NSF-Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC)
To: Chairs, Departments in the Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences
From: Heather Daniels, Graduate School
Date: June 6, 2012
Subject: NSF-Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC)
Deadlines:
Nominations are due at the Graduate School on Wednesday, August 15; Deadline for internal competition is Wednesday, August 22.
Project Description:
This program seeks to enhance and expand the national resource of digital data documenting existing vouchered biological and paleontological collections and to advance scientific knowledge by improving access to digitized information (including images) residing in vouchered scientific collections across the United States. The information associated with various collections of organisms, such as geographic, paleogeographic and stratigraphic distribution, environmental habitat data, phenology, information about associated organisms, collector field notes, and tissues and molecular data extracted from the specimens, is a rich resource providing the baseline from which to further biodiversity research and provide critical information about existing gaps in our knowledge of life on earth. The national resource is structured at three levels: a central coordinating organization, a series of thematic networks based on an important research theme, and the physical collections. The national resource builds upon a sizable existing national investment in curation of the physical objects in scientific collections and contributes vitally to scientific research and technology interests in the United States. It will become an invaluable tool in understanding contemporary biological issues and challenges.
Thematic Collections Network (TCN) proposals will be submissions for two-to-four year awards to digitize existing specimens based on a particular research theme. This research theme may be a grand challenge for biodiversity, a part of a grand challenge, or another important research theme requiring information from existing collections. Specimens to be digitized should be of critical importance to the research theme and the criteria for the specimen assessment should be indicated in the proposal. The collaborating institutions will conduct the actual digitization of the specimens (including imaging and mobilization of the data). The length of award and size of award will depend upon the number and size of the collections to be digitized. This solicitation encourages projects of various sizes and duration, although the expectation is that all projects will be collaborative efforts among several institutions. Integration across different types of collections is expected for broad research themes, and proposals should include a description of the metadata to be used to integrate these disparate collections. Integration of disparate collections is needed to provide research support to increasingly collaborative research projects and projects which approach this problem using new methods are encouraged. TCNs will share infrastructure among the collections involved in the project, identify deliverable goals (one of which should be how the data will add significantly to future research within the overall theme of the project) and metrics for assessment, identify specific needs for community support, and reach out to other collections for inclusion in the digitization effort.
Proposals for Partners to Existing Networks (PENs):
Proposals to partner with and further the efforts of ongoing NSF-funded TCNs are encouraged. The new partners must increase the number of specimens digitized in the ongoing project. The existing TCNs are working to integrate data via the National Resource for Digitization of Biological Collections: Integrated Digitized Biocollections at the University of Florida (iDigBio). A list of those projects is available through iDigBio.
Budgets for TCN proposals should reflect the scope of work proposed and should not exceed four years in duration. Budgets for PEN proposals may be up to $150,000 and may be from 1 to 3 years in duration. The budget justification for both TCN and PEN proposals should include an estimate of the cost per specimen for digitization. PEN proposals must include in their budget the costs of travel to PI meetings of the existing network and travel to iDigBio ONCE during the first year of the project.
Eligibility:
The number of proposals UW–Madison may submit is limited to one as the lead organization on a TCN proposal. There is no limit to the number of PEN proposals.
Website:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12565/nsf12565.htm
This contains additional information on the program and specific application instructions, etc.
Internal Competition Application Instructions:
Notice of intent: Send an email message to gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu with subject line "NSF ADBC-TCN" by Wednesday, August 15, 2012 to inform us of your intention to submit a proposal. Please include the following in your email message:
--name and contact information for the PI
--list of possible participants
--a brief description (two to three sentences) of the proposed project.
**Notice of intents are only required for TCN proposals.
Applications for internal competition: Send your pdf application for internal competition to gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu with subject line "NSF ADBC" by Wednesday, August 22, 2012. Your application for the internal competition should include the following information:
--Name and contact information for the PI
--Title of proposal (should include TCN as part of title per NSF instructions)
--List of Participants
--Brief Project Summary including how project will integrate newly digitized collections data with established standards and existing databases, plan for assessment and evaluation, management plan and data management plan. (no more than 2-3 pages)
For the project selected, a complete proposal must be submitted using FastLane or Grants.gov. Information about campus procedures for FastLane or Grants.gov is posted on the RSP Web site. Full proposals are due by Friday, October 19, 2012 at 5 pm CDT.
If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact Heather Daniels (608) 263-7274 or Petra Schroeder (608) 265-4868 or email gsgrants@grad.wisc.edu