National Science Foundation: Training-based Workforce Development for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (CyberTraining)

The overarching goal of the CyberTraining program is to prepare, nurture and grow the national scientific workforce for creating, utilizing, and supporting advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI) that enables cutting-edge science and engineering and contributes to the Nation’s overall economic competiveness and security. For the purpose of this solicitation, advanced CI is broadly defined as the resources, tools, and services for advanced computation, data handling, networking and security.

The current solicitation calls for developing innovative, scalable training programs to address the emerging needs and unresolved bottlenecks in scientific and engineering workforce development of targeted, multidisciplinary communities, at the postsecondary level and beyond, leading to transformative changes in the state of workforce preparedness for advanced CI in the short and long terms. A primary goal is to broaden CI access and adoption by (i) increasing or deepening accessibility of methods and resources of advanced CI and of computational and data science and engineering by a wide range of institutions and scientific communities with lower levels of CI adoption to date; and (ii) harnessing the capabilities of larger segments of diverse underrepresented groups. Proposals from and in partnership with the aforementioned communities are especially encouraged. For student training, a key concern is not to increase the time to degree; hence the emphasis shall be on out-of-class, informal training.

There are three tracks for submissions:

1. CI Professionals (CIP): Aimed at the training and career pathway development of research cyberinfrastructure and professional staff who develop, deploy, manage, and support effective use of advanced CI for research.
2. Domain science and engineering (DSE): Aimed primarily at the communities of CI Contributors and sophisticated CI Users, and aligned with the research and education priorities of the participating domain directorates.
3. Computational and data science literacy (CDL): Aimed at the CI User community at the undergraduate level.

Prospective Principal Investigators (PIs) are strongly encouraged to contact the Cognizant Program Officers in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)/Divisions of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (ACI) and in the participating directorate/division(s) relevant to the proposal to ascertain whether the focus and budget of the proposed activities are appropriate for this solicitation. Participating directorates/divisions include: Education and Human Resources (EHR); Engineering (EG); Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS); Geosciences (GEO); CISE; ACI; and Computing and Communication Foundation (CCF).

Amount: Awards will range from $300,000 to $500,000 per award for up to three years.

Eligibility: NSF welcomes applications on behalf of all qualified scientists, engineers, and educators. Scientists, engineers, and educators usually initiate applications that are officially submitted by their employing organization.

Link: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505342

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