Difference between revisions of "NSF Community-Driven Data and Knowledge Environment for the Geosciences"

From Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP)
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*    March 26, 2013 EarthCube Test Enterprise Governance
 
*    March 26, 2013 EarthCube Test Enterprise Governance
 
*    March 26, 2013 EarthCube Research Coordination Networks
 
*    March 26, 2013 EarthCube Research Coordination Networks
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== NSF ErathCube Funding Opprtunities ==
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* Test Enterprise Governance
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** Description of the activity
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** Specific Responsibilities
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** Core Requirements
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** Additional Review Criteria
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** Additional Proposal Preparation Guidelines
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** Special Award Requirements
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  (2) EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN)
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    i. Description of the activity
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    ii. Specific Requirements
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    iii. Additional Review Criteria
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    iv. Additional Proposal Preparation Guidelines
  
 
== EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN) ==
 
== EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN) ==
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NSF solicits proposals for EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN). More information on Research Coordination Networks can be found here http:www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691.  
 
NSF solicits proposals for EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN). More information on Research Coordination Networks can be found here http:www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691.  
 
 
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact EarthCube Program Directors (see http://www.nsf.gov/geo/earthcube/ for contacts) to discuss the appropriateness of an EarthCube RCN proposal.
 
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact EarthCube Program Directors (see http://www.nsf.gov/geo/earthcube/ for contacts) to discuss the appropriateness of an EarthCube RCN proposal.
  
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=== Description of the activity ===
 
EarthCube RCNs are intended to advance geosciences cyberinfrastructure through interaction and understanding between '''geoscientists''', '''CI experts''', and '''computer scientists'''. RCNs will provide geosciences communities with the opportunity '''to present coherent and representative plans for their cyberinfrastructure needs'''. Outcomes should impact the communities involved, moving them closer to shared goals. They will provide a voice and impact on the EarthCube process for the geosciences end-user communities, influencing the direction of EarthCube architecture and cyberinfrastructure developments.
 
EarthCube RCNs are intended to advance geosciences cyberinfrastructure through interaction and understanding between '''geoscientists''', '''CI experts''', and '''computer scientists'''. RCNs will provide geosciences communities with the opportunity '''to present coherent and representative plans for their cyberinfrastructure needs'''. Outcomes should impact the communities involved, moving them closer to shared goals. They will provide a voice and impact on the EarthCube process for the geosciences end-user communities, influencing the direction of EarthCube architecture and cyberinfrastructure developments.
  
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Innovative ideas for implementing novel virtual organizations, community networking strategies, collaborative technologies are essential. Broad community participation, with an emphasis on active engagement of large numbers of end-users is necessary for successful EarthCube RCNs.
 
Innovative ideas for implementing novel virtual organizations, community networking strategies, collaborative technologies are essential. Broad community participation, with an emphasis on active engagement of large numbers of end-users is necessary for successful EarthCube RCNs.
  
Specific Requirements
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===Specific Requirements===
  
 
1. '''Topic/focus''': EarthCube RCN proposals must involve both geoscientists and cyber/computer scientists. Proposals should specify what activities will be undertaken, what groups will be involved, what products will be generated by network activities, and how information about the network and opportunities to participate will be disseminated. The proposal should also outline the expected benefits of the network's activities in moving one or more geosciences fields forward and the implications for the broader community.
 
1. '''Topic/focus''': EarthCube RCN proposals must involve both geoscientists and cyber/computer scientists. Proposals should specify what activities will be undertaken, what groups will be involved, what products will be generated by network activities, and how information about the network and opportunities to participate will be disseminated. The proposal should also outline the expected benefits of the network's activities in moving one or more geosciences fields forward and the implications for the broader community.
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* RCN-related expenses for international partners to participate in networking activities in the US.
 
* RCN-related expenses for international partners to participate in networking activities in the US.
 
* RCN-related expenses for US participants to conduct networking activities in the international partner's home laboratory
 
* RCN-related expenses for US participants to conduct networking activities in the international partner's home laboratory
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=== Additional Review Criteria ===

Revision as of 09:46, December 28, 2012


NSF EarthCube: Developing a Community-Driven Data and Knowledge Environment for the Geosciences

EarthCube is a community-driven activity sponsored through a partnership between the NSF Directorate of Geosciences and Office of Cyberinfrastructure to transform the conduct of geosciences research and education. EarthCube aims to create a well-connected and facile environment to share data and knowledge in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner, thus accelerating the ability of the geosciences community to understand and predict the Earth system.

EarthCube is a long-term dialog between the NSF and the interested scientific communities to develop cyberinfrastructure that is thoughtfully and systematically built to meet the current and future requirements of geoscientists. New avenues will be supported to gather community requirements and priorities for the elements of EarthCube, and to capture the best technologies to meet the current and future needs of the broad and diverse geoscience community. The EarthCube portfolio will consist of interconnected projects and activities that engage the geoscience, cyberinfrastructure, computer science, and associated communities. The portfolio of activities and funding opportunities will evolve over time depending on the status of the EarthCube effort and the scientific and cultural needs of the geosciences community.

This umbrella solicitation for EarthCube allows funding opportunities to be flexible and responsive to emerging community needs and collaborative processes. The EarthCube vision and goals do not change over time, and this section of the solicitation will remain constant. Funding opportunities to develop elements of the EarthCube environment will be described in amendments to this solicitation. Amendments will appear in the Program Description Section of the solicitation and will include details on the parameters, scope, conditions, and requirements of the proposal call. Researchers who receive alerts related to solicitation releases will receive notification when the EarthCube solicitation is updated with an Amendment.

Estimated Number of Awards: 7. NSF anticipates funding for Amendment I (Test Enterprise Governance and Research Coordination Networks) to be $5,000,000 pending availability of funds. The size of awards will vary based on the scope and complexity of the funding opportunity and the projects supported under that call. Specific size and duration limitations will be articulated in amendments to this solicitation.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

  • March 26, 2013 EarthCube Test Enterprise Governance
  • March 26, 2013 EarthCube Research Coordination Networks


NSF ErathCube Funding Opprtunities

  • Test Enterprise Governance
    • Description of the activity
    • Specific Responsibilities
    • Core Requirements
    • Additional Review Criteria
    • Additional Proposal Preparation Guidelines
    • Special Award Requirements


 (2) EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN)
    i. Description of the activity
    ii. Specific Requirements
    iii. Additional Review Criteria
    iv. Additional Proposal Preparation Guidelines

EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN)

  • Deadline: March 21, 2013
  • Estimated Number of Awards: 4-6
  • Estimated Award Size and Duration: a maximum of 24 months and up to a maximum of $300,000.

NSF solicits proposals for EarthCube Research Coordination Networks (RCN). More information on Research Coordination Networks can be found here http:www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11691. Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact EarthCube Program Directors (see http://www.nsf.gov/geo/earthcube/ for contacts) to discuss the appropriateness of an EarthCube RCN proposal.

Description of the activity

EarthCube RCNs are intended to advance geosciences cyberinfrastructure through interaction and understanding between geoscientists, CI experts, and computer scientists. RCNs will provide geosciences communities with the opportunity to present coherent and representative plans for their cyberinfrastructure needs. Outcomes should impact the communities involved, moving them closer to shared goals. They will provide a voice and impact on the EarthCube process for the geosciences end-user communities, influencing the direction of EarthCube architecture and cyberinfrastructure developments.

Awards will support geosciences communities to organize themselves and/or partner with other geosciences communities, to discuss, plan and coordinate, in a virtual setting, the standards, policies and cyberinfrastructure that will meet their end-users' common data, software, computation networking and training needs. Proposals must include participation of both geoscientists and cyber/computer scientists to be considered viable.

Examples of possible EarthCube RCNs include, but are not limited to:

The development of community standards, data citation or other community plans for data management and other products of research in one or more field of the geosciences. The discussion and articulation of common cyberinfrastructure and technology grand challenges within specific or across different geosciences disciplines, including dialog towards developing potential solutions for data integration, computation, modeling, software and/or visualization needed to meet future scientific and education goals. Data and/or cyberinfrastructure issues involving multiple geosciences fields that will result in improved interdisciplinary access to products of scientific work or training and education. The goal of this RCN opportunity is to build partnerships between geo- and cyber/computer scientists; foster new collaborations that lead to better scientific and workflow outcomes; expose participants to new methodologies, approaches, tools, and utilities; discover synergies and reduce redundancies and duplication of effort; expose best practices and "lessons learned" in developing cyberinfrastructure and data management, and develop a stronger framework within the geosciences for enabling increased and accelerated use of new technologies.

Innovative ideas for implementing novel virtual organizations, community networking strategies, collaborative technologies are essential. Broad community participation, with an emphasis on active engagement of large numbers of end-users is necessary for successful EarthCube RCNs.

Specific Requirements

1. Topic/focus: EarthCube RCN proposals must involve both geoscientists and cyber/computer scientists. Proposals should specify what activities will be undertaken, what groups will be involved, what products will be generated by network activities, and how information about the network and opportunities to participate will be disseminated. The proposal should also outline the expected benefits of the network's activities in moving one or more geosciences fields forward and the implications for the broader community.

2. Participation. EarthCube RCNs will be expected to work with and involve EarthCube Test Enterprise Governance. Participation and involvement in EarthCube community events and sharing of information between EarthCube RCNs and other projects funded under EarthCube will be required. Proposals should explain how the network and structure of the organization will help facilitate these interactions.

3. Steering committee. Each RCN is required to have a steering committee comprised of network participants that include both geoscientists and cyber/computer scientists that have key roles in the leadership and/or management of the network. The steering committee should include all Co-PIs, if any are listed on the cover page of the proposal, and any other senior personnel, including any foreign collaborators involved as leaders or otherwise considered senior personnel. Therefore, the steering committee constitutes all the senior personnel for the EarthCube RCN.

4. Network participants. The size of a network is expected to vary depending on the topic or issue and the needs of the proposed activity. The network may be regional, national, or international. It is expected that a proposed network will involve investigators at diverse organizations, including different levels of academic institutions, other agencies and/or commercial partners. The inclusion of new researchers, post-docs, graduate students, and undergraduates is encouraged. In the proposal, an initial network of likely participants should be identified by position at the institution and name. However, there should be clearly developed mechanisms to maintain openness, ensure access, and actively promote participation by interested parties outside of the initial participants in the proposed network.

5. Information and material sharing. The goals of this program are to promote effective communication, provide opportunities for collaboration, and enhance cyberinfrastructure for the geosciences. When the proposed activity involves generation of community resources, the proposal should explain how the community resource relates to other existing efforts and EarthCube activities. The mechanism for timely sharing and sustainability of the activity must be described in the Data Management Plan.

6. International participation. NSF encourages international collaboration. International collaborations should clearly strengthen the proposed project activities. As NSF funding predominantly supports participation by US participants, network participants from institutions outside the US are encouraged to seek support from their respective funding organizations. NSF funds may not be used to support the expenses of the international scientists and students at their home organization. For RCN projects that involve international partners, NSF funds may be used for the following:

Travel expenses for US scientists and students participating in exchange visits integral to the RCN project

  • RCN-related expenses for international partners to participate in networking activities in the US.
  • RCN-related expenses for US participants to conduct networking activities in the international partner's home laboratory

Additional Review Criteria