QEM Proposal Development and Evaluation Workshop

National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program

Four Points by Sheraton BWI Airport Hotel

7032 Elm Road • Baltimore, MD 21240 • Tel. 410/859-3300

Friday, October 27 – Saturday, October 28, 2006

AGENDA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27

AM

8:30 Registration Carlton Room

9:00 Opening Plenary Session

Welcome, Purpose, and Introductions

Shirley McBay, President, QEM Network

9:30 Overview of the National Science Foundation

Review of Purpose of NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program

Dragana Brzakovic, Senior Staff Associate

Office of Integrative Activities

National Science Foundation

10:00 Weaknesses and Strengths of Typical MRI Proposals – First Perspective

Charles Bouldin, Program Director, Division of Materials Research

Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate

National Science Foundation

10:30 Coffee Break

10:45 Strengths of Funded/ Weaknesses in Non-funded MRI Proposals – Second Perspective

Helen Hansma, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure

Biological Sciences (BIO) Directorate

National Science Foundation

11:15 Brief Individual/Institutional Team Presentation of Proposal Ideas

PM

12:15 Luncheon Session Carlton Room

Criteria Used in the Evaluation of NSF and MRI Proposals

William Sibley, Former NSF Program Officer, and QEM Consultant

1:30 Preparation of MRI Narrative and Budget and Supporting Documents

Fitzgerald Bramwell, University of Kentucky, and QEM Consultant

2:30 Discipline-focused Breakout Groups: (See Group Assignment Sheet in Packet)

Session Focus: Equipment to be Purchased and How it is to be Used

(Three-minute presentations per individual/institutional team)

- Biological Sciences   Chesapeake I

Helen Hansma, Program Director

    Division of Biological Infrastructure, NSF/BIO

         Daniel Wubah, Special Assistant to the President, and

    Professor of Biology, James Madison University

- Chemistry Carlton Room

Fitzgerald Bramwell, QEM Consultant

Shirley McBay, QEM Network

- Engineering and Computer Science Chesapeake II

Charles Bouldin, Program Director, IMR

Division of Materials Research, NSF

Arturo Bronson, University of Texas at El Paso, and

      QEM Consultant

- Physics and Technology Room 2101

William Sibley, QEM Consultant

Laura-Lee Davidson, QEM Consultant

3:45 Coffee Break

4:00 Breakout Groups Continue in same Locations

Session Focus: Broader Impacts of Proposed Use of Equipment

6:00 Dinner Crane A

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28

AM

9:00 Opening Plenary Session Carlton Room

Integrating Research into Teaching and

Involving Undergraduate Students in Research

Arturo Bronson, QEM Consultant

10:00 Research Opportunities at NSF Science and Technology Centers

Laura-Lee Davidson, QEM Network

10:30 Break

10:45 Breakout Groups Resume

Session Focus Discussion of Revised Project Summaries

- Biological Sciences Severn Room

- Chemistry Carlton Room

- Engineering and Computer Science Crane C

- Physics and Technology Room 2101

PM

12:30 Working Lunch Carlton Room

Questions/Comments on Revised Project Summaries/Proposal Concepts

Individuals/Institutional Teams

1:30 Closing Comments from NSF Staff, QEM Consultants, and QEM Staff

2:00 Questions and Answers/Updates on FastLane

Evelyn Baisey-Thomas, Computer Specialist, FastLane Administration

Division of Information Systems, National Science Foundation

3:30 Adjournment