Yeah
You begin whenever you're ready.
Yeah, so I think we should start.
Okay. Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining. This is a webinar about our dear colleague.
Letter for research and development strategic visioning or RDSV within the NSF directorate for computer and information science and engineering.
My name is Heather Mason Forsythe and I am a triple-ass science and technology policy fellow placed in the office of the assistant director and I am a part of the RDSB working group and presenting on behalf of the working group.
If you have questions that come up during this presentation, please enter them in the Q&A function in the in Zoom.
And we will have time set aside at the end of going through the slides to answer your questions. And I'm also joined by other members of the working group.
As much as we can get through in the next. Hour or so.
And so this call seeks to fund early concept projects via the eager type of proposals that identify ambbitious new mid to long-term range research directions that align with our national and societal priorities and will disseminate their findings to the broader size community.
So the goals of this webinar are specifically are to inform you all the community about the dear colleague letter and to respond to your questions.
For potential applicants.
These are the participating members of the working group and all questions. Following up on this will be directed should be directed to our email for this specific.
Program and I will let my colleagues jump in and introduce themselves.
Maybe we can. Yeah.
Yeah. Good afternoon, everyone. And thank you for joining. For this, this webinar.
My name is Mitra Basu. And thank you for joining for this webinar. My name is Mitra Basi.
I am a permanent program director in the Computing Communication Foundation and I am a member of the working group.
I will be all of us at all going to be around to answer all your questions after the presentation. Thanks, Baroon.
Good afternoon everyone, this is Vernon Chandola from the Office of Advanced Cyber Infrastructure.
I'm a rotator program director, member of this working group and I'll also help in answering some of your questions.
Ralph?
I'm a program director in the Vision of Computing and Networks. Systems, CNS.
Thank you. Okay.
We'd definitely be very, my name is Sector Muno Savid. I'm a permanent program director at the Information of Information and Italian Systems.
Back to Heather.
Okay, thank you everyone.
So the goal of RDSB is to encourage the community to think boldly and broadly for strategic visioning in emerging areas important to size and the NSF community of researchers.
The objectives include coordination with stakeholders and this includes academia, industry, government, professional society, virtual organization, and international entities, not necessarily all at once, but can include all of these stakeholders.
It also includes development of plans and methodologies for timely and effective communications and dissemination. And implementable approaches for recognition of early stage R&D and emerging trends of high impact potential at an eager, appropriate scale.
These are 3 key deadlines for this DCL. The first one is coming up on May first and this is the deadline for submission of a concept outline.
This is a 1-page document submitted to our through our email and you must obtain approval of your concept outline by the working group before moving on to the next step.
Of preparing your submission for your eager proposal, which will follow guidance through the PAP G. The second deadline to note is May 30 first and this is the deadline for submission of the Eker proposal based on your approved concept.
Outline. And you should include a copy of your approval email with the proposal. The third deadline is August first and this is when our anticipated award announcements are to go out.
What are we looking for? We are looking for 2 key, equally important activities, one being research and development strategic visioning studies.
This identifies novel mitt and long range research directions that one align with national societal priorities in size focus domains and subdomains and 2 must explore new found fundamental and translational research directions.
The second thing is methodological approach to support RDSV study activities. This is an assessment of the value of the proposed approach and anticipated outcomes, including organizational structure, a detailed communications plan of the studies and outcomes as well as an evaluation plan for assessing the proposed methodology and its outcomes.
A competitive proposal establishes a proof of concept approach that shows promise and potential to scale. And please note that this is not a call for scientific research.
So this is a high some highlights on the submission guidelines. You are required to get a letter of approval.
For your full eager proposal. Your proposal title must start with eager RDSB. Collaborative proposals are not allowed, but sub awards are allowed.
We limit there is a limit on the number of submissions and individual may only be included as a PI or co-pi on one eager proposal submission per of this DCL.
And when you submit this proposal, it must be. So by 5 pm in your submitters local time, May 30 first, 2024.
And you will submit direct proposals to the size directorate of the division of computing and communication foundations or CCF.
Within the special project CCF program. And the budget and duration for this includes up to 300,000 for the duration of up to one year.
And further guidance can be found in the PAP gene.
To contact us and obtain additional information. As stated earlier, we have our size RDSV email and this is where you submit your follow-up questions and your one page proposal.
There are also more details about this DCL announcement at this link listed here.
And we we will now transition into answering your questions and if you haven't done so already, please submit any questions that you have through the QA.
Function and I will put up this slide during questions for. Reminders and general reference. Thank you.
So I don't see any questions. If there are no questions, then of course we all all can go home.
Oh, there is the questions coming.
I can read the question out loud and then we can address it together. First question that I see is, is the one pager only for the idea or should it also talk about other aspects expected in the proposal?
Yeah, so I can take this. And other people can also jump in. Other, my colleagues can jump in.
So the Oh, one user of course need to describe the idea and what is the idea? The idea is how you are going to do this.
Visioning exercise and How you are, going to communicate, disseminate. So there are a lot of aspects, right?
And, I would say a good one pager would contain everything. A little bit so that it gives us an idea how you are planning to do it.
Anybody else want to jump in here?
Okay.
This. Is that the second question? Yeah. Are there examples of previous proposals?
Baron is also typing an answer, but, there are no examples of previous proposals. This is the first one.
DCL that we are doing on that direction. But of course there are lots of research visioning exercises people do and ASF does some of them and other people also of course do them.
You can, look at those examples.
Our systematic surveys of the literature are allowed. Anybody wants to jump in but this one?
I mean I would say the focus here is on visioning for future activities so if, you know, on a survey of the literature is is critical for that.
I think that could be a justified, but the focus here should be on. How you would go about exploring new directions.
Thanks. Anybody else who wants to add there?
Okay. How long does it take for the study group to approve? The pull proposal submission.
So the date to submit the last day to submit is May first, I think. And your final proposal needs to come in by May 30 first.
So definitely we will try to. Respond to you as soon as we receive it. So that you have time to prepare for your
What is meant by not a call for scientific research? So this is not like regular. Nsf, research program that usually you see from solicitation or things like that.
So good example, people might, there are some dissertations out on court programs, right, for every cluster here.
So this is not, we are looking for scientific research, but what we are looking for is that how to really think of.
The research. Or the topics that will happen. Hi there's from now, 10 years from now into the future.
So this is a future research visioning activities, right? And if we know those, then how do we go about it to inform that community?
How do we? Make sure that our communication and dissemination process. Is actually working. That kind of thing.
Again, I would leave it to other. Colleagues if they want to talk about it.
Should let let me add. We really speak, that the proposal would describe. A mechanism a process by which they will enable future research and development pathways and opportunities.
That, do you want to add something?
I think there's no one approach. There are multiple approaches that could be explored.
Thank you.
Hmm. Yeah, but it is not a scientific research that you are proposing. That's what I want you to keep in mind, right?
It was mentioned that the proposal is dawn collaborative, but it can have OPI is, could you detail the differences?
Yeah, so you cannot submit so collaborative proposals what we understand in ASF trunk is that there will be multiple proposals coming in from different institutions and they are linked together.
Right under the describing the same, having the same project description. In this case, we are not allowing that.
But you can of course include PIs, you can have subway awards if you have another institution where you want to collaborate.
So all these are open. Just that not many proposals linked to together. That is not how you should submit.
Should the focus be on planning or do you expect? Versioning deliverables. Anyone wants to take on that?
I can start, and I can join. So we are looking for clear description of how you want to plan your activities.
As Mattra said, including the plans for dissemination, plans for evaluation. And within that, we would like to see a description of what What would be?
Edward, out of the activity, but I think the focus has to be on describing what the plan for doing this.
Yeah, so in order to do the planning you have to take some topics, right? The something, right?
So, on that. You want to say that I want to do the visioning activities on those topics.
I subset up topics of interest to size. So, at the There are some deliverables in the sense.
How will you be, we want to see at the end of one year? How are you got? Have you succeeded in doing that in a much smaller scale?
It's an eager proposal and we are asking for proof of concept basically that you have you been able to do the 2 most important thing that we are trying to we want to see is the The methodology by which you will do it.
And that thing I am forgetting it's in the, it's in the slide. I think Heather mentioned it.
Yeah, so research and development. And methodology. We are interested in both of them. Very much actually.
So, you have to have a balance. On both of them. Anybody else?
Okay. Is it appropriate for proposals to address specific divisions within sites? Such as that we see the community.
Of course. This could be. One way to do it. That means you are picking a sub-toping among the other size.
Hey, topics of interest to size. But, remember that we are not doing a program.
You need to keep that in mind. So that program evaluation is usually done by the program director.
And they ask that community sometimes to see that. You are really looking at a future. 10 years from now, 1520 years from now, right?
So you can pick any topic you like of interest to size. Big enough so that you can develop your strategy, make a presentation of your strategy, your evaluation, your assessment, your communication.
Strategies. And dissemination strategies. You are not doing that for NSF. Remember, you are not doing it for NSF.
You are doing it for the broad research community. You need to keep that mind.
Anybody else wants to add?
Just that this is, where we're looking at areas that are, that are important for the for science that that are within a scope of size but any area so so if it's OAC is perfect or more broader than that also also very good
Yeah, and it should be outward looking. Right? Computer science or computer engineering information science is a young discipline.
So we are looking for to expand beyond its boundaries. So when you are thinking of visioning exercises, you can think of other things that could actually be brought into computer science.
That's another way of looking at it. Can you provide pointers to examples of visioning exercises?
I, I can start. So, the, an example of that is modern search engines, right?
So, so now they are established like Google and all these, but the years back. There was all of these research on the digital libraries and related topics and so you can imagine division in division parties who are something like like search engines.
But they were all of these. Is that needed to be taken until we we get to that point. So that's an example of a missioning.
Actually happen.
Thanks. Can the topic be interdisciplinary as long as it involves substantial size research?
Yes, of course.
Next question is should these visiting exercises propose the establishment of a new program within NSF.
No.
We are not looking for a for a new program from this idea. We are trying to rather see is that what is out there that We should inform.
The community should be informed. And, Important challenge problems that they should be working on.
And. So, so there are. So this is kind of, I have to say that.
Neither ways to communicate. Right? Because that is this. Technology emerging.
Should be always doing workshop only or should we only be doing writing white paper Is that the only way to do this?
We are looking for new ideas there. That's what we are looking for. Not establishing a new program.
In size.
Yeah, that I expect approval earlier before May first if I submitted one page. Earlier. Anybody wants to take on that?
Well, as I said, we will try. Our best when you send a 1 pager to respond to that we understand that there is a deadline.
And we want you to get have the maximum, amount of time. So that you can plan and.
Organize this or submit this proposal, right? So The Sooner we get it. But give us a few days so that we have other things.
To do also. We may not be able to immediately, respond to that. But we definitely will try to.
As soon as possible. And it it can be before May first give you something before that. Nsf size expects to make up to 4 awards.
That's seems to be very competitive.
Don't know how to insert that.
We actually don't know how, you know, how many proposals would be submitted. So.
So it's very difficult to predict. You know, how competitive will this be? but maybe the point you can flip it around and think that is not just one award, right?
So there will be. Multiple in 4 in this case so So how competitive will that be with them now?
The, going through the exercise, so reviewing the is you would not waste your time. In submitting something where we are already decided that is not not a good fit.
So hopefully the you know the having to be and the proposals will help. Guide with your next step in and not be as competitive as you might think.
Yeah, so that's the one picture. We are looking at the one pager, right?
Are there any subsequent support? To help continueously contact the proposed division after the initial funding for that.
The CIP proposal.
We hope that.
Dad. I don't know if it will be a continuous support. But we hope that there will be some form of Mechanism to support.
Long term. Because that's why we said This should scale because you are doing it for either that is small.
And that kind of, projects. But we can't say at this point because.
We are not told that there is money for that. At this point. But it is, I think.
One should expect that because we are. Asking for these, eager proposals if there are no future plans then this is really makes it the point is good.
Anybody else wants to add here?
Okay, maybe somebody else can pick up and, read them. Yeah, okay.
I can do that with that. So next question is for the one pager can we leave the team of decided slash recruited.
Anyone from NSF? That's right.
Do you definitely don't need to have the whole team? Spill out of what you have.
On the flip side, of course, with the more material that 1. One pager looks, it, you know, you will have better chances of being invited to the, to the.
To submit our full proposal. So you can imagine the worst case is an area where there's only one person in who will be working there, then probably they will not get a good response.
A positive response from our evaluation to the one pager.
Exceptive. Moving to the next one. How does the panel review process criteria, differ?
From regular proposals, like maybe I can start. Another skin join. So this is an eager proposal.
So as you'll note in the, there are, you know, it states how these will be reviewed.
The proposals will follow the process described in the proposal will be reviewed internally by a team of program directors at NSF and could include external reviewers as needed.
Okay. Let's see that let me move to the next one. Could you please give One or 2 examples of those approaches.
It is still not clear to me what this DCL is looking for.
It's right.
Yeah, I can. Yeah, I can take a, the first step and then the others can follow.
This is an important question, right? We don't have an example per se. But I think what we are looking for is a organization that you are going to ask.
Create which will be doing this research efficiently. Not again as I said. You are.
Going to do this research visioning for the community. And as a result, you need to have stakeholders, right?
Or you need to have an idea how the entire community buys into your. Approaches that you are doing.
How effective are those processes, right? Are you doing it? Just posting the report on your website and hoping that the entire community will read it.
If that is the approach you are thinking, probably you are not exploring everything possible, right? To do the dissemination.
How are you going to communicate? So with this. How are we going to engage the entire community or at least part of the community?
Who come up with this. Topics of interest for the entire community. That kind of thing is more.
What we are looking for in this DCL. Anybody else? Hector Ralph.
What on?
So, let's think about 20 years before the internet has started. That would not have been a NSF proposal.
They're going to do a research that will result in the internet. That will not be, but rather a proposal where they will propose a group of activities.
That would result in research. That eventually will, something like the internet. So that's the, differences is not about the.
So that's the differences is not about the particular research to do something, but rather creating the environment and the activity necessary for a group of to you know achieve that long-term vision.
Thanks, actor. Let's move on to the next one. What are the expected deliverables?
I think we had mentioned briefly, earlier as well. So, if you look at the, DCL, we don't necessarily, enumerate, the deliverables that are expected.
We hope that you are, going to sort of, decide that but we do expect that The out the outcomes of this visioning activities are communicated to the community in some forms so those could be treated at as a deliverable this could be a public report that is based on the visioning approach.
But there could be other, ways as well. And at this point, Hey, if you have other ideas.
I think. You have covered everything.
Okay, thank you. So let's see. Go to the next one. I assume that we should propose a tentative research direction.
As the initial focus of the visioning activities in the proposal. How much sure should our plan be? How much can we change?
During the project period.
So, I'm assuming when you say a tentative research direction, that, means your plan to do conduct the visioning activities.
So. Oh, of course we understand that, plans could evolve. As you, as you conduct these, so when you are describing these in your one page or the full proposal, please include any anticipated changes that you know.
Might happen. So any perceived risks and how we're. Expect to mitigate those that should be included in the.
In the description.
But when you talk about maturity, I think we need to see a clear plan. Right, not just on, what the activities will be, but how these will be disseminated and.
And how you will evaluate the outcomes.
And I would add here, please think out of the box. Not the same old way of doing visioning activities, right?
So that is what is important and we are looking for that.
Tech. Anything to add?
Thanks, Mintra. All right, let's let me move on. Do we need to have Letter of support from stakeholders.
Is this recommended?
Yeah, I I think I can. Try to respond to that. So let out of support from stakeholder is Good to have so that we know that these stakeholders are interested in the way you are proposing in your pull proposal.
This comes at the pool proposal states not at the one pager right but letter of support are a template in NSF, right?
And as I only has template of letter of support so we cannot write much on that. We would rather like to see, we would also like to see, that you describe how those stakeholders are really helping you in this process.
How they are involved. And, that. Gives it more credence than just having the letter of support.
And this is for.
This is a good practicing, you know, not just for this program, but any other program really that the text of your proposal indicates what is the program but any other program really that the text of your of your proposal indicates what is the value added of those of those program, but any other program really that the text of your of your proposal indicates what is the value added of those of those other, So that's really a good practice that you explain in
the main program in the main proposal that.
Thanks, actor. Alright, so next question is a good one. Given the deadline of May first, why is there another webinar on May third?
Heather, I know you're typing in a response. Do you want to take it here?
The response I was writing was not, I was on the wrong trick.
Oh, okay. Okay.
Okay, so yeah, that is true. It's a question that makes sense. I think we have a webinar scheduled for May third.
It's more we want to describe. How you're you are going to submit full proposal. You may have questions by them more on the full proposal as to how to expand this one pager.
Into a pool proposal. And as you are thinking about it, the today maybe you were just listening to this for the first time.
Are looking at the DCL, but later on as you are developing the full proposal, you may have more questions.
And that is why we have a method, another webinar.
Thanks, Metra. Next question is. Can the proposal build? On existing software slash projects of the PI.
So while we. Well we hope that your ideas, you know, you, are, building upon your past experience and expertise, but please note that as we said earlier that this is not a call for scientific research.
This is more on you know future visioning Right, but if it aligns or if the future directions are somewhat aligned with what you have done in the past that is.
That is fine, but that's not a requirement here.
In fact, if I may add. We really want to decide that this is not a research project, right?
So, so when we are writing a research proposal is normal that we will include in highlight or expertise on the topic which, maybe, and especially in working that you have done in DACA.
For that kind of proposal that is very important but this is not that kind of proposal.
Thanks, actor. So moving to the next one, also, will NSF release a specific format, including a list of items required for a 1 pager.
It would be hard to convey a visioning project in a page but it would be helpful if we know the exact item as this is looking for.
So, while we do not have a template, right? We, I would encourage you to again look at the slides that were presented as part of this webinar.
And look at the DCL as well to see what we expect to be included in the in the one pager we do allow only a page so which means that what we're looking for are you know the high level vision and the high level plan right we're not looking for details in there but This is your chance to tell us what.
What topic, topics you are planning to, you know, focus on what is your plan going to be, what is organization?
Oh, how, what are the general, plans for dissemination and evaluation without going into too many details?
Okay, I'll move to the next one.
Me effort should be. To prove. That the proposed research direction is indeed promising.
Anyone want to take this?
Yeah, I can take it. And then maybe Hector and Ralph and the you can, chime in.
So research direction is indeed promising, right? You are saying that. We had just not only interested in that part.
Of course it has to be a promising research direction. But on top of that, The process. By which you will be informing the community.
Who is the other people who are part of your group? Who are the other stakeholders? Are you getting input from, industry?
So all these things together. Makes your proposal a whole thing, right? And I would So just that.
Instead of just po on the research direction, you have to consider all these other things. And that's what we said in our slide as well, slides.
And also in the DCM. Others this is an important question we should clarify as much as we can.
Yeah, I think that's right. You covered it all. I don't have anything to add.
Okay.
All right, let's move to the next one. This is, so will there. Likely be a call for proposals in the future specifically for research.
In the directions envisioned by these eagle projects. I think this is connected to a previous question and Mitra had provided a response, about What we are not looking for are recommendations for new programs from NSF.
But what we want you to, to do as part of this project is to, to identify or explore new, research directions.
Now some of it could, you know. Come back to nsf and result in forthcoming activities but that's not Do not think of that as the main focus here, right?
So you're not providing input, as much to NSF, but to the community as to.
What are the important directions of research
Yeah, and also the the questions are specifically for research in the directions envisioned by these eager projects.
No. I got projects I just want to see proof of concept, right? Cool proposal will be also handled everyone who would like to apply.
And it is not a specific research direction that has been proposed in the IGAR. Definitely not.
Thanks, Interra. I'm sending people to the next one. Would the response to one pager be simply yes?
No or a detailed feedback to possibly improve it.
I think it will be yes or no. You can of course ask questions. You have the, email address.
If you want to ask any specific. Aspect of the one pager and we will try to respond to that.
But remember this is really something that you are developing. Not us, right? And so our giving and feedback.
We do not want to constrain you to something. We'd rather want to see your ideas. Oh your.
We of thinking how that can be used as. A research visioning organization. Think of. We have developing this organization.
So, we want to see. Pidious aspects of that. So I don't know if our feedback would be any much.
Helpful? But of course you can ask us questions and we will be happy to answer.
Thanks, Nancy. So let's move to the next one. Do we need to engage with the entire size community or would it be okay to engage with specific sub communities, for example, and yes, so you could focus on, a sub-topic within the size umbrella.
You do not necessarily have to engage with the entire size community but please make sure that you are justifying the need for a visioning in that area.
Yeah, really the only. Restriction if you go on to call it like that is is that the topic is within a scope of size the weather is narrow or broad that does the we don't have any restriction in narrow here we cover that's that would be really good so so no restriction on on how the how many areas are covered within size.
To be one area or multiple.
Thanks, Victor.
You mentioned a limit of one proposal per PI. Can individuals be on multiple one pagers?
That's a good question. That's right. Yeah.
I don't see, we didn't put any destruction on there and that DCL call for DCL.
I don't see we didn't put any destruction on there and that DCL call for this year. So I don't think we can impose that now.
But, for the final proposal, which really will be evaluated and assessed. That, that is one proposal for PI and Kobe.
Thank you, Mitcha. Alright, so next one is the one pager can include a graph and font size is 10.
So I think for this, we will refer you to the patchy that, They clearly describes the font and other, restrictions when preparing concept outlines.
I don't know if there's any other guidance. From NSF.
Look, Pap G is the best place to look.
All right, so we are kind of reaching. Towards the end. So let me delete this one out.
This is you have alluded to the idea that the current ways we approach Strategic visioning either aren't working or aren't enough.
Can you elaborate on what you think is missing in the way we do visioning now? So let me start in the now like others, join in as well.
I mean we're not necessarily saying that what we have right now is not working but we do want to see new ideas new ways to do this.
As, Meetra said earlier, we encourage you to think outside the box. So that we you know we can do we have a diverse way of approaching this.
Let me. Done it over to others. They have other comments on this.
He has so So we have been doing research provisioning. It's a not a new activity, of course.
For a long time when I say we I mean the community. However, what we are looking for is that since You know, technology has changed.
Lead forward. Many, many, you know, in 2020, we had something we had then COVID and immediately we went into zoom.
So what a wonderful way to involve everyone, right? So those are the things and these new technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
So they can let you do more. With limited, I shouldn't say limited resources, but you can do more with that.
And there will be ways we haven't thought about. A new way of communicating. New way of disseminating, new way of evaluating.
All these things Could be completely something new. With that we haven't done. And that's what we are looking for from you.
As if you can provide those in for those ideas. We want to see them. I don't know.
I can elaborate on what is missing. You can see that think of, on your, by yourself.
What is possibly can be done better. Can we not using, are we not using everything that is available to us?
Or maybe King, so it'll change in 5 years and you can do much more. Then with the new other emerging technologies as well.
Right. So that's what, yeah.
Thank you, Bachelor. So the next one is so we are indeed expected to establish a mechanism slash structure for visioning and a research direction that this mechanism and visions.
Do we need to outline the future research direction that we will use? For the visioning activities in the proposal.
So I want to say yes to all everything that you have written but I'm also trying to parse it a little more.
But if others have any Any additions here?
I think The more you can actually describe to us in this one pager. That gives us a much better idea to say, okay, please move.
Go ahead along these lines. But again, I have to acknowledge that it is only one page.
How much can you do in that? So the key elements. Please look at the DCN. What are we looking for?
The slides and address those. That will be very helpful.
Alright, thank you, Meetra. And this is the last question so far. Ken.
This be an idea we will submit to an NSF. DOE proposals soon. I'm not sure if I understand it very well, but, the purpose of submitting the concept outline is so that we can tell you if you or you can submit a to the eager call.
Which is, here on the screen. And that's the primary objective. I'm not sure if we were, thinking of something else here.
All right. Sylvia. At the end of the questions, thank you very much for your questions, but.
Let's see if there any others that might trick us in at the last one or 2 min.
Yeah, we are also available through the email. To the group to the working group. Please.
Use that for your questions and we are looking really looking forward to new ideas that will come out.
From this exercise that's what we are looking for. So and questions are always welcome, whatever we can answer.
So I think there are no more questions. So, we can say thank you and goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Bye.