Dear Colleagues,

The Office of Research will host Mason’s spring 2017 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER research development support program.  NSF CAREER awards are among the most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty issued from the NSF.  Mason faculty members have participated substantially in the CAREER program in the past.  This support program is intended to continue supporting our junior faculty in proposing for these prestigious awards. See the solicitation here: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?WT.z_pims_id=503214&ods_key=nsf17537.  Eligibility Details for NSF CAREER are included at the bottom of this message.

This support program will kick off with a workshop to provide information, advice and assistance with initiating the NSF CAREER proposal process from 9-11 a.m. February 17, 2017 on the Fairfax campus. A current NSF Program Director will provide an overview of the CAREER program. The centerpiece of this workshop will be a panel of former NSF CAREER recipients offering their perspectives on successfully pursuing CAREER awards. Enroll to attend the workshop here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nsf-career-program-tickets-31490427717.

At the workshop, all faculty interested in submitting a CAREER proposal will be asked to commit to a mentoring/feedback plan with specific deadlines. Since this is a significant commitment from the mentors and reviewers, faculty must meet all deadlines to remain in the support program. Faculty taking advantage of this program must also commit to serving as a reviewer for one or more other projects during the panel review process. 

A new website has been developed to provide resources for faculty interested in proposing to the NSF CAREER program: http://researchdev.gmu.edu/funding-opportunities/career/. 

Questions about this program should be directed to: Aurali Dade, Associate Vice President for Research Development, Integrity, and Assurance, [log in to unmask] or 703-993-5381.

 

Eligibility (directly from RFP)

Proposers must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSF by the cognizant Directorate's deadline for submission of CAREER proposals;
• Be engaged in research in an area of science, engineering, or education supported by NSF;
• Be employed in a tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent) position as an assistant professor (or equivalent title) as of October 1 after the proposal submission;
• Be untenured as of October 1 following the proposal submission; and
• Have not previously received a CAREER award. (Prior or concurrent Federal support for other types of awards for non-duplicative research does not preclude eligibility.)

Tenure-Track Equivalency - For a position to be considered a tenure-track-equivalent position, it must meet all of the following requirements: (1) the employee has a continuing appointment that is expected to last the five years of a CAREER grant; (2) the appointment has substantial research and educational responsibilities; and (3) the proposed project relates to the employee's career goals and job responsibilities as well as to the mission of the department or organization. As stated in the Proposal Preparation Instructions, for non-tenure-track faculty, the Departmental Letter must affirm that the investigator's appointment is at an early-career level equivalent to pre-tenure status, and the Departmental Letter must clearly and convincingly demonstrate how the faculty member's appointment satisfies all the above requirements of tenure-track equivalency.

Faculty members who are Associate Professors or in equivalent appointments, with or without tenure, are not eligible for the CAREER program. Faculty members who hold Adjunct Faculty or equivalent appointments are not eligible for the CAREER program.

NO EXEMPTIONS FROM THESE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WILL BE GRANTED.