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Major Research Instrumentation
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QEM Network will be conducting a
workshop to assist faculty at minority-serving institutions
in the preparation of proposals for submission in Fiscal Year 2009
to the National Science Foundation’s
Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program. The QEM/NSF MRI
workshop will take place in New Orleans, LA, on Friday
and Saturday, October 24-25, 2008, at the Embassy Suites
Hotel New Orleans Convention Center located at 315 Julia Street (tel.
504/525-1993).
The NSF MRI Program is designed to increase access to scientific and engineering
equipment for research and research training in organizations of higher education
and other research organizations. This program seeks to improve the quality and
expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering,
and to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation
for research-intensive learning environments. Proposals may be for a single instrument,
a large system of instruments, or multiple instruments that share a common or
specific research focus. The
MRI Program Solicitation indicates that an institution
may submit up to three proposals to the MRI Program. Awards for instrumentation
range from $100,000 to $2 million. The program deadline for receipt of proposals
is the fourth Thursday in January of each year. The fourth Thursday in January
2009 is January 22.
QEM's grant from the National Science
Foundation allows us to support the participation (travel, lodging,
and meals during the workshop) of up to two faculty members from
a given minority institution. To maximize the number of institutions
and faculty reached, we will not be able to provide support for
faculty members who received support from QEM to participate in
previous QEM MRI Workshops (Atlanta in 2004; Phoenix in 2005;
Baltimore in 2006; and Albuquerque in 2007). However, such individuals
may attend the New Orleans workshop at their or their institution's
expense. Lodging per night at the Hotel is $139 plus13% tax and
a $2 occupancy tax.
The workshop
registration form must be completed
and returned to Shirley McBay at smmcbay1@qem.org by Friday,
September 26. If you are not eligible for this workshop,
we would appreciate it very much if you would notify other
STEM colleagues at your institution who may be seriously interested
in submitting an MRI proposal in the FY 2009 competition.
To maximize feedback from NSF staff and consultants during the
workshop's concurrent sessions (organized by NSF Directorate),
participants are required to submit a project summary of no
more than one page in length. This summary must be prepared using
the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf022/nsf0202_2.html)
(see project summary). The summary should be sent via e-mail to
smmcbay1@qem.org no later
than Friday,
October 3, so that
it can be sent to the workshop's consultants and discussed with
NSF staff prior to the workshop. In addition to including a
statement of objectives and methods to be used, the one-page project
summary must clearly and separately address both of NSF's two Merit
Review Criteria: Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.
After you have described the objectives and methods, clearly label
the separate paragraphs that respectively address Intellectual
Merit and Broader Impacts.
Summary of MRI Workshop
Deadlines/Additional information on MRI:
- Deadline for QEM Workshop Registration Form: Friday, September
26, 2008
- Deadline for required one-page MRI Project Summary: Friday,
October 3, 2008
- FY 2009 NSF/MRI Proposal Deadline: January 22, 2009
- MRI Program Solicitation: see FY
2009 MRI Solicitation
- MRI Frequently Asked Questions. See: FY
2008 MRI Frequently Asked Questions
- NSF/MRI Homepage: http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/mri/ from
which you can link to abstracts of past MRI awards
 QEM/NSF
MRI October 2006 Workshop Agenda, with Presentations
QEM/NSF
MRI September 2007 Workshop Agenda, with Presentations
Title VII of the America COMPETES
Act of 2007 directs NSF to require cost-sharing in the MRI Program.
Therefore, effective
FY 2008, NSF requires cost-sharing on all MRI proposals, both
acquisition and development, from PhD and non-degree granting institutions. Cost
sharing will not be required on proposals from non-PhD granting
institutions.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Shirley McBay at smmcbay1@qem.org or Althea Burns at aburns@qem.org. We can be reached by telephone at 202/659-1818.
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