[Raise-faculty] Fwd: [CSE Faculty List] Updated NSF priorities (please read if you plan on applying to NSF)

[Vassilis Tsotras]

Dear RAISE at UCR faculty,
you have probably seen the recent announcements from NSF on its 
priorities (https://www.nsf.gov/updates-on-priorities)
In case you missed it, below is a summary (mainly on Broader Impacts).

best,
Vassilis


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [CSE Faculty List] Updated NSF priorities (please read if you 
plan on applying to NSF)
Date: 2025-04-21 14:02
 From: Huguette Albrecht <huguetta at ucr.edu>
To: coeteachers at engr.ucr.edu
Cc: Aimee Anaya <aanay010 at ucr.edu>, Lucy Matsukawa 
<lmats003 at engr.ucr.edu>, Brandon Reese <brandon.reese at ucr.edu>

Dear Faculty,

You may have already heard about the updated NSF priorities announced
last Friday, April 18. And some of you may have also received
cancellation notices of current NSF funding due to DEI language.

The updates on NSF priorities are as follows.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) was established in 1950 to
promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity
and welfare, and secure the national defense. It does this by investing
in the most promising ideas and people across all fields of science and
engineering (S&E). NSF priorities are grounded in the mission of the
agency and modulated by statutory directives and administration
priorities.

NSF uses two statutory criteria to ensure that every award has the
potential to advance new knowledge (Intellectual Merit) with maximum
impact on the Nation and its people (Broader Impacts). NSF investments
unleash groundbreaking discoveries, translational solutions and expand
participation in STEM. These efforts strengthen our domestic workforce
to fuel economic prosperity, national security, and global S&E
competitiveness.

The principles of merit, competition, equal opportunity, and excellence
are the bedrock of the NSF mission. NSF continues to review all projects
using Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria.

NSF's broadening participation activities, including activities
undertaken in fulfillment of the Broader Impacts criterion, and research
on broadening participation, must aim to create opportunities for all
Americans everywhere.

These efforts should not preference some groups at the expense of
others, or directly/indirectly exclude individuals or groups. Research
projects with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on
protected class or characteristics do not effectuate NSF priorities.

NSF will continue to support research with the goal of understanding or
addressing participation in STEM, in accordance with all applicable
statutes and mandates, with the core goal of creating opportunities for
all Americans.

NSF will continue to support basic and use-inspired research in S&E
fields that focus on protected characteristics when doing so is
intrinsic to the research question and is aligned with Agency
priorities.

Please read the yellow highlighted text regarding Broader Impacts (BI)
in upcoming NSF proposals. In essence the BI section should not focus on
specific groups, but aim at creating equal opportunities for all
Americans.

For a full read of the NSF updates that also includes (somewhat
contradictory) FAQs, please go to
https://www.nsf.gov/updates-on-priorities

As you’ll see among the FAQs there is the following:

10. Is there a list of words I should be avoiding?

There is not a list of words. Investigators should focus on Intellectual
Merit and Broader Impacts for proposals in a way that is consistent with
NSF priorities.

Despite this response, we recommend avoiding words such as diversity,
under-represented groups, minorities, and climate change. If you’re
unsure how to satisfy the new BI requirement, I recommend talking to an
NSF PM of the program you’re interested in applying to first, before
asking us.

Wishing that the new NSF priorities will not adversely impact new NSF
funding/awards.

Best,

Huguette

-- 

Huguette Albrecht, Ph.D.

Director, Grants and Contracts Office

Bourns College of Engineering

University of California, Riverside

huguetta at ucr.edu
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