National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics
Visitor Program FAQ
What is NCED?
The National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics is an NSF funded Science and Technology Center. NCED brings together scientists and engineers from ecology, civil engineering, geology, and environmental economics through a number of separate institutions. NCED’s purpose is to catalyze development of an integrated, predictive science of the processes shaping the surface of the Earth in order to transform management of ecosystems, resources, and land use. Our Center has initiatives that address four main areas: Research, Diversity, Education and Knowledge Transfer.
How is NCED Research Organized?
NCED research is organized under three interdisciplinary Integrative Projects (IP’s). They are Desktop Watersheds, Subsurface Architecture, and Stream Restoration. More information can be found on these on our website at www.nced.umn.edu/research. These three projects are the core of our research efforts and they are structured such that each project 1) requires interdisciplinary research, 2) has societal relevance, and 3) has a tangible output that will benefit and improve practice.
What is the NCED Visitor Program?
|The NCED Visitor Program is a competitive program that provides funding for non-NCED researchers or agencies to conduct research at one of NCED’s many unique facilities. The program is now in its sixth year and has facilitated 19 visitor groups that have produced exciting results and spawned integrative exchanges. A complete list of participants-to-date can be seen here.
What are the goals of the NCED Visitor Program?
The visitor program has two simple goals. The first is to provide research opportunities to Scientists and the second is to provide opportunities for community development and collaboration. The small grants that are awarded provide groups the possibility to do experiments or field work that would not happen otherwise. Research conducted under the VP ends up in refereed journals and conference proceedings. As important as the research, the visitor experience and the collaboration that occurs during a visit is a critical aspect of the program. Many of the visitors that participate in the program are graduate students or junior faculty. The relationships that develop during a research visit with NCED, in many cases, leads to future interaction and collaborations. The collaboration is two-way; both NCED and the visitors benefit from the experience.
How many project are selected and how large is the grant?
Approximately four grants averaging $30,000 are awarded each year. This sum covers per diem and travel expenses, supplies, and time for technicians, machinists, and student workers. The Visitor Program does not cover visitor salary.
What facilities are available through NCED’s Visitor Program?
All NCED research facilities are accessible through the Visitor Program. This includes hydraulic laboratories for experimental studies as well as several field sites. The primary NCED facilities are:
a) The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
b) The Richmond Field Station, University of California, Berkeley, Richmond, CA
c) The Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
d) The Angelo Coast Range Reserve, California, a field station associated with the University of California, Berkeley.
Who May Apply for NCED Visitor Program Funding?
The Visitor Program is designed for university-based and industrial/government researchers both within and outside the United States. The program funds graduate students, post docs, and faculty for experimental, field-based, and numerical research.
What types of projects does NCED Visitor Program consider funding?
The Visitor Program funds a) small pilot projects that allow the researcher to test innovative ideas and b) extensions of existing funded projects to allow for an expanded scope of work. NCED has a wide range of experimental facilities and field sites that are available to Visitor Program participants.
What is the application procedure for the Visitor Program?
To participate in the NCED Visitor Program, researchers are required to submit a proposal and budget for the proposed work. Starting in 2005-2006, proposals should be submitted to one of two research areas: 1) NCED Critical Research Area (CRA) or 2) General Research Area (GRA). The NCED Critical Research Area is chosen annually and will reflect a research need that we feel requires attention and will support the ongoing research in NCED. The General Research Area is for proposals on any Earth-surface dynamics topic and is only limited in that it must support NCED’s Purpose. As a rough guide, 80% of the allocated annual VP funds will be directed towards the NCED Critical Research Area. The remaining 20% of funds will be allocated to the General Research Area. There will be a proposal deadline for the CRA, but the GRA does not have a deadline, which provides researchers the flexibility to submit proposals at any time.
What is the NCED Critical Research Area for 2007-2008?
The Critical Research Area for 2007-2008 is focused on research in the Outdoor StreamLab facility at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. (www.safl.umn.edu/facilities/OSL_projects2008.html). The research will involve study of a field-scale sand-bed meandering stream, which will be constructed in OSL’s Riparian Basin. A collaborative, multi-disciplinary research team will study linkages between hydrologic, ecologic, hydraulic, and geomorphic characteristics of this system. A full description of the various projects and participants for this research can be found here. The summer 08 research season is the debut of this new outdoor facility. OSL is a facility that is ideal for cross-discipline collaboration and we invite any interested researchers to contact us about ongoing or future research in this facility.
What is the format of the NCED VP Proposal?
The application for Visitor Program is to consist of no more than five pages and should include the following items:
1.) Cover page with contact and other general information (1 page)
2.) Abstract and list of research objectives (1 page)
3.) Research implementation plan (1 page)
4.) List of required facilities and instrumentation, and a schedule/timeline (1 page)
5.) An estimated project budget (1 page)
**A template proposal and budget worksheet can be downloaded here.
What does the Visitor Program consider fundable items?
The maximum dollar amount of each grant is $30,000. The grant must be expended on-site. Fundable items include:
a) Travel to and from the site for the researcher and members of the research team. b) Per-diem expenses at the site.
b) Supplies and material necessary for the research program.
c) Salaries for on-site technicians, machinists, and other research support staff.
No user fees are charged for the use of NCED facilities or instrumentation. Salaries of the visiting researchers and students are not covered by the VP grant.
What budgetary information is required in the proposal?
All proposals must contain an estimated budget for the proposed research project. A template budget is provided below. NOTE: All applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the NCED Engineer (Jeff Marr) with a draft of the estimated budget at least 2 weeks prior to submittal of the final proposal.
How will Visitor Program Projects be selected?
All NCED VP Proposals received before the RFP deadline (only applies to the Critical Research Area projects) will be reviewed by the NCED Executive Committee. The Executive Committee makes final selection of the proposals. Researchers will be notified by the NCED Engineer and Visitor Program Manager.
Who are the NCED contacts for Visitor Program?
|The proposal must be submitted to:
Sara Johnson
Visitor Program Manager
National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics
St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
Mississippi River at 3rd Ave SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612.624.5972
Fax: 612.624.0066
E-mail: john3999@umn.edu
Consultations about facilities, instrumentation, scheduling and budgets prior to submission can be made with:
Jeff Marr
NCED Engineer/Director of Knowledge Transfer
National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics
St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
Mississippi River at 3rd Ave SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612.624.3931
Fax: 612.624.0066
E-mail: marrx003@umn.edu
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