Office for Research Advancement

NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program

Solicitation: NSF 21-536

For the Fall 2023 Round: 

• Intent to apply documents due to Office of Research Development:  March 3, 2023
• Agency Due Date: September 6, 2023

The program supports interdisciplinary, evidence-based traineeships that advance ways for graduate students in research-based master's and doctoral degree programs to pursue a range of STEM careers.

Guidance for preparation of the Notice of intent to the Research Office:

Proposals may be submitted under two tracks (i.e., Track 1 and Track 2). Track 1 proposals may request a total budget (up to five years in duration) up to $3 million for projects with a focus on STEM graduate students in research-based PhD and/or master’s degree programs.  Oregon State University is only eligible for Track 1.

COVER SHEET (1 page) -please use an 11 point or higher font with one-inch margins.

• Solicitation Name and Descriptive Title
• Project Summary:  3 or 4 sentences or bullet points that provide an overview of the objective of your proposed program, how you plan to do it, and the expected outcome(s).
• Key PI/co-PIs:  5 or 6 sentences or bullet points that highlight team expertise as it relates to the project.
• Budget:  Example:  The total cost of the project is anticipated to be $ X, with $ Y being requested from the Agency.  Agency funds will be used for: $ A for personnel; $ B for operations, and $ C for broader impacts/subcontracts etc. 

PROJECT SYNOPSIS (1-2 pages) - Please use an 11-point or higher font with one-inch margins. 

• Provide a summary of the vision and goals of the proposed training program, including a short description of the interdisciplinary or convergent research theme, the leading training elements, the integration of the research and training, and the need for the program.  Please address:

1. Intellectual Merit.  How will the program advance knowledge and understanding within its field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit)? To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

2. Integration of Research and Education:  How does this project address training needs that are not currently available at the institution(s) and/or in disciplines?

3.  Interdisciplinarity or Convergence.  How will the project engage multiple disciplines appropriately to solve the research problems identified? Will the proposed convergent research and training integrate knowledge, methods, and expertise from different disciplines to potentially form novel frameworks to catalyze scientific discovery and innovation?

4.  Professional Development. What is the plan to provide NRT trainees with professional development training for a range of research and research-related career pathways, both within and outside academia?

5. Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities. What is the quality of the recruiting and retention plans to broaden participation?

6. Evaluation.  Discuss your approach to evaluation, including any planned involvement of professional evaluators.  How will you assess success?

• Optional - Suggest one or two names to serve on the internal review committee. 

Submit your Notice of Intent to the: 

• SMARTSHEET FORM  

Problems with the Smartsheet platform - or questions.  Email  research.development@oregonstate.edu