Upcoming Funding Deadlines

*Grants that Accept Proposals at Anytime

February

NSF: IUSE: EHR

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources

    Engaged Student Learning and Institutional and Community Transformation, Levels 2 and 3

    12/01/20; 12/07/21; First Tuesday in December annually thereafter

    Institutional and Community Transformation Capacity-Building

    02/02/21; 02/01/22; First Tuesday in February annually thereafter

    08/04/20; 08/03/21; First Tuesday in August annually thereafter

    Engaged Student Learning and Institutional and Community Transformation, Level 1

    02/02/21; 02/01/22; First Tuesday in February annually thereafter

    8/04/20: 08/03/21; First Tuesday in August annually thereafter

Project Description: The fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) hold much promise as sectors of the economy where we can expect to see continuous vigorous growth in the coming decades. STEM job creation is expected to outpace non-STEM job creation significantly, according to the Commerce Department, reflecting the importance of STEM knowledge to the US economy.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) plays a leadership role in developing and implementing efforts to enhance and improve STEM education in the United States. Through NSF's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) initiative, the agency continues to make a substantial commitment to the highest caliber undergraduate STEM education through a Foundation-wide framework of investments. The IUSE: EHR is a core NSF STEM education program that seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for undergraduate students. The program is open to application from all institutions of higher education and associated organizations. NSF places high value on educating students to be leaders and innovators in emerging and rapidly changing STEM fields as well as educating a scientifically literate public. In pursuit of this goal, IUSE: EHR supports projects that seek to bring recent advances in STEM knowledge into undergraduate education, that adapt, improve, and incorporate evidence-based practices into STEM teaching and learning, and that lay the groundwork for institutional improvement in STEM education. In addition to innovative work at the frontier of STEM education, this program also encourages replication of research studies at different types of institutions and with different student bodies to produce deeper knowledge about the effectiveness and transferability of findings.

IUSE: EHR also seeks to support projects that have high potential for broader societal impacts, including improved diversity of students and instructors participating in STEM education, professional development for instructors to ensure adoption of new and effective pedagogical techniques that meet the changing needs of students, and projects that promote institutional partnerships for collaborative research and development. IUSE: EHR especially welcomes proposals that will pair well with the efforts of NSF INCLUDES (https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/nsfincludes/index.jsp) to develop STEM talent from all sectors and groups in our society.

For all the above objectives, NSF invests primarily in evidence-based and knowledge-generating approaches to understand and improve STEM learning and learning environments, improve the diversity of STEM students and majors, and prepare STEM majors for the workforce. In addition to contributing to STEM education in the host institution(s), proposals should have the promise of adding more broadly to our understanding of effective teaching and learning practices.

The IUSE: EHR program features two tracks: (1) Engaged Student Learning and (2) Institutional and Community Transformation. Several levels of scope, scale, and funding are available within each track, as summarized in Table 1.


The David & Lucile Packard Foundation

Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering

    Campus Pre-Proposal Deadline: 2/7/20 (past), via this form

    Sponsor Nomination Deadline: 3/16/20

    All application materials must be submitted to the foundation 4/20/20

Project Description: Candidates must be faculty members who are eligible to serve as principal investigators engaged in research in the natural and physical sciences or engineering and must be within the first three years of their faculty careers. Disciplines that will be considered include physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, computer science, earth science, ocean science, and all branches of engineering. Candidates engaged in research in the social sciences will not be considered. The Fellowship Program provides support for highly creative researchers early in their careers; faculty members who are well established and well-funded are less likely to receive the award. Packard Fellows are inquisitive, passionate scientists and engineers who take a creative approach to their research, dare to think big, and follow new ideas wherever they lead. The Foundation emphasizes support for innovative individual research that involves the Fellows, their students, and junior colleagues, rather than extensions or components of large-scale, ongoing research programs.


NSF: CS for All: RPP

Computer Science for All (CS for All: RPP)

    Full Proposal: 2/11/20

Program Description: This program aims to provide all U.S. students the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) education in their schools at the K-12 levels. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation (NSF) focuses on researcher-practitioner partnerships (RPPs) that foster the research and development needed to bring CS/CT to all schools. Specifically, this solicitation aims to provide high school teachers with the preparation, professional development (PD) and ongoing support that they need to teach rigorous computer science courses, and K-8 teachers with the instructional materials and preparation they need to integrate CS/CT into their teaching.


NSF: CREST & HBCU-RISE

Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) and HBCU Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (HBCU-RISE)
  • HBCU-RISE:
    • Letter of Intent: 12/06/19

      Full Proposal: 2/13/20

  • Preliminary CREST Center:
    • Letter of Intent: 12/06/19

      Pre-Proposal: 2/20/20

  • CREST Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Full Proposal: 12/06/19
  • CREST Partnership Supplements: 2/13/20
  • SBIR/STTR Diversity Collaborative Supplements: Supplement Accepted Anytime

Project Description: The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program provides support to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions (MSI) through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. MSIs of higher education denote institutions that have undergraduate enrollments of 50% or more (based on total student enrollment) of members of minority groups underrepresented among those holding advanced degrees in science and engineering fields: African Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. CREST Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PRF) awards provide research experience and training for early career scientists at active CREST Centers. HBCU-RISE awards specifically target HBCUs to support the expansion of institutional research capacity as well as the production of doctoral students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM, at those institutions.


Illini Science Policy Fellowship Request for Applications

    Deadline: 2/12/21

Program Description. The Illini Science Policy Program is a unique opportunity for graduate students with an interest in public service careers completing their degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The program matches highly motivated and qualified Scholars with hosts in Illinois public agencies or legislative offices for a 12-month paid appointment working in University of Illinois Extension’s critical issue areas – food, economy, environment, community, and health. Hosts provide an educational opportunity for Scholars to explore public research, management, and policy issues at a high level, while the Scholars provide substantial professional contributions to the office.

Hosts will supervise, mentor and provide opportunities for Scholars to be involved in critical issues that support the scholar’s professional and educational goals. Scholars work with the host office full-time, on site and with other staff and/or leadership, as appropriate. As part of their experience, Scholars will collaborate on an Extension project that aligns with their program assignments, connecting to Extension’s network of nearly 700 staff across all 102 Illinois counties.

In 2021, Extension plans to select up to 10 finalists who will be awarded appointments, depending on the size of the applicant pool and number of host offerings. The length of an appointment is 12 months, non-renewable. This year’s appointment period will begin June 1, 2021, with an expected start date between June 1 and August 31, 2021, based on agreement between the individual host, scholar, and Extension.

Eligibility. The Illini Science Policy Program is open for participation by graduate students completing an advanced degree (Masters, Doctoral, or J.D.) from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign between May of 2020 (previously 9/1/20) and Aug 31, 2021. Graduates should have interest and expertise relating to University of Illinois Extension’s critical issue areas: food, economy, environment, community, and/or health. Scholars must complete all degree requirements prior to beginning their appointment.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

This is a security-sensitive position.  Comprehensive background checks, including but not limited to a criminal conviction information check, a CANTS check, and a review of the Registered Sex Offender list, will be conducted. The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

Stipends and Expenses. Each scholar will receive a 49-week Academic Hourly appointment at a rate of $22.71 ($44,511 annually) plus reimbursement for appointment-related travel up to $1,500. Additional travel associated with the appointment may be covered by the host agency at the agency’s discretion. Participating Scholars will be eligible for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Support for the Illini Science Policy Program is provided by participating host offices, the U of I Office of the Provost Investment for Growth program, Illinois Extension, and generous donors.

Length of Assignment. The length of assignment is 12 months (non-renewable). The appointment will begin between June 1 and August 31, 2021, based on agreement between the host, scholar, and Extension.

Application. Applications must include the following: 

  1. A completed Scholar Application Template. This includes a personal education and career goal statement that emphasizes the applicant's abilities and interests and the applicant's expectations of the program (800 words or less).
  2. Personal and academic curriculum vitae (two pages or less using 12-point font).
  3. Two letters of professional recommendation, including one from the student's major professor. If no major professor exists, the faculty member who is most familiar with the applicant academically may be substituted.
  4. Copies of all undergraduate and graduate student transcripts. Unofficial copies will be accepted.

How to submit your application:

  • Submit electronic files comprising your application as PDFs to uie-connection@illinois.edu.
  • Include your last name in the file names for each section of the proposal (e.g., Smith_statement.pdf or Smith_cv.pdf).
  • IMPORTANT: To maintain confidentiality, letters of recommendation should be submitted directly from the referee to Extension at uie-connection@illinois.edu by the application deadline to be considered. Please address letters to Dr. Shelly Nickols-Richardson, Director, University of Illinois Extension.  Late submissions may lead to the rejection of incomplete applications. Candidates are encouraged to work with referees to meet the deadline. 
  • Late applications cannot be accepted.  It is your responsibility to get materials submitted before the deadline.

Selection. Finalists are selected by staff at University of Illinois Extension and participating host offices based on written application materials and interviews (in person, Skype, or phone) of a subset of applicants. Selection criteria include: academic ability, communication skills, diversity and appropriateness of academic background, career goals, additional qualifying experience, and support referrals.

Hosts will be invited to screen applicants with Extension personnel in late March and identify finalists for interview. Hosts and finalists will schedule interviews in March, with scholar matches announced April 5. Placement of a Scholar in each prospective host office is not guaranteed.

Matched Scholars will work with the program coordinator to identify Extension projects aligned with their assignments to engage with, for a total of 2 months FTE over the course of the 12-month appointment, distributed as makes sense for the project.


NSF: DLI-DEL

NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages (DLI-DEL)

Submission Deadline for Senior Research Proposals and Conferences: 9/15/21, 2/15/22; September 15 annually thereafter; February 15 annually thereafter.

Project Description: This funding partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) supports projects to develop and advance knowledge concerning dynamic language infrastructure in the context of endangered human languages—languages that are both understudied and at risk of falling out of use. Made urgent by the imminent loss of roughly half of the approximately 7000 currently used languages, this effort aims to exploit advances in information technology to build computational infrastructure for endangered language research. The program supports projects that contribute to data management and archiving, and to the development of the next generation of researchers. Funding can support fieldwork and other activities relevant to the digital recording, documentation and analysis, and archiving of endangered language data, including the preparation of lexicons, grammars, text samples, and databases. Funding will be available in the form of one- to three-year senior research grants, fellowships from six to twelve months, and conference proposals. Note: a conference proposal should generally be submitted at least a year in advance of the scheduled date of the conference. For additional information about creating and submitting conference proposals, please refer to Chapter II. D.7 of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide.


NSF: NCS

Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems (NSF-NCS)
  • FOUNDATIONS, FY2020 competition
    • Full Proposal: 2/26/20

  • CORE+ SUPPLEMENTS, FY2020 competition
    • Supplement Target Date: 2/26/20

Project Description: The complexities of brain and behavior pose fundamental questions in many areas of science and engineering, drawing intense interest across a broad spectrum of disciplinary perspectives while eluding explanation by any one of them. Rapid advances within and across disciplines are leading to an increasingly interwoven fabric of theories, models, empirical methods and findings, and educational approaches, opening new opportunities to understand complex aspects of neural and cognitive systems through integrative multidisciplinary approaches.

This program calls for innovative, convergent, boundary-crossing proposals that can best capture those opportunities and map out new research frontiers. NSF seeks proposals that are bold and risky, and transcend the perspectives and approaches typical of disciplinary research efforts. This cross-directorate program is one element of NSF’s broader effort directed at Understanding the Brain, a multi-year activity that includes NSF’s participation in the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative (http://www.nsf.gov/brain/). NSF envisions a connected portfolio of transformative, integrative projects that create synergistic links across investigators and communities, yielding novel ways of tackling the challenges of understanding the brain in action and in context.


NSF: QuIC-TAQS

Enabling Quantum Leap: Quantum Interconnect Challenges for Transformational Advances in Quantum Systems

    Pre-Proposal Deadline: 4/12/21

    Full Proposal Deadline: 6/14/21

Project Description: In 2016, the National Science Foundation (NSF) unveiled a set of "Big Ideas," 10 bold, long-term research and process ideas that identify areas for future investment at the frontiers of science and engineering (see https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/index.jsp). The Big Ideas represent unique opportunities to position our Nation at the cutting edge of global science and engineering leadership by bringing together diverse disciplinary perspectives to support convergence research. As such, when responding to this solicitation, even though proposals must be submitted to the Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences/Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (MPS/OMA), once received, the proposals will be managed by a cross-disciplinary team of NSF Program Directors.

One of these ideas was ‘Quantum Leap’ – exploiting the quantum properties to produce the next-generation quantum-enabled science and technology for sensing, information processing, communicating and computing. NSF has funded a range of programs in this area. The importance of this area has been recognized more broadly. On December 21, 2018 the National Quantum Initiative Act (https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ368/PLAW-115publ368.pdf) was signed into law. The purpose of this act was in ensure the continued leadership of the United States in quantum information science and its technology applications. This provided a coordinated Federal program to accelerate research in this area. A framework for this can in found in the Quantum Frontiers report: https://www.quantum.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/QuantumFrontiers.pdf

The Quantum Interconnect Challenges for Transformational Advances in Quantum Systems (QuIC - TAQS) program is designed to support interdisciplinary teams that will explore highly innovative, original, and potentially transformative ideas for developing and applying quantum science, quantum computing, and quantum engineering in the specific area of quantum interconnects. Quantum interconnects are an integral part of all aspects of quantum information science. Proposals should have the potential to deliver new concepts, new platforms, and/or new approaches that will implement the transfer of quantum states efficiently across platforms and over large length scales. Progress in the area of quantum interconnects will enable breakthroughs in quantum sensing, quantum communications, quantum simulations, and quantum computing systems. This Quantum Interconnect Challenges solicitation will support the process of translating such ideas into reality.

This solicitation calls for proposals focused on interdisciplinary research that enhances the development of quantum interconnects (QuIC) that would allow the transfer of quantum states between different physical states and/or different physical systems. Proposals must articulate how the project leverages and/or promotes advances in quantum interconnects. Proposals should be innovative and must focus on quantum functionality and must result in experimental demonstrations and/or transformative advances towards quantum systems and/or proof-of-concept validations. Competitive proposals will come from an interdisciplinary research team led by at least three investigators who collectively contribute synergistic expertise from expertise from a subset of the following domains: engineering, mathematics, computational science, computer/information science, physical, chemical, biological, material science. Proposals will be judged on how likely the integrated effort is to lead to transformative advances in quantum interconnection.


NSF: CCE STEM

Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM (CCE STEM)

    Full Proposal Deadline: 2/24/20

Project Description: Cultivating Cultures for Ethical STEM (CCE STEM) funds research projects that identify factors that are efficacious in the formation of ethical STEM researchers in all the fields of science and engineering that NSF supports. CCE STEM solicits proposals for research that explores the following: ‘What constitutes ethical STEM research and practice? Which cultural and institutional contexts promote ethical STEM research and practice and why?' Factors one might consider include: honor codes, professional ethics codes and licensing requirements, an ethic of service and/or service learning, life-long learning requirements, curricula or memberships in organizations (e.g. Engineers without Borders) that stress social responsibility and humanitarian goals, institutions that serve under-represented groups, institutions where academic and research integrity are cultivated at multiple levels, institutions that cultivate ethics across the curriculum, or programs that promote group work, or do not grade. Do certain labs have a ‘culture of academic integrity'? What practices contribute to the establishment and maintenance of ethical cultures and how can these practices be transferred, extended to, and integrated into other research and learning settings?


*Grants that Accept Proposals at Anytime





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Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company

Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company
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EOH occurs Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
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Nobel Project’s End-of-Year Zoom Bash Recaps Learning

February 1, 2022
The STEM Illinois Nobel Project held a special, end-of-the-year Zoom event celebrating its participating students’ achievements.
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It’s not magic, it’s physics

January 26, 2022
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Program prepares STEM educators to teach all students

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Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program

November 11, 2021
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Goldstein’s Renaissance Engineering Summer Camp

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TechTogether Chicago to Redefine the Hacker Stereotype

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July 2, 2021
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Undergrads Experience Materials Science Research Courtesy of the I-MRSEC REU

June 16, 2021
Ten undergraduate students are spending the summer of 2021 discovering what research is like.
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MatSE Afterschool Academy

MatSE Afterschool Academy

June 14, 2021
MatSE Afterschool Academy to Introduce Students to Materials Science and Beyond.
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Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest

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June 14, 2021
Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest While Researching Task Collaboration.
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Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS

What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like?

May 25, 2021
NSBE’s Michaela Horn Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS, and What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like.
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Jenny Saves a Convertible.

Children’s-Book-Writing Duo/

May 19, 2021
Convertibles and Thunderstorms—Children’s-Book-Writing Duo on Their Way Thanks to Illinois Training and Encouragement from Mentors.
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Improve Learning in Engineering

Improve Learning in Engineering

May 17, 2021
Liebenberg Espouses Mini-Projects to Engage Students Emotionally, Improve Learning in Engineering.
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Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

BIOE435 Capstone Projects

May 12, 2021
BIOE435 Capstone Projects - BIOE Seniors Use Knowledge/Skills to Problem Solve.
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Elani and Gonzalo shine a UV light on a rose that has absorbed a solution that has made it fluorescent.

Illinois Scientists Shine a (UV) Light on Fluorescence

May 7, 2021
What is fluorescence? What causes it?
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Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

HackIllinois 2021 “Rekindled Connections” With The Tech Community

May 5, 2021
Annual student hackathon HackIllinois with the aim of developing projects on current problems facing society.
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A Shane Mayer-Gawlik image of the Bridger Aurora, part of his Night Skies photography collection exhibited at the Art-Science Festival.

The Art-Science Festival

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Illinois Art-Science Festival: Illuminating the Universe...from the Quantum World to the Cosmos.
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Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

Illinois Engineering Seniors Prepared to Change the World

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HML 2021 Virtual Health

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Make-a-Thon Gives Citizen Scientists a Shot at Making Their Health-Related Innovations a Reality.
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I-MRSEC’s Music Video

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Health Make-a-Thon Orientation

HML 2021 Health Orientation

March 30, 2021
HML 2021 Health Make-a-Thon Orientation Prepares Finalists for Competition.
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Andrea Perry shows Franklin students how to take apart the magnetic drawing board they received in their kit

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Carmen Paquette street performing.

Love of Science

March 9, 2021
Paquette Conveys Her Love of Science, Dance to Franklin STEAM Students Via Musical Magnetism.
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An Engineering Exploration participant exhibits the tower they built as part of the engineering challenge related to Civil Engineering

Engineering Exploration

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SWE’s Engineering Exploration Outreach Lives Up to Its Name.

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

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Helps Chicago Youngsters Progress Along the STEM Pipeline Toward Engineering.

Kathny Walsh

Kathy Walsh

February 17, 2021
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ChiS&E student

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I-MRSEC’s Music Video

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to Illinois Teachers in Support of Informal STEM Education Efforts to Underserved Students.