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NSF/OPP: 2008 Antarctic Research solicitation (NSF08-535) now available
The Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation (NSF), has > released the 2008 Antarctic Research solicitation
Subject: 2008 Antarctic Research solicitation (NSF 08-535)
The Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation (NSF), has > released the 2008 Antarctic Research solicitation (NSF 08-535;
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5519&org=ANT&from=home ) for support of projects in Antarctica during the 2009-2010 austral > summer or projects in the United States beginning in early 2009. Unlike previous Antarctic Research solicitations, this year there are > two proposal submission deadlines. The first, 2 May 2008, is for proposals for research aboard the Swedish icebreaker Oden during November and December 2008. The second deadline, 6 June 2008, is for all proposals for antarctic work other than work on the Oden during November and December 2008.The Division of Antarctic Sciences also wishes to call attention to significant changes related to proposals for fieldwork in Antarctica. These changes, summarized below, were made in response to recommendations by the most recent Antarctic Science Committee of Visitors. See the announcement for full information about these changes, which include:
* Principal investigators must submit a summary Operational Requirements Worksheet (ORW) as a document in Special Information and Supplemental Documents and a full ORW must be uploaded as a Single Copy Document. Both of these documents will be provided as PDF files from POLAR ICE.
* Many costs for field and laboratory support in Antarctica are to be included as part of the proposal budget. These costs, including excess baggage as well as project specific equipment and laboratory consumables that are required in the field, must be accompanied by supporting information for reviewers to determine the need of these costs. Costs articulated in the proposal will provide a basis for the support for the work outlined in the proposal.
* For those projects requiring air support, the proposal should include a table estimating the type of aircraft required and the expected number of missions. For proposals requesting ship support, estimates for the number of ship days, excluding transit, must be provided. Principal investigators should consult the U.S. Antarctic Program website (
* For projects that request laboratory space in Antarctica for analytical work, investigators should justify the need to conduct the analyses in Antarctica rather than analyzing samples in their home laboratory.
* For projects requiring the development of instrumentation or equipment, appropriate engineering development practices should be followed and instruments should be designed with due consideration of the special conditions in Antarctica and at USAP stations including, but not limited to, costly field resources for instrument deployment, harsh conditions, limited power, avoidance of electromagnetic interference. The goals of the U.S. Government in Antarctica are to expand fundamental knowledge of the region, to foster research on global and regional problems of current scientific importance, and to use Antarctica as a platform from which to support research. For projects involving fieldwork, the U.S. Antarctic Program supports only that research that can be done exclusively in Antarctica or that can be done best from Antarctica. The program also supports analytical research performed at home organizations.