Brief Description:

Description:

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition or development of a multi-user research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to develop next-generation research instruments that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers and builders.

An MRI proposal may request up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Harvard may submit up to three proposals in the “tracks” as defined below, with no more than two submissions in Track 1 and no more than one submission in Track 2.

Track 1: Proposals requesting funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000* and less than $1,000,000.

Track 2: Proposals requesting funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,000,000 up to and including $4,000,000.

Cost-sharing of precisely 30% of the total project cost is required.

*Proposals that request funds from NSF less than $100,000 may also be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences.

Application Information:

To apply for this opportunity, select the the "Apply" button on the top right corner of this page and submit a complete application by September 29, 2020 by 11:59PM.

The application will require the following information and documentation:

Contact information of the PI
Name of instrument being requested or developed
Amount of funding requested
Description of how the 30% cost sharing requirement will be met (if known). If unknown or if you will be requesting funds from the Division of Science or SEAS, please specify.
Please describe the anticipated location of the instrument (core facility, building, room, etc) and list any associated costs and their source for the each of the following items:
Renovation of space needed to accommodate the equipment or instrument.
Research Computing resources including data storage costs
Operating costs (maintenance and service contracts, repairs, etc)
For equipment being placed in a core facility, please include a brief statement from the core director acknowledging their agreement to house the equipment/instrumentation
Two page (maximum) proposal that provides an overview of the instrument and answers the following questions:
How and where it is envisioned being used?
Who will use the equipment?
What impact might this have on research, collaboration, and learning?
CV of the PI and any Co-PIs

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

Recent recipients include:

2019: Daniel Needleman, Robert Westervelt, Eric Mazur (MRI: Development of a Microelectromagnetic, Laser Ablation Instrument for Biomechanics)
2018: Jennifer Hoffman; Co-Principal Investigator:Robert Westervelt, Philip Kim, Amir Yacoby, William Wilson (MRI: Development of a Scanning 4-Probe Microscope for Discovery and Characterization of Quantum Materials and Devices)
2018: David Bell, Julia Mundy, Austin Akey (MRI: Acquisition of an Aberration Corrected Low Energy Electron Microscope (AC-LEEM) for high resolution spectroscopic imaging of surfaces)
2014: Marko Loncar, Jiangdong Deng (MRI: Acquisition of True 3D Laser Lithography System with Sub-Micrometer Resolution)

Questions about this opportunity and the internal selection process may be directed to Erin Hale (erin_hale@fas.harvard.edu) or Susan Gomes (sgomes@fas.harvard.edu).

Search Filters:

Institution

Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Position

Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor
Other Academic/Research Appointment

Type of Competition

Limited Submission

Discipline

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

Type of Award

Equipment

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

7/20/2020

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

9/29/2020 11:59 PM