Message from the NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences: Help Us in Broadening Participation in the Biological Sciences

The following message was posted in a recent NSF newsletter. To view an electronic version of the newsletter visit here. To sign up to receive NSF newsletters visit here.

Dear Colleagues,

As with each issue of this newsletter, below you'll find events of interest, some news from and for the biological sciences community (like the announcement of our new open environmental data synthesis center), new funding opportunities and those with upcoming deadlines. Several of the funding opportunities have a focus on broadening participation, whether in biology specifically or STEM broadly. As you have heard in past issues, broadening participation is a priority for BIO and for NSF and in the past year BIO has taken steps to analyze our portfolio of broadening participation and education programs and ensure they meet the community's needs and the goal of preparing the next generation of the biological sciences workforce.

That is where you come in!

We can't broaden participation by only reaching those who are already aware of NSF. Within the Directorate and across NSF we conduct outreach -- including our Virtual Office Hours, information on which is below -- and use all forms of communication to make the community aware of our programs and priorities, but we know we still aren't reaching as many people as we can.

I encourage you to share this newsletter and other emails you get from NSF with your colleagues, your students, your trainees, and others. Encourage them to sign up so they get up-to-date information about what we are funding and the outcomes of that funding.

If nothing below seems to cover your area of research, or that of individuals you share this message with, I encourage you to check out NSF's updated Funding Search tool. You can sort by Directorate, by education level, and by whether or not the program has a focus on advancing diversity. You can also view new opportunities and those with upcoming deadlines.

There are also resources to learn about NSF programs, including the NSF 101 series, and we always encourage you to reach out to a program officer if you have questions about specific programs.

Finally, one other thing to share with your networks: As some of you may know, I will be retiring at the end of September after 23 years at NSF. The agency has begun a search for the next Assistant Director for Biological Sciences. The Dear Colleague Letter includes information on BIO, review criteria, and how to submit recommendations. Please share and recommend those you think would be a visionary candidate.

Sincerely,
Joanne Tornow
NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences