Brief Description:

Each MRI proposal should request support for the acquisition (Track 1) or development (Track 2) of a single research instrument for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use; development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build instrument development capacity at MRI submission-eligible organizations are encouraged. The MRI Program is intended to assist with the acquisition or development of a single research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. An instrument provided through the MRI program is expected to be operational for regular research use by the end of the award period. Harvard, as one institution, is limited to submitting up to a total of three proposals. In the event that three proposals are put forward by Harvard, one proposal must be for instrument development (Track 2).
An important change made by the NSF to the application limitation this year includes the inclusion of Harvard University's participation as a Subawardee in any MRI proposal put forward by another institution. For more information, please see the full description of this opportunity by clicking on the name of the opportunity above.

Description:

The primary purpose of the MRI program is to facilitate scientific and engineering research and research training through the acquisition or development of a major research instrument. The MRI program does not support requests for general purpose ancillary laboratory equipment or multiple instruments that serve to outfit a laboratory or research environment. The MRI program also does not support the acquisition or development of instrumentation used primarily for science and engineering education courses (this and other uses of the instrumentation may serve to facilitate the broader impacts of the project).
An MRI proposal must conform to the program's primary goals of:

Supporting the acquisition of a shared major state-of-the-art instrument, thereby improving access to, and increased use of, a modern research and research training instrument by scientists, engineers, and graduate and undergraduate students;

Fostering the development of next generation of major instrumentation, resulting in a new type of instrument that is more widely used, and/or open up new areas of research and research training;

Enabling academic departments, disciplinary and cross-disciplinary units, and organizations and multi-organization collaborations to integrate research with education and thereby enhance research training of the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Supporting the acquisition and development of research instrumentation that makes use of, advances, and/or expands the Nation's cyberinfrastructure and/or high performance computing capability (while avoiding duplication of services already provided by NSF investments). MRI proposals that are aligned with the evolving NSF vision (see "Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science and Engineering" at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10015/nsf10015.pdf ), including those that support development of computational and data-intensive science and engineering programs, or that provide pathways to regional and national infrastructure, are strongly encouraged.
Promoting substantive and meaningful partnerships for instrument development, including partnerships between the academic and private sectors. MRI proposals involving partnerships with applicability to NSF-supported centers, including the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) program are encouraged. Such proposals are expected to create innovative ideas or products with wide scientific or commercial impact.

Application Information:

Interested internal applicants are asked to submit the following

A 2 page (max) proposal that specifies:
Which track the proposal is focused on, Acquisition or Development,
Provides an overview of the proposed project,
Identifies what, if any, are unique aspects of the proposal,
What a successfully funded proposal is likely to do, what impact might it have on research, collaboration, learning, etc.?

CV of the PI and Co-PI (if applicable)

Letter of endorsement from a Department Chair or Center Director that includes specific information on how the cost sharing requirement for this opportunity will be met.

Eligibility Criteria:

There are no restrictions or limits on who may serve as PI
Letters of Intent are not required

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

Applicants are encouraged to look over the 2015 opportunity RFA before beginning an internal application.

Questions about the internal application process can be directed to the Research Administration professionals at the appropriate Harvard school and/or by contacting Autumn_Bennett@harvard.edu in the OVPR office.

Search Filters:

Institution

Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Graduate School of Design
Graduate School of Education
Harvard Kennedy School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Medical School (Quad)
Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard School of Public Health

Position

Postdoc/Fellow
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor
Other Academic/Research Appointment

Type of Competition

Limited Submission

Discipline

Basic Science
Clinical Science
Environmental Science
Engineering
Life Science
Population Science
Multidisciplinary
Physical Science
Social/Behavioral Science
Translational Science
Other

Type of Award

Equipment
Research
STEM Education