The objective of the Data Science Corps program is to help build a strong national data science infrastructure and workforce. The Data Science Corps program seeks to engage data science students in real-world data science implementation projects. This engagement will help bridge the data-to-knowledge gap in organizations and communities at all levels, including local, state, and national, and will empower better use of data for more effective decision making. Data Science Corps participants will be able to sharpen their skills in data science by working on real-world projects focused on specific community needs, including rural communities, urban communities, academia, industry, or government. This partnership between communities and data scientists will serve the nation by helping produce a workforce-ready cohort of data scientists and technologists, who have experience with data science in action in real-world settings. The program welcomes proposals that seek to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education.
This solicitation prompts the community to respond to one or more mechanisms by which to provide students with data science education and training, including in data science issues related to knowledge representation and creation and use of knowledge graphs. The solicitation supports opportunities for undergraduates (including students from community colleges, Minority Serving Institutions, other emerging research institutions as defined in the CHIPS and Science Act, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346, and institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions), and grade 6-12 teachers and students. When responding to this solicitation, even though proposals must be submitted through the Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (EDU/DRL), once received, the proposals will be managed by a cross-disciplinary team of NSF Program Directors
This solicitation grew out of the NSF-wide activity known as Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR), a national-scale activity to enable new modes of data-driven discovery addressing fundamental questions at the frontiers of science and engineering. HDR has supported an interrelated set of efforts in foundations of data science; data-intensive research in science and engineering; and education and workforce development.
Full Proposal Target Date: June 21, 2024
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
- Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.
- Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1
An individual may participate in only one proposal as Principal Investigator, co-Principal Investigator, or Senior Personnel in any project. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced to treat everyone fairly and consistently. If an individual exceeds this limit, any proposal submitted after the first proposal is received at NSF will be returned without review. No exceptions will be made.
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 15
Ten to fifteen awards are anticipated.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $10,000,000
Up to $10,000,000 is expected to be available, subject to availability of funds. Awards will typically be in the range of $800,000 to $1,200,000 for a duration of three years.
Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.