Call for Concept Papers: NSF Accelerating Research Translation

February 22, 2023 Announcements

UMaine is eligible to submit a single application by the May 09, 2023 deadline. UMaine may additionally serve as a subaward on no more than two proposals led by another organization. Awards are expected to be $6,000,000 and for a four-year duration.

Concept Paper Deadline: March 09, 2023 5:00pm.

Link to full program: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2023/nsf23558/nsf23558.htm

Apply at https://umaine.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1897259

The National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks to increase the scale and pace of advancing discoveries made while conducting academic research into tangible solutions that benefit the public. This is the primary aim of the “Accelerating Research Translation” (ART) program. Specifically, the primary goals of this program are to build capacity and infrastructure for translational research at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and to enhance their role in regional innovation ecosystems. In addition, this program seeks to effectively train graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in translational research, benefiting them across a range of career options.

This solicitation seeks proposals that enable IHE-based teams to propose a blend of: (1) activities that will help build and/or strengthen the institutional infrastructure to sustainably grow the institutional capacity for research translation in the short and long terms; (2) educational/training opportunities, especially for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to become entrepreneurs and/or seek use-inspired and/or translational research-oriented careers in the public and/or private sectors; and (3) specific, translational research activities that offer immediate opportunities for transition to practice to create economic and/or societal impact. The funded teams will form a nationwide network of ‘ART Ambassadors’ who will champion the cause of translational research.

Call for Concept Papers:

Briefly describe your ART project. The concept paper should not exceed three pages, and references do not need to be included. Within your concept paper speak to the required elements of the full proposal:

  1. Capacity building activities for longer-term impact.
  2. Education and training specifically targeting postdoctoral and graduate students
  3. Project level activities to identify, recruit, and support “Seed Translational Research Projects.” See the NSF solicitation for a full discussion of STRPs.
  4. In advancing towards these required outcomes and supporting STRPs, you will need to demonstrate concrete plans to engage with principles of diversity and equity, as well as firm commitments to inclusiveness and accessibility. The role of these values in your project should be clear in your concept paper.

Please contact Edward Derrick (edward.derrick@maine.edu) at the Office of Research Development for additional support in developing a concept paper for this program. Submit your concept paper through the InfoReady portal: https://umaine.infoready4.com/