April 10 4 RSV 3-day Panels from May 20 to June Panelists <26 MRSEC recommended on July 10, 2014 include <65 IRGs Awards: November 1-15, 2014

National Science Foundation A brief Summary: 2008, 2011 & 2014 MRSEC Competition 14 (9) (maybe 14 > X > 9) Awards 2008: Largest turnover in the history of the program. 5 (3) (Any?) awards to institutions that have not had a MRSEC Once awards are made there will be less than 23 MRSEC including less than 58 IRGs (started with 23 and 58 respectively) In 2015, once the competition is complete, all MRSEC will have at least 2 IRGs: MRSEC

National Science Foundation Post Award Management Site Visits Program Director Site Visits, Site visits with and without Panelists Annual Reports Annual Desk Review of all MRSECs: January – July –MRSEC specific Annual / Final Report Guidelines –Annual Diary Note with Funding Recommendation PI Meetings MRSEC Directors’ Meeting: once per year –Working groups: Broadening Participation, Communication, Education, Facilities, and Industry Annual Education Coordinators’ Meeting –Focus on evaluation, broadening participation, and seeking sources of support outside the MRSEC program. Next Meeting at MRS Dec. 3, 2014

National Science Foundation MRSEC Post-Award Management Annual Reports (We will Talk): Due 2-4 Weeks before site visit; Due no later than May 15. Yearly (100+ pages); Pubs: BE NICE. IF YOU CAN, SEND US A FLASHDRIVE Based on 23 Annual Reports: 723 TT + 48 NTT Faculty; 288 Post-Docs; 838 GS & 198 UGS Pubs: 687 Primary; 665 Partial; 652 SEF; 79 patents 2 or More: 33%; from 14% to 55%

National Science Foundation MRSEC Post-Award Management 2 nd Year PD Site Visit 1(/2) Day(s) (Maybe with Panelists, budget permitting); 2 PDs (We are interviewing) 4 th Year PD + Panelists Site Visit 2 Days, 2 PDs, 4-8 Panelists Schedule: 1 in Feb., 3 in Apr., 4 in May, 1 in June. SV Agenda soon mailed.

National Science Foundation Highlights: What, How, Why A Highlight shows: An exciting outcome of an NSF supported project Transformative results Impacts of outcomes, especially benefits to society, economy, industry, nation, etc. Audiences include: Congress, other policy makers Business and industry professionals Educators The general public

National Science Foundation Highlights: What, How, Why When writing a highlight: Short, straightforward sentences that articulate a single point Use simple language; avoid scientific terminology Write for a public audience that is interested in high-level impacts and benefits Highlights are used: Budget requests Budget drivers Budget requests And more budget requests

National Science Foundation What we will work for the 2016/2017 competition The “Alexandria Effect” Today: Focus on dates, post-award management, highlights

National Science Foundation MRSEC 2016/2017 Solicitation According to a 3 year schedule: Pre-Proposal: Due July/August 2016? Panels before NSF moves? Full Proposal: Due once in New Building? Or before? Reverse Site Visit: Panels in late spring 2017? SynergySocietal Broader ImpactsCenter as a Whole

National Science Foundation MRSEC Program THANK YOU FOR COMING LOOKING FORWARD TO HELP AND WITNESS YOUR MRSEC SUCCESS