Dear Colleagues,

Here is a new initiative from NSF that will be of potential value to
American schools with serious graduate programs leading toward doctoral
education in design.

This program allocates funds specifically for some of the issues we are
considering.

Best regards,

Ken Friedman


INTEGRATIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM - NSF


NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

DEADLINE DATES:

2000 Competition
Preproposal:        July 19, 2000
Full Proposal:      January 26, 2001

2001 Competition
Preproposal:        June 28, 2001
Full Proposal:      January 18, 2002

Synopsis of Program:

Initiated in 1997, the IGERT program was developed to meet the
challenges of educating Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the
multidisciplinary backgrounds and the technical, professional, and
personal skills needed for the career demands of the future.  The
program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education,
for students, faculty, and universities, by establishing new, innovative
models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for
collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary
boundaries.  It is also intended to facilitate greater diversity in
student participation and preparation and to contribute to the
development of a diverse, globally-aware, science and engineering
workforce.

I.  INTRODUCTION

The National Science Foundation announces continuation of the
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program.
Initiated in 1997, the IGERT program was developed to meet the
challenges of educating Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the
multidisciplinary backgrounds and the technical, professional, and
personal skills needed for the career demands of the future.  The
program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education,
for students, faculty, and universities, by establishing new, innovative
models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for
collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary
boundaries.  It is also intended to facilitate greater diversity in
student participation and preparation and to contribute to the
development of a diverse, globally-aware, science and engineering
workforce.

IGERT is an NSF-wide endeavor involving the Directorates for Biological
Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE),
Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG),  Geosciences
(GEO), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Social, Behavioral, and
Economic Sciences (SBE), and the Office of Polar Programs (OPP).

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Proposals submitted to the IGERT program must be innovative, research
-based, graduate education and training activities in critical, emerging
areas of science and engineering.  They must be organized upon a
multidisciplinary research theme and involve a diverse group of faculty
members and other investigators with appropriate expertise in research
and teaching. The multidisciplinary research theme provides a framework
for integrating research and education and for promoting collaborative
efforts across departments and institutions.  Students should gain
various strengths while maintaining competence in a major field by
focusing on problem-oriented rather than discipline-oriented research.
The IGERT project should offer experience relevant to both academic and
nonacademic careers by linking graduate research, through internships
and mentoring, with research in industrial, national laboratory, or
other settings. The globalization of research and career opportunities
places importance on an international perspective in graduate education,
such as through internships abroad or other experiences appropriate to
the research area.  The graduate experience should also equip students
to understand and integrate scientific, technical, business, social, and
ethical issues to confront the challenging problems of the future.

The multidisciplinary research theme may draw upon investigators from
one or more academic departments within a single institution or from
more than one institution. This represents a change from previous IGERT
competitions in the recognition that under some circumstances a
multidisciplinary research theme can come from a single academic
department. Because the primary emphasis of the IGERT program is on
innovative approaches to education and training of doctoral students,
proposals must make clear what is different from existing programs at
the institution. Participation of individuals at the undergraduate,
masters and postdoctoral levels may be included if such participation
clearly strengthens the doctoral program.  Please bear in mind that all
stipend recipients must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.

Features of IGERT Projects

IGERT projects are expected to incorporate the following features:

 -  A comprehensive multidisciplinary research theme, appropriate for
doctoral-level research, to serve as the foundation for traineeship
activities;

 -  Integration of the multidisciplinary research theme with innovative
graduate education and training mechanisms, curriculum, and other
educational opportunities that foster strong interactions among
participating students and faculty;

 -  An environment that exposes students to a broad base of
state-of-the-art research tools and methodologies;

 -  Provision for developing professional and personal elements such as
communication, teamwork, and leadership;

 -  Integrated instruction in ethics and the responsible conduct of
research;

 -  Opportunities for career development, such as may be provided by
internships in international, industrial, national laboratory, or other
settings;

 -  Fostering of a global perspective for students;

 -  Formal administrative plan and organizational structure that ensures
effective management of the requested resources to achieve the goals of
the IGERT project;

 -  Institutional strategy and operational plan for student recruitment,
mentoring, and retention efforts aimed at members of groups
underrepresented in science and engineering (i.e., women, racial and
ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities) to ensure preparation
of a diverse science and engineering workforce; and

 -  Well-defined strategy and methodology for external, independent
assessment of project performance.

VIII.  CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

General information regarding the IGERT program can be obtained from the
NSF Web site at http://www.nsf.gov/igert.  Specific inquiries

should be directed to one of the following members of the IGERT
Coordinating Committee:

BIO: Gregory K. Farber-DBI, [log in to unmask]
     Hector E. Flores-MCB, [log in to unmask]

CISE: W. Richards Adrion-EIA, mailto:[log in to unmask]
      Michael Foster-EIA, [log in to unmask]

EHR: Wyn Jennings-DGE (Co-Chair), [log in to unmask]
     Roosevelt Y. Johnson-DUE, mailto:[log in to unmask]
     Nora Sabelli-REC, [log in to unmask]

ENG: Lawrence S. Goldberg-ECS (Chair), [log in to unmask]
     Bruce K. Hamilton-DMII, [log in to unmask]
     Theresa A. Maldonado-EEC, [log in to unmask]

GEO: Michael A. Mayhew-EAR, [log in to unmask]
     Roddy R. Rogers-ATM, [log in to unmask]

MPS: Joseph Brennan-DMS, [log in to unmask]
     H. Hollis Wickman-DMR, [log in to unmask]

SBE: Paul G. Chapin-BCS, [log in to unmask]
     Marjorie A. Lueck-INT, [log in to unmask]
     Frank P. Scioli Jr.-SES, [log in to unmask]

OPP: Jane V. Dionne, [log in to unmask]

For the full text of the proposal, visit the NSF web site, at
http://www.nsf.gov





Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Knowledge Management
Norwegian School of Management

+47 22.98.51.07 Direct line
+47 22.98.51.11 Telefax

Home office:

+46 (46) 53.245 Telephone
+46 (46) 53.345 Telefax

email: [log in to unmask]




%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%