A Message from the Assistant Director for Biological Sciences
Dear Colleagues,
We have completed another fiscal year at NSF and the first year of the NSF BIO Newsletter! Over that time we have made hundreds of awards, worked to support the biological science workforce at every career stage, and sent out four (now five) quarterly updates to the community.
My hope is that this newsletter has and continues to provide valuable news and information to you about BIO's scientific priorities, funding opportunities, and discoveries from your colleagues, as well as how you can share your own highlights or otherwise interact with BIO program officers and staff.
On that note, I want to highlight some of our efforts over the past year that we haven't had a chance to raise up in past issues.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NSF and BIO reallocated funding to support disproportionately impacted groups - those at critical career transition points, in historically underserved groups, and at historically under-resourced institutions. Specifically in BIO, we made nearly $12 million in supplement awards as part of our Research Experience for Post-Baccalaureate Students (REPS) in the Biological Sciences opportunity, supporting students whose research opportunities were cut short by the pandemic. We also supported 156 post-doctoral researchers with supplements to extend their fellowships under the Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) program -- as well increasing the number of new fellowships in the past two years over previous years -- in recognition of the impact of the COVID pandemic. These supplements were made using a combination of FY 2021 appropriations and American Rescue Plan funds.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only thing that impacts underserved groups. To take steps to create the culture change necessary to broaden participation in the biological sciences, we released the LEAding cultural change through Professional Societies (LEAPS) of Biology Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). Earlier this fall we made five awards under the DCL to support three Research Coordination Networks, or RCNs, as well as two workshop series. Our efforts in the broadening participation space will continue in the coming year, including through the newly announced Building Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology (BRC-BIO) program that focuses on supporting new faculty at MSIs, PUIs, and other colleges and universities that are not among the nation's most research-intensive institutions.
As we go into year two of this newsletter, I encourage you to make use of the "Contact Us" button at the top of this message to let us know how we might better serve your needs or what different types of information you want to see in upcoming issues.
I also encourage you to make use of virtual office hours (information on times and dates is in the gray "BIO Blogs and Outreach" section below, plus a BIO-wide VOH on the new PAPPG listed under "Events"), workshops, PI meetings, NSF's social media channels, and regular email communication with your program officer to keep in touch between issues. Don't forget to check out the information below on the upcoming NSF Merit Review Survey, too!
Finally, I want to thank you all for your continued work and research as we remain in a primarily virtual environment. I know that this last year -- fiscal and calendar -- has not been easy and I appreciate all that you have produced and all those you have trained and educated. I hope that you remain safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
 Joanne Tornow
NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences
2021 NSF Merit Review Survey Coming Soon!
The 2021 NSF Merit Review Survey, sponsored by the Office of Integrative Activities, will open on October 19, 2021. Individuals who have submitted and/or reviewed proposals between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2020 will receive personalized links to the survey that will provide feedback crucial to the ongoing improvement of the merit review process. The survey will close on November 29, 2021. Learn more on NSF.gov or reach out to MeritReviewSurvey@nsf.gov with questions.
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