Research Coordination Networks (RCN)

The goal of the RCN program is to advance a field or create new directions in research or education. Groups of investigators will be supported to communicate and coordinate their research, training and educational activities across disciplinary, organizational, geographic and international boundaries. RCN provides opportunities to foster new collaborations, including international partnerships, and address interdisciplinary topics. Innovative ideas for implementing novel networking strategies, collaborative technologies, and development of community standards for data and meta-data are especially encouraged.Proposed networking activities directed to the RCN program should focus on a theme to give coherence to the collaboration, such as a broad research question or particular technologies or approaches. Participating core programs in the directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), for Geosciences (GEO), and for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), and offices of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) and of Polar Programs (OPP) will accept general RCN proposals. These directorates and offices are joined by directorates for Education and Human Resources (EHR), for Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS), for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and for Engineering (ENG), and the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) in participating in the targeted Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (RCN-SEES) track described below. BIO and EHR are alone participating in the Undergraduate Biology Education (RCN-UBE) track described below.Additional targeted tracks within the RCN programs are intended to foster linkages across directorates.RCN-SEES: The Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability track focuses on interdisciplinary topics that will advance sustainability science, engineering and education as an integrative approach to the challenges of adapting to environmental, social and cultural changes associated with growth and development of human populations, and attaining a sustainable energy future. RCN-UBE: The Undergraduate Biology Education track could focus on any topic likely to lead to improved participation, learning, or assessment in undergraduate biology curricula. Several other NSF solicitations accept RCN proposals, or support research networking activities if appropriate to the solicitation. Please see section IX. Other Information of this solicitation for a listing.