Dear Colleague Letter
Directorate of Geosciences, Division of Polar Programs, Arctic Science
Section - Amending the Current Solicitation, "Arctic Research
Opportunities," in Regards to the Arctic Social Sciences Program (ASSP)
18 August 2015
Arctic Science Section
Division of Polar Programs
Directorate of Geosciences
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation announces a hiatus period in the Arctic
Social Science Program (ASSP) to review and update ASSP priorities for
the Fall 2016 Arctic Research Opportunities solicitation and to lower
current out-year funding commitments in order to enhance responsiveness
to new ideas.
August 18, 2015
Dear Colleague:
This letter is to inform the community that there will not be a full
research proposal competition of the Arctic Social Science Program
(ASSP) in 2015. The next ASSP open competition deadline will be in Fall
2016. During this hiatus, the ASSP will continue to accept proposals for
Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants (see section II (c) of the NSF
14-584, Arctic Research Opportunities solicitation), conferences, EAGER
and RAPID (see Chapter II.D of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide) and INSPIRE
(see NSF 14-106) as well as requests for supplemental funding (see
Chapter I.E of the NSF Award and Administration Guide), Research
Experience for Undergraduates(REUs) and Research Coordination Networks
(NSF 13-520). Please alert the ASSP Program Director (Anna Kerttula de
Echave, akerttul [at] nsf.gov, 703-292-7432) in advance of any submissions in
these categories.
The hiatus period is being used to review and update ASSP priorities for
the Fall 2016 Arctic Research Opportunities solicitation and to lower
current out-year funding commitments in order to enhance responsiveness
to new ideas.
The Arctic Social Sciences program at NSF was established in response to
the National Academy of Science Polar Research Board's 1989 committee
report "Arctic Social Science an Agenda for Action". Current priorities
for the ASSP date to 2000 and were established on the basis of an NSF
hosted 1997 Arctic social science workshop report "Arctic Social
Sciences Opportunities in Arctic Research". These priorities have
facilitated progress in a number of areas such as community
participation in research, traditional and local knowledge based
projects, indigenous scholarship, and indigenous led research projects;
documentation of endangered languages; exploration of culture and
environment during a period of rapid environmental change; and the study
of the development of social and political institutions, particularly in
the Post-Soviet world.
Over the last 15 years, the number and size of the projects that ASSP
supports have grown. In addition the Program has provided support for
Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants, EAGERs, RAPIDS, REUs, RCNs,
and increasingly co-funded interdisciplinary projects with other
partners. At the same time, the Arctic social and cultural landscape has
been rapidly changing; some of this change is in response to rapid
environmental change but much of it is due to the processes inherent in
social and cultural systems.
In light of these changes, now is an opportune time to conduct a
comprehensive assessment of research priorities to help ensure a robust
ASSP over the coming decade that builds on past strengths. Over the next
six months, the community will be engaged through a variety of means.
For example, an All Hands Workshop will be held to bring together
diverse social and natural scientists, students, educators, and
indigenous scholars to assist in the development of the next decade's
priorities for the Arctic Social Sciences Program. Opportunities for
participating in these planning activities will be announced on the
Arctic Science Section webpage, the Arctic Research Consortium of the
U.S. web page link Upcoming Events (ARCUS), and through International
Arctic Social Science Association web page link News (IASSA).
I thank the community for your patience and urge your participation in
the ASSP assessment activities during the coming year. I know that the
Program Director, Dr. Anna Kerttula de Echave, looks forward to working
with you and to answering any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Eric Saltzman
Section Head
Arctic Section
Division of Polar Programs
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