AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF)/ Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)/ Division of Environmental Biology

PROGRAM: Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis (OPUS)

OBJECTIVES: This program provides funding to synthesize a body of related research projects in environmental biology that has been conducted by a single individual or group of investigators over an extended period. Synthesis is an essential component of scientific inquiry. Synthesized works have historically been influential in describing the state of a field and in spawning new research directions. OPUS awards will specifically target investigators who have, over time, produced important papers from a series of related research projects, but have not integrated that series into a synthetic work. Generally, support will not be provided for the production of new data or for synthesizing other investigators' research. OPUS proposals will often be appropriately submitted by mid-to-late career investigators, but are also appropriate for investigators early enough in their careers to be able to produce unique, integrated insights useful both to the scientific community and to the development of the investigator's future work. In cases where multiple scientists have worked collaboratively, an OPUS award will provide support for collaboration on a synthesis. OPUS awards facilitate critical synthesis, and do so in a way that will acknowledge the prestige of this important component of scientific scholarship.

DEADLINES: July 16, 2008 and January 9, 2009

FUNDING INFORMATION: NSF anticipates providing between $750,000 and $1.2 million to support six to nine awards. OPUS funds may be expended over two years. Direct costs are limited to up to a total of 6.5 months salary plus fringe benefits for the PI and up to $25,000 for direct costs other than PI salary and fringe benefits. Budgets must include costs to attend an OPUS PI meeting in 2009 at NSF.

AGENCY CONTACT:
Saran Twombly, Program Director
Directorate for Biological Sciences
Division of Environmental Biology
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd. Rm. 635 N.
Arlington, VA 22230
Telephone: 703-292-8133
Email: stwombly@nsf.gov
Web: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08559/nsf08559.htm