Research Reporter :: October 2009
Research Information from the University of Michigan

NSF staff to share insights on Broader Impacts requirement

Effective strategies and resources for addressing the "broader impacts" components of National Science Foundation (NSF) grant proposals are the focus of a workshop on Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. in the Michigan League Ballroom. This event is targeted for all faculty and scholars who seek project funding through NSF.

NSF proposals are now evaluated for funding on not only the intrinsic merit of the scientific research proposed but also on "broader impacts" --the potential of the proposed activity to benefit society. This includes promoting teaching and learning, broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in research, enhancing the infrastructure for research and education, and wide dissemination of results to enhance scientific and technological understanding. In preparing proposals for NSF funding, the research team must specifically address the broader impacts of the proposed activity.

This workshop will include an overview of the NSF's broader impacts merit criteria. NSF staff will discuss guidelines, best practices, examples, and current trends at NSF regarding broader impacts evaluation criteria. Discussion panels will include U-M research faculty and community partners.

To provide time for networking and discussing proposal ideas and questions with NSF staff and other participants, the workshop includes a lunch and a reception.

The event is cosponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and the U-M Research Impacts Team (UM-RIT). UM-RIT is a three-year pilot project jointly sponsored by OVPR; College of Engineering; College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; School of Information; School of Education and School of Natural Resources and the Environment. UM-RIT's purpose is to enhance the dissemination of research results and foster a deeper societal understanding of impact of basic research breakthroughs on our lives. The Team aims to support faculty and scholars whose research programs require a broader dissemination of results, communicating the value of basic research to non-specialist audiences, and building collaborative, multi-disciplinary internal and external partnerships.

This workshop is intended as the first in a series of events focused on these goals. Register for the workshop on the Research Administration workshop page at http://www.drda.umich.edu/training/.

For more information, contact Chris Riggs at 764-1104 or criggs@umich.edu.

October 2009

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Research Reporter :: October 2009 Research Information from the University of Michigan

NSF staff to share insights on Broader Impacts requirement

Research Reporter :: October 2009
Research Information from the University of Michigan