The Dynamical Systems program in the Directorate of Engineering and the Applied Mathematics Program in the directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Sciences, of the National Science Foundation, have just published a joint "Dear Colleague Letter", expressing interest in special topics in Dynamical Systems.  The letter encourages unsolicited proposals on the following topics:

• Fundamentals of complex systems
• Model reduction
• Long-term behavior
• Infinite-dimensional systems
• Discrete dynamical systems
• Uncertainty

For the 2009 solicitation, we will consider proposals that aim to investigate emerging frontiers in the following two specific research areas:

1. BioSensing & BioActuation: Interface of Living and Engineered Systems (BSBA)
2. Hydrocarbons from Biomass (HyBi)

Due dates

• Letter of Intent Deadline Date:  October 14, 2008
• Preliminary Proposal Deadline Date:  December 2, 2008
• Full Proposal Deadline Date:  April 30, 2009

Plans are underway to issue a solicitation for the Science and Technology Centers Program in July 2008. Please visit the STC website for updates: http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/stc/index.jsp

Important update (July 6, 2008)

• Wikipedia on peer review --- an excellent article, an example of wikipedia quality, and interesting anyway!
• Science's Editor in Chief and "Friends" Discuss Peer Review and Journal Impact.

(This message was sent to iMechanica by Ken Chong, of the National Science Foundation).  This letter is to call your attention to an opportunity to broaden participation particularly of underrepresented students in Ph.D. programs in engineering through supplements to current research grants funded by the divisions in the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) at the National Science Foundation.

The NSF is preparing to handle the review of preliminary proposals submitted in response to the Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) solicitation.

via Ken Chong.  On behalf of the Division of Graduate Education (DGE) in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) we call your attention to an opportunity to request support for research and evaluation projects focused on graduate education. This opportunity is embedded in the Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE) program managed by the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) in EHR. The REESE Program Solicitation (NSF 07-595) can be viewed at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07595/nsf07595.htm

via Ken P. Chong, National Science Foundation 

House Passes $600 Million Increase in National Science Foundation Budget July 27, 2007 --The U.S. House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill that would increase funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) by nearly $600 million or 10 percent to $6.5 billion in fiscal year 2008.  The bill would put NSF on track to double its budget in less than 10 years.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made a recent award to help increase graduate student participation at the Tenth Pan American Congress of Applied Mechanics (PACAM X).  These awards will be made in the form of mini-travel grants ($500 - $1,000) for exceptionally qualified students to participate in PACAM X January 7-11, 2008, in beautiful Cancun, Mexico.

If you know of deserving Masters-level or Doctorate-level students, please encourage these individuals to apply for this opportunity to present their research to an international forum.  Applications may be downloaded at

In response to a NSF call for proposal on Cyberinfrastructure Training, Education, Advancement, and Mentoring for Our 21st Century Workforce (CI-TEAM), in June 2006, several of us submitted a proposal entitled "iMechanica:  Leveraging Cyberinfrastructure to Evolve All Knowledge of Applied Mechanics"

The proposal is not funded, but the exercise played a significant role in the creation of iMechanica.  I'm also pleased with the comments from the reviewers.  Here I take the liberty to post the project summary and the reviews from the NSF.  I also attach the full proposal.

2007 Alan T. Waterman Award Winner

Peidong Yang

Subject: NSF Proposal Writing Workshop ( August 22-23, 2007 - Alaska)

Sponsored by NSF, a Proposal Writing Workshop will be held on August 22-23, 2007, at University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The workshop mainly aims to provide future proposal submitters (in all disciplines funded by NSF) with knowledge and tools to write good proposals, proposal review experience, and it will enable interactions with NSF program directors and recent NSF awardees. The event is targeted at an EPSCoR state, Alaska. However, the workshop is open to participants from other states as space permits.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

4201 WILSON BOULEVARD ARLINGTON, VA 22230

Title: Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)

The deadline of October 1, 2006 for my program of Mechanics & Structures of Materials was inadvertently omitted in our website. However, at the beginning of our CMS home page there are 2 deadlines listed for all programs. In the meantime any unsolicited proposals for my program, please put in GPG 04-23 as the Program Announcement [1st box]. In the 2nd box put in my program name [Mechanics & Structures of Materials].

UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED TWICE A YEAR BETWEEN SEPT. 1 AND OCT. 1 AND BETWEEN JAN 15 AND FEB 15.

Ken P. Chong, PhD., PE
Program Director of Mechanics & Structures of Materials /CMS
Engineering Directorate
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 545
Arlington, VA 22230 USA
kchong@nsf.gov. Tel. 703-292-7008 [direct]; 703-292-8360 [secretary]; Fax 703-292-9053