NSF issues PFC announcement

Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC)
Program Solicitation# 10-560
www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10560/nsf10560.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
The National Science Foundation has issued the following program announcement for Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC).
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. Activities supported through the program are in all sub-fields of physics within the purview of the Division of Physics: atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, astro-, gravitational, and biological physics. Interdisciplinary projects at the interface between these physics areas and other disciplines and physics sub-fields, e.g. biology, quantum information science, mathematical physics, condensed matter physics, and emerging areas of physics are also included. The successful PFC activity will demonstrate:

1) the potential for a profound advance in physics.
2) creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, diversity, and public outreach.
3) potential for broader impacts, e.g., impacts on other field(s) and benefits to society.
4) a synergy or value-added rationale that justifies a center- or institute-like approach.

Available Formats:
HTML: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10560/nsf10560.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
PDF: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10560/nsf10560.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
TXT: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10560/nsf10560.txt?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

As a result of the limited number of proposals that can be submitted, UND will conduct an internal review of preproposals. Preproposals should consist of the following sections:

-Cover page listing the project name, collaborators, contact person, total budget amount
– Instrument(s) to be purchased or developed and its (their) function(s)
– Impact on the research program of the collaborators, department(s), and college(s)
– Impact on the university’s mission as a whole
– Detailed budget

Preproposals should be no more than one page in length using a reasonable format (one inch margins, font size 11, single-spaced). Preproposals are due in Research Development and Compliance (RD&C) by 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 28. Criteria used for reviewing preproposals will include appropriateness to the goal of the program; probability for funding by NSF; reasonableness of budgetary requests; and impact of the request on the university and the academic units involved. Investigators will be notified of the review results as soon as possible in order to provide as much time as possible to prepare a final proposal for submission.

— Barry Milavetz, associate vice president for Research, 777-4278, barrymilavetz@mail.und.edu.