Directorate Update David W. Lightfoot Assistant Director National Science Foundation

Human & Social Dynamics  Increase budgets of core programs  Complexity science  Infrastructure  Large-scale interdisciplinary awards  Decision Making Under Uncertainty  Cross-Directorate Activities  Human factors in environmental change

Dear Colleague Letter Complexity science  complex systems incorporating simpler systems  dynamics of complex systems: tipping points and emergent phenomena of phase transitions Large-scale interdisciplinary research Infrastructure

The IDEAS Factory A potentially transformational method to foster the process of discovery

The IDEAS Factory  Program initiated in 2004 by UK EPSRC to explore mechanisms of generating innovative high risk research projects on selected topics (problem-based or paradigm-shift)  Central feature: “Sandpit” Intensive, interactive, 5-day event involving a diverse group of people in order to uncover innovative ideas Intensive, interactive, 5-day event involving a diverse group of people in order to uncover innovative ideas

Inputs: Grand Challenge Topic, Creative People, Money Creative Environment: “Sandpit” Outputs: Ideas, Research projects, Feasibility studies, Networking Sandpit Concept

Who is Involved?  Director and Mentors, focus on the topic Not eligible for funding Not eligible for funding Provide real-time peer review Provide real-time peer review  Facilitators, focus on the process Help design the sandpit Help design the sandpit Facilitate interactions to develop creative environment Facilitate interactions to develop creative environment  Participants Recruited through open call Recruited through open call

Sandpit Selection Process  Sandpit Director selects 4-5 Mentors (similar to an NSF review panel or site-visit team)  Open, widely-advertised, call for participants  2-page application (analogous to pre-proposal) Knowledge and expertise Knowledge and expertise Personal attributes (communication skills, collaborative behavior, level of creativity) Personal attributes (communication skills, collaborative behavior, level of creativity)  Review panel, with occupational psychologist, selects workshop participants Diversity is key: Variety of disciplines, diverse backgrounds, mix of personal attributes increases group’s willingness to take risks and encourages creativity Diversity is key: Variety of disciplines, diverse backgrounds, mix of personal attributes increases group’s willingness to take risks and encourages creativity

Sandpit Process: What it is  Intensive and interactive  Interdisciplinary  Facilitated to promote creative thinking  Based on real-time peer review (analogous to MREFC PDR process )

Sandpit Process: What it isn’t  Technical presentations  Committee-style meetings  Limited to single disciplines  Disconnected from funding plans

Features and Outcomes  Features : Real-time peer review Real-time peer review Real-time decisions about projects and funding Real-time decisions about projects and funding  Outcomes : Complementary research projects that vary in scale and scope, provide a more holistic approach to addressing the grand challenge. Complementary research projects that vary in scale and scope, provide a more holistic approach to addressing the grand challenge.

What Happens After?  Groups submit full proposals within eight weeks  Reviewed by Director and mentors for intellectual merit and degree of novelty and complementarity to the other projects

Proposed Joint NSF-EPSRC Sandpit  Topic: Synthetic Biology  Sandpit Director: NSF Program Director  Mentors: Selected by NSF and EPSRC  Open call for workshop participants issued by EPSRC, open to US and UK Applications reviewed by Sandpit Director and Mentors Applications reviewed by Sandpit Director and Mentors  Sandpit to be held in US  NSF proposed contribution of $4M

Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation (NSCC)

Goals NSF and DoD intend:  to develop the DoD’s social and human science intellectual capital in order to enhance its ability to address future challenges;  to enhance the DoD’s engagement with the social science community; and  to deepen the understanding of the social and behavioral dimensions of national security issues.

Four Topical Areas  New Approaches to Understanding Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation  New Approaches to Understanding Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation  Studies of Terrorist Organization and Ideologies  Studies of the Strategic Impact of Religious and Cultural Change  Studies of Political, Cultural, and Social Dynamics Under Authoritarian Regimes

Types of Support  Workshops: Up to an all inclusive total of $50,000 to $150,000  Small Award Grants: Up to an all inclusive total of $500,000, over a duration of two to three years.  Large Award Grants: Up to an all inclusive total of $2 million per year for a duration of three to five years.

Response 169 projects representing 201 proposals: 24 workshop projects 24 workshop projects 119 small award projects 119 small award projects 26 large award projects 26 large award projects Six panels for topical areas plus 1 workshop panel. Commence December 1.

Science of Learning Centers  LIFE Center: Learning in Informal and Formal Environments - PI Pat Kuhl, University of Washington.  CELEST: Center for Learning in Education, Science, and Technology- PI Stephen Grossberg, Boston University.  PSLC: Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center – PI Ken Koedinger, Carnegie Mellon University.

SLC’s  SILC: Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center - PI Nora Newcombe, Temple University.  VL2: Visual Language and Visual Learning Center – PI Thomas Allen, Gallaudet University.  TDLC: Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center – PI Garrison Cottrell, University of California-San Diego.