ASCEND: Assistance Strategies for Centers Development

Epscor Foundation, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This revised scope of work for the proposal entitled "ASCEND: Assistance Strategies for Centers Development" resulted from extensive discussions between the Program Officer and the PI and co-PIs of the proposal. The previous work leading to the ASCEND proposal was the funded EPSCoR Centers Development Initiative (CDI) from 2001-2005. The objective was a proactive effort aimed at addressing: 1) EPSCoR jurisdictions' lack of competitiveness for centers and large-scale projects, and 2) the enormous complexities associated with developing competitive teams and proposals for NSF centers competitions. The ASCEND effort proposed to continue and expand the previous CDI model, featuring close liaison to the EPSCoR community and NSF, in order to expand the participation of EPSCoR researchers in centers. The proposed work now would: Carry out the two workshops (NIRT and IGERT) as planned in year 1 by working closely with the jurisdictions and NSF EPSCoR Move the "national" workshop on community building and partnership formation to year 1 and work closely with the jurisdictions and NSF EPSCoR on its development Move the Research theme Strategy Retreat into year 1 Begin the transition process so that by the end of the award period, there is a "fee for service" model in place. This would eliminate the need for subsequent proposals to NSF to provide the technical assistance originally proposed in CDI. Intellectual Merit: This program would build on the successful experiences, activities, mechanisms, and systems of CDI to innovate and deliver assistance services to increase EPSCoR participation in centers at NSF and other federal agencies during the two-year transition period toward the "fee for service" model. The close collaboration with the jurisdictions would allow the model to be used by jurisdictions in developing their own approaches to successful workshops and proposals. Broader Impacts: Continued success by ASCEND and subsequent jurisdiction efforts would support NSF's goal of strengthening national R&D capability, substantially broaden the participation of EPSCoR jurisdictions, and bring knowledge and experience toward strengthening institutional commitments to create a culture change at EPSCoR institutions of increasing focus on developing centers competitiveness. Eventual participation by jurisdictions in centers would allow scientists to participate on the forefront of S&E, enhance institutional infrastructure for research and education, improve education of students via increased research opportunities and integrated training programs, increase the diversity of researchers and students via centers at minority-serving institutions, stimulate local and state technological innovation and economic development, and provide extensive diffusion of S&E knowledge to the broader community via centers' dynamic outreach activities.