This project supports a workshop focused on the professional development of Principal Investigators (PIs) who have active National Science Foundation (NFS) grants from the Ceramics Program in the Division of Materials Research, and the development of a website for this community. The goals of workshop are to: (1) educate PIs about the NSF proposal submission, review, award and oversight processes; (2) provide an environment for researchers within the field of ceramics to collaborate and share information about their research projects; (3) improve communication about research accomplishments; and (3) engage PIs in discussions about the roles and responsibilities of PIs, professional societies and funding agencies. As well, a website will be developed that will better showcase the accomplishments of the NSF-funded researchers and educators in ceramics.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: This two-day workshop will take place in early September 2010 at NSF Headquarters. Topics that will be covered include: the NSF review process; the solicitation Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI); NSF project accomplishments and reporting requirements; Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) highlights and press releases; and the roles and responsibilities of PIs, professional societies and NSF. At the end of the workshop, a discussion and survey will be conducted with the participants to inform future PI meetings. The resulting website will link together researchers, abstracts of their NSF-funded projects, publications, press releases and other highlights.
The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) worked together to hold the ACerS-NSF Ceramic Materials Principle Investigator Workshop on June 13-14, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. The free workshop was attended by 42 Principal Investigators (PIs). The workshop focused on the professional development and networking of PIs who have active NSF grants from the Ceramics Program in the Division of Materials Research. Some of the outcomes of the workshop included (1) PIs were educated about the NSF proposal submission, review, award, oversight and management processes; (2) PI’s within the field of ceramics collaborated and shared information and accomplishments about their research projects; (3) PIs disused ways to improve processes to help ACerS and NSF increase the effectiveness of ceramics research. Each participant provided both an oral and poster presentation highlighting their research and education activities. The core part of the workshop on day 1 included presentations on writing effective highlights, making effective reviews, updates on the NSF’s DMR, ACI Fellow presentations, and a working session on identifying keys to success in research and in broadening participation. Day 2 included presentations from key personnel from various NSF departments on topics such as the materials genome initiative, the AGEP, DMR facilities update, overview of NSF materials research science and engineering centers, instrumentation competitions at NSF, merit review changes, and the Innovation Corps. A post-workshop tutorials covered NSF proposal submissions and a table discussion on this topic. In addition, ACerS has continued its development of a website for this community (http://ceramics.org/knowledge-center/national-science-foundation/) that showcases the accomplishments of the NSF-funded researchers and educators in ceramics. Specifically, this website links together researchers, abstracts of their NSF-funded projects, publications, press releases and other highlights. Selecting the 2012 Workshop Archive link on the above webpage provides access to: 1) the 2012 workshop schedule; 2) presentations from the invited speakers; 3) the workshop attendees list, and 4) one-page presentations made by the workshop participants.
