U.S. NSF Program for Collaborations

[Rodman, James E]

SECOND ALERT - PROGRAM FOR COLLABORATIONS

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) - Directorate for Biological
Sciences inaugurated last year a special program titled "Research
Coordination Networks in Biological Sciences" (announcement NSF 00-56) to
promote cooperative activities that will advance a scientific field. All
three proposals to the Systematic Biology Program last year were awarded (or
are scheduled so), for continuation of the DEEP GREEN activity, as "Deep
Gene" with Brent Mishler heading that consortium, for integrating paleo- and
neontological researchers studying "Deep Time" with Douglas and Pamela
Soltis, David Dilcher, and Patrick Herendeen heading that consortium, and
for constructing a framework phylogeny for fungi, or "Deep Hypha" with
Meredith Blackwell, John Taylor, and Joey Spatafora heading up that network.
        The second RCN competition runs this year, with a proposal deadline
of "last Friday in June [June 29]" for submission to NSF via the electronic
FastLane system, from U.S. eligible institutions. There are plenty of "deep
branches" yet to attract a dedicated band of cooperative researchers, it
would seem. The RCN mechanism continues in place to support those groups of
U.S. researchers and their foreign colleagues who seek together to tackle a
major problem in their field. The program announcement is available
electronically on the NSF website through the Online Documents System at
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf0056/nsf0056.htm and provides guidance on
proposal submission.



Dr. James E. Rodman
Program Director, Systematic Biology
Division of Environmental Biology, Rm 635
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230

(voice) 703-292-7184
(fax) 703-292-9064
jrodman at nsf.gov (e-mail)