Internal Submission Deadline: 5:00 pm CST, Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Funding Organization Deadline: 5:00 pm CST, Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Discipline/Subject Area: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, including the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

Documents Required for UT Internal Submission (to be submitted in this order as a single .pdf document)

• Brief (2-page maximum) project summary. You may include a third page for references and/or images. Please place your project type at the top of the first page of you project summary.
• Current C.V.
• List of collaborators on this project 

Overview of Opportunity 

The Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments.

The AISL program is situated within the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL). DRL's mission is to cultivate and catalyze fundamental and applied research and development (R&D) to improve the learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for the nation. In support of this mission, AISL seeks to (a) advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments; (b) provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; (c) advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments; and (d) engage the public of all ages in learning STEM in informal environments.

The AISL program's priorities are: (1) Maximizing Strategic Impact, (2) Enhancing Knowledge-Building, (3) Promoting Innovation, (4) Advancing Collaboration, (5) Strengthening Infrastructure and Building Capacity, and (6) Broadening Participation. Through these priorities, described in more detail throughout the solicitation, the program contributes to STEM engagement and literacy, workforce development, and educational success. It may also narrow the gap between the advancements in scientific discovery and the public's understanding of science.

Eligibility 

• An institution or organization may serve as lead on no more than three (3) proposals submitted to the November deadline. However, an institution or organization may partner as a sub-award on other proposals submitted.
• An individual may be included as a Principal Investigator (PI) /Co-PI on no more than three (3) proposals submitted to the November deadline.
• Funding is available for six (6) different types of projects:
  1. Pilots and Feasibility projects: up to $300,000 with durations up to two years;
  2. Research in Service to Practice projects: from $300,000 to $2,000,000 with durations from two to five years;
  3. Innovations in Development projects: $500,000 to $3,000,000 with durations from two to five years;
  4. Broad Implementation projects from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 with durations from three to five years;
  5. Literature Reviews, Syntheses, or Meta-analyses projects up to $250,000 with durations of up to two years;
  6. Conferences up to $250,000 with durations of up to two years.

Full Program Solicitation:

https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2017/nsf17573/nsf17573.ht

Important Dates: 

Documents due to CompetitionSpace: 5pm CST, Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Full Proposal Deadline: 5pm CST, Wednesday, November 6, 2019