The National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks to increase the scale and pace of advancing discoveries made while conducting academic research into tangible solutions that benefit the public. This is the primary aim of the “Accelerating Research Translation” (ART) program. Specifically, the primary goals of this program are to build capacity and infrastructure for translational research at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and to enhance their role in regional innovation ecosystems. In addition, this program seeks to effectively train graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in translational research, benefiting them across a range of career options.
A particular intent of ART is to support IHEs that want to build the necessary infrastructure to boost the overall institutional capacity to accelerate the pace and scale of translation of fundamental research outcomes into practice by supporting the development of a range of activities essential for this activity. The ART program is not intended to support IHEs that already have high levels of translational research activity as part of their R&D enterprise (as noted by their number of invention disclosures, patents issued, start-ups, licenses/options, revenue from royalties, the overall volume of industry-funded research, broad adoption of research outputs by communities or constituents, etc.). Such institutions are encouraged to become part of the ART network as valuable collaborators, providing expertise in building the necessary infrastructure for translational research at other IHEs responding to this solicitation. The ART program is also not intended as a resource for conducting additional
fundamental research. See sections II and VI of this solicitation for additional information.
This solicitation seeks proposals that enable IHE-based teams to propose a blend of: (1) activities that will help build and/or strengthen the institutional infrastructure to sustainably grow the institutional capacity for research translation in the short and long terms; (2) educational/training opportunities, especially for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to become entrepreneurs and/or seek use inspired and/or translational research-oriented careers in the public and/or private sectors; and (3) specific, translational research activities that offer immediate opportunities for transition to practice to create economic and/or societal impact. The funded teams will form a nationwide network of ‘ART Ambassadors’ who will champion the cause of translational research.
For this limited submission opportunity, the office of the VCR is soliciting white papers. White paper guidelines are available at http://www.uaf.edu/ogca/resources/regulations/limited-submissions/.
For additional details, please visit the NSF site and note the following dates:
March 3, 2023, 5:00 p.m. AKST: White paper submission for UAF-wide competition. White papers with budgets must be received by 5:00 p.m. or before the internal submission deadline. White papers should be submitted through the UAF Limited Submission & White Paper Application form available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7ehN3tsgVg78-XAMmZlvjqMf4mC6EuLwzRDRfQaSJLOCMbA/viewform?usp=sf_link
March 24, 2023: Based on recommendations of the Limited Submission Committee, the VCR will notify the selected PIs. OGCA will also communicate this decision to the department fiscal/proposal staff.
April 21, 2023, 5:00 p.m. AKST: Full Proposal is due to OGCA.
May 9, 2023, 5:00 p.m. AKST: Full Proposal is due NSF.