NSF CAREER Grant UPDATE Thread

[aspiring.academic]

even if the NSF receives a 3% increase in funding, it doesn't mean a particular program would maintain the same funding level. Within a funding agency, priorities are constantly changing. New initiatives always emerge and money has to come from somewhere. I am particularly concerned with all the pushes for quantum information science and artificial intelligence. Conventional research programs might suffer as a result. We have seen that the NSF GRFP this year has put emphases on AI/ML related topics, which means students with a proposal that doesn't have a significant AI/ML component would be at disadvantages.

The first part of your statement is accurate as a practical matter. It's also true that not every division has the same number of programs, and the funding of those programs varies. Also, when stopgap funding is approved, no new initiatives or major projects can begin. However, we know where the money actually goes. Each year there are charts on the NSF website which show the budget request to congress for each division and directorate in comparison to the appropriation received. It's easy to lookup the budget for CAREER proposals in CNS was $8.91M.

As a previous GRFP recipient, I was concerned about the areas of emphasis. I signed the letters asking that the priority areas be removed. Of course, the NSF did not do so and issued a statement saying other areas would not be dismissed.

As a practical matter and as a GRFP reviewer in computer science, I see that NSF did not prioritize them above any research area. In this year's orientation, the question arose about whether any application with the priority areas should receive special treatment and the PDs emphatically said no.

Of my 16 applications, I don't have a single one with any of those priority research areas. There's no box to check for my review for if the application is aligned with a priority area. Their applications are getting the same thorough review and discussion during the panel that previous high-quality applications would receive.

third, i don't think it is the standard practice for every nsf program to publish a breakdown of their budget request to the extent that funding levels of CAREER and regular grants are detailed.

regarding the GRFP, the concern in many fields is that within a field it is a lot easier for proposals that analyze experimental data to align with AI/ML priorities than proposals that design, develop, and build experimental apparatus. I'm also a GRFP panelist and our panel has not met yet. I don't know how this would work out in the end, but I have seen the applications and almost every one of them has some sort of machine learning component, which is very different from before.

The administration isn't who wrote the NSF funding request. Also, only the last 2 years has the NSF received more than they requested. The previous 10 years, they received exactly or slightly less than they requested.

It has been standard practice for years for the budget to include a breakdown of anticipated spending for each area's CAREER awards. And largely, it's spent on standard and continuing awards.

Applicants do not have to mention AI/ML to be funded. It's fine to be skeptical, but some of that is uncalled for since the reality is most programs have areas of emphasis. The GRFP budget that falls under DGE and for the most part has remained steady.

There has been an infusion in the NSF's big ideas that promote and encourage research in AI/ML. I believe it was up to $50M in the FY2020 budget but that's outside of the GRFP.

No one should take what I say to be the gospel. I'm just providing insight from dealing with these things for 12 years, but I am just a single person and the experiences of others also matter.

[lightofhope]

Happy New Year and wish everyone has a fruitful 2021！

[BoMiu]

Happy New Year! Wish there's enough CAREER for everyone!!!

[Vid]

Happy New Year. wishing youall a blessed 2021 full of success, peace, health, and NSF abundance:-).

[ocean2428]

How long it took your status update to Awarded (PAMS) after your PM request for C&P and Abstract? MY PM request C&P and Abstract on  December 8th, and I haven't heard anything since then. Status is still pending, no date change. I am starting to worry again.

My CAREER has been officially recommended for funding.
I'm beyond excited!

[ocean2428]

Did you hear anything after your PM request for C&P and Abstract? MY PM request C&P and Abstract on  December 8th, and I haven't heard anything since then. Status is still pending, no date change. I am starting to worry again.

Got the contact from the PO asking for an abstract and an updated C&P, but the message also asked for a response to the panel and clarified that no funding decisions have been made. (This is in ECCS.)

Anyone know what my chances are at this point?

[TurtleDove]

Did you hear anything after your PM request for C&P and Abstract? MY PM request C&P and Abstract on  December 8th, and I haven't heard anything since then. Status is still pending, no date change. I am starting to worry again.

No change and no contact.

If you already got the 'recommended for funding' message the chances that it doesn't go through are incredibly small I think, so I wouldn't worry too much.

[humptydumpty]

Does anyone know a funded CAREER case where the initial contact from the PO was in January? I'm assuming this is very rare but just wanted to ask around.

[TurtleDove]

Unfortunately no. If you got the status change and there's a ton of awards in your program already, it's probably bad news.

I really wish they would streamline things a bit. If it's clear you're not in the running, they should reject you right away.

[EngineeringProfessor]

Does anyone know a funded CAREER case where the initial contact from the PO was in January? I'm assuming this is very rare but just wanted to ask around.

I have heard of this. It depends on the subprogram.

[PopeyesSandwich]

Does anyone know a funded CAREER case where the initial contact from the PO was in January? I'm assuming this is very rare but just wanted to ask around.

I was contacted last week and the PD said that my CAREER award will be recommended. Everything is still unofficial. Fastlane still says "pending"; last update (due to PD change) was in August. He also mentioned that the delay had to do with some extenuating circumstances. I am in CMMI.

[lightofhope]

Congrats!

Does anyone know a funded CAREER case where the initial contact from the PO was in January? I'm assuming this is very rare but just wanted to ask around.

I was contacted last week and the PD said that my CAREER award will be recommended. Everything is still unofficial. Fastlane still says "pending"; last update (due to PD change) was in August. He also mentioned that the delay had to do with some extenuating circumstances. I am in CMMI.

[Vid]

PopeyesSandwich; congratulations. is this your first try?

Congrats!

Does anyone know a funded CAREER case where the initial contact from the PO was in January? I'm assuming this is very rare but just wanted to ask around.

I was contacted last week and the PD said that my CAREER award will be recommended. Everything is still unofficial. Fastlane still says "pending"; last update (due to PD change) was in August. He also mentioned that the delay had to do with some extenuating circumstances. I am in CMMI.

[PopeyesSandwich]

PopeyesSandwich; congratulations. is this your first try?

Thank you. It was my second try.

[happy123]

Anyone here still waiting for a response on the CAREER proposal? My proposal's status is still not changed since August 25; should I contact PO?