Limited Submission Opportunities

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The NRT program seeks proposals that ensure that graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers.

The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education, not-for-profit museums, science centers and scientific/engineering research organizations.

Any MRI proposal may request support for either the acquisition or development of a research instrument or an upgrade of an existing research instrument. Within their submission limit, NSF strongly encourages an organization to submit proposals for innovative development projects.

Track 1

Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000¹ and less than $1,400,000.

Track 2

Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000.

Track 3

MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000¹ and less than or equal to $4,000,000 for requests that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to reduce consumption of helium.

Pre-Proposal Process

Since this is a limited submission opportunity that usually attracts the interest of several faculty, the Associate Deans for Research will select the faculty to submit proposals (Four are allowed:  two for Track 1, one for Track 2, and one for Track 3). If you are interested in this opportunity, please fill out the one page summary of your proposal by September 1, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. The one page summary must be emailed to Kristi Chase at kchase@byu.edu. The one page summary must include:

• Name of Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigators
• Names of all other faculty at the university who would benefit from the equipment
• Cost of the equipment, including the purchase price, ongoing maintenance costs, training, etc.
• Planned or potential instructional applications of the equipment
• Description of what the equipment does, in terms understandable to a general technical audience
• What related devices already exist on campus and what additional functionality would the proposed device allow?
• How much would the proposed device be used?
• NSF track record of the proposing team members
• Information about the remaining lifespan of the existing equipment, if you are seeking a replacement or upgrade to existing equipment

Note: The proposal submission deadlines have changed. Proposal submission windows are now:

October 15, 2024 - November 15, 2024
October 15, 2025 - November 14, 2025

If your proposal is selected to move forward with submission, plan to have the proposal complete and ready for internal approvals within Kuali Research 10 business days before the deadline.

The Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences program seeks new applications to take advantage of rapid data science growth, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methodologies. The focus of the proposed research must be on science-based, data-driven approaches enabling solutions for fundamental basic energy sciences challenges not possible otherwise. The goal of the application should be to integrate novel data science, uncertainty quantification, and other AI and ML approaches with domain sciences to uniquely advance the understanding of fundamental properties and processes relevant to chemical and materials systems and achieve predictability of functions and behavior under dynamic conditions.

The W.M. Keck Foundation supports pioneering discoveries in science, engineering, and medical research. The funding priorities are:

1. Focus on important and emerging areas of research in fundamental science
2. Are innovative, distinctive, and interdisciplinary
3. Demonstrate high risk due to unconventional approaches, or challenges the prevailing paradigm
4. Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies (preferably with a rejection notice from a federal agency)

Pre-Proposal Process

Deadlines

Concept counseling should be mandatory. Deadlines for concept counseling are December 1, 2024 for the December grant cycle (January 1-February 15 2024) and April 1, 2024 for the June grant cycle (July 1-August 15, 2024). Inquires received beyond two weeks after these deadlines won’t be considered. Please fill out the one-page concept paper and send to Susie Quartey at Susie_quartey@byu.edu and the Associate Dean of Research for your college by 5:00 p.m. by the deadline listed above.

Concept Paper Counseling Process

Associate Deans for Research will recommend one concept under Science and Engineering and/or one concept under Medical Research for a Phase 1 proposal.

If you are interested in applying for the December 2024 grant cycle, please fill out the one-page concept and send to Susie Quartey at Susie_quartey@byu.edu and the Associate Dean of Research for your college by December 1, 2023, by 5:00 p.m. to ensure adequate time for review prior to the January 2024 Concept Counseling session.

Notifications to the selected PI(s) will go out in early January, after which the selected PI(s) can begin working on their Phase 1 proposal, due May 1. The one-page concept must include the following:

• Project title
• Name of Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigators
• An overview of the proposed project emphasizing any unique aspects and pilot studies (indicate area of emphasis for project - medical research or science and engineering research)
• A description of the methodologies and key personnel
• A brief justification of the need for WMKF support (grants are $500,000-$2,000,000, on average)
• An estimated budget broken down, if possible, by major areas, e.g., personnel, equipment, consumable supplies, etc. (budgets can be rough approximations at this stage)
• If possible, within the one-page limit, the PI may add other details (e.g., background to put the research into perspective, description of BYU's prominence in the field). Avoid illustrations. If a reference is necessary, abbreviate it as (Science, 323, 45, ‘11). Do not use (Jones et al., 2011).

Note: if you have previously applied to the Keck Foundation, please include the reviewer’s comments along with your concept paper.

Please feel free to contact Susie Quartey at Susie_quartey@byu.edu with any questions.