National Science Foundation Support for
Undergraduate Research
Leadership in Interdisciplinarity, Networking
& Collaboration (LINC) Conference
• Approximately 36% of NSF’s “Learning” portfolio is devoted to undergraduate programs.
• Undergraduate education efforts are supported by both Education and Human Resources (EHR) and the R&RA directorates.
• NSF estimates that approximately 25,595 undergraduate students will be involved in NSF activities in FY 2009 – an increase of 2,625
undergraduates over the estimate for FY 2008.
Amount Percent Education and Human Resources 212.57 221.08 229.66 8.58 3.9% Research and Related Activities 83.97 79.21 83.87 4.66 5.9% Total, Undergraduate Programs $296.54 $300.29 $313.53 $13.24 4.4%
(Dollars in Millions) FY 2009 Request Change over FY 2008 Estimate FY 2007 Actual FY 2008 Estimate
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SfS) FY 2009 Request: $15.0 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $11.50 million Increase over FY 2008: $3.50 million
• Provides two-year scholarships to graduate students and upper-level undergraduate students; in return, scholarship recipients are required to make a two-year commitment to work for a Federal government agency. • Institutions receiving SFS grants must be designated as Centers of
Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) as determined by the National Security Agency and the Department of
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Math and Science Partnership (MSP) FY 2009 Request: $51.0 million FY 2008 Estimate: $48.50 million Increase over FY 2008: $2.50 million
• Supports partnerships that unite colleges and universities, especially their STEM disciplinary faculty, with local school districts to improve student outcomes in math and science, grades K-12.
• NSF’s MSP collaborates with the Department of Education (ED) to define linkages necessary to manage two parallel, but separate
programs for greatest effectiveness. NSF’s MSP R&D approach builds capacity to improve K-12 math/science education while ED’s MSP
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) FY 2009 Request: $39.21 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $37.50 million Increase over FY 2008: $1.71 million
• Seeks to increase the effectiveness of undergraduate education by improving the quality and content of STEM courses, curricula, and laboratories.
• Supports efforts that create new learning materials and teaching
strategies, develop faculty expertise, implement educational innovations, assess student achievement, and conduct research on undergraduate STEM education.
• Projects produce exemplary materials, processes, and models that enhance student learning and contribute to the STEM undergraduate education knowledge base by helping build the STEM undergraduate education community.
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP)
FY 2009 Request: $31.0 million FY 2008 Estimate: $30.0 million Increase over FY 2008: $1.0 million
• Strengthens the quality of undergraduate STEM programs at the nation’s HBCUs.
• Provides funding for faculty development and training, curriculum reform and enhancement, and student support activities.
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce) FY 2009 Request: $11.60 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $10.80 million Increase over FY 2008: $800,000
• Recruits and prepares undergraduate STEM majors and STEM
professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers through the provision of scholarships and stipends, respectively.
• Undergraduates may receive up to three years of support; STEM professionals may receive one year of support.
• Scholarship and stipend recipients must commit to teach in high need school districts (two years for every year of scholarship or stipend
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) FY 2009 Request: $13.35 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $12.85 million Increase over FY 2008: $500,000
• Strengthens Tribal Colleges and Universities by improving the quality of their undergraduate educational infrastructure and linkages for
community outreach and development.
• Provides faculty support, curriculum reform and enhancement, scientific instrumentation, research opportunities for undergraduates, summer and weekend academic bridge programs for high school students, and access to research and education resources.
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Advanced Technological Education (ATE) FY 2009 Request: $51.62 million FY 2008 Estimate: $51.62 million
• Focuses on two-year colleges and the education of technicians for high-technology fields driving the U.S. economy.
• Emphasizes partnerships in which two-year colleges work with industry, four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, and government to keep education responsive to the rapidly changing workplace.
• Improves technological education by supporting program improvement and curriculum development; professional development for college faculty and secondary school teachers; career pathways from secondary schools to two-year colleges and from two-year colleges to four-year colleges and universities.
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) FY 2009 Request: $29.70 million FY 2008 Estimate: $29.70 million
• Seeks to increase the number of students receiving associate or
baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within STEM. • Supports projects aimed at implementing strategies that will lead to an
increase in the number of students obtaining STEM degrees and those that conduct educational research on degree attainment in STEM.
Selected EHR Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)
FY 2009 Request: $75.0 million FY 2008 Estimate: $75.0 million
• Supports scholarships for needy students pursuing associate,
baccalaureate or graduate degrees in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or related technology fields.
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Engineering Ed Reform
FY 2009 Request: $12.85 million FY 2008 Estimate: $12.85 million
• Supports research on engineering education content and curriculum; how students learn problem solving, creativity, and design; new methods for assessment of how students learn engineering; and, how to attract a more talented and diverse student body.
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Undergraduate Research Collaboratives (MPS/CHE) FY 2009 Request: $3.47 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $2.63 million Increase over FY 2008: $840,000
• Designed to provide research experiences for large numbers of college students in their first and second years of undergraduate study.
• Complements the REU program, which traditionally provides research experiences for advanced undergraduates.
• Embraces all postsecondary institutions, including two-year and minority serving institutions, creating opportunities for broadening participation as well.
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
CISE Pathways to Revitalized Undergraduate Computing Education [CPATH] (CISE)
FY 2009 Request: $5.00 million FY 2008 Estimate: $5.00 million
• Aimed at transforming and revitalizing undergraduate computing education on a national scale.
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) FY 2009 Request: $61.55 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $57.73 million Increase over FY 2008: $3.82 million
• REU supplements support active research participation by undergraduate students on research grants.
• REU sites involve students in research who might not otherwise have the opportunity, particularly those from institutions where research programs are limited. A significant fraction of the student participants come from outside the host institutions.
• In FY 2009 efforts will be made to create partnerships between
community colleges and baccalaureate degree granting institutions to
provide research opportunities for community college STEM students and faculty.
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Continued:
• ∼450 REU Sites running each ear, involving ∼ 4,000 undergraduates • ∼1,500 REU Supplements running each year, involving ∼3,000
undergraduates
• NSF’s yearly investment: ∼$35M in REU Sites, ∼$21M in REU Supplements
• Average cost: ∼$8,000 per year per student
• Disciplines with the most REU Sites: biological sciences, materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering
20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Fiscal Year Success Rate 145 129 175 175 148 Number of Awards
Activities and Characteristics of Undergraduate Research
Experiences
88% 86% 82% 77% 65% 47% 36% 6% Prepared/delivered final report Collected/analyzed dataUnderstood how work contributed to bigger picture
Gained increasing independence
Involved in project design
Attended student/professional
conference Went on research-related
field trip
Did little or nothing that seemed to be real research
Selected R&RA Undergraduate Programs - FY 2009 Budget
Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI): FY 2009 Request: $35.23 million
FY 2008 Estimate: $31.53 million Increase over FY 2008: $3.70 million
• RUI supports research by faculty members of predominantly undergraduate institutions through the funding of:
(1) individual and collaborative research projects,
(2) the purchase of shared-use research instrumentation, and (3) Research Opportunity Awards for work with NSF-supported
RUI Program Funding Rates
16% 18% 20% 22% 24% 26% 28% 30% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Fiscal Year Success Rate 108 100 110 100 113 Number of AwardsFunding Rates: RUI-submitting Institutions in Non-RUI Programs
(All Competitive Proposals)
20% 22% 24% 26% 28% 30% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Fiscal Year Success Rate 3,498 3,318 3,542 3,844 3,880 Number of Awards
Funding Rates: RUI-submitting Institutions in Non-RUI Programs
(Research Proposals Only)
20% 22% 24% 26% 28% 30% 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Fiscal Year Success Rate 3,498 3,318 3,542 3,844 3,880 Number of Awards