As specified in the Geography and Spatial Sciences Program strategic plan, the mission of the NSF Geography and Spatial Sciences (GSS) Program is to promote:
- Basic scientific research in geography and spatial science that advances theory, fundamental understanding, scientific approaches, and that addresses the challenges facing society.
- The education and training of geographers and spatial scientists in order to enhance the capabilities of current and future generations of researchers.
- The involvement of geographers and spatial scientists in interdisciplinary research.
The Geography and Spatial Sciences Program supports basic research about the geographic distributions and interactions of human, physical, and biotic systems on Earth. Investigators are encouraged to propose plans for research about the nature, causes, and consequences of human activity and natural environmental processes across a range of scales. Projects about a broad range of topics may be appropriate for support if they offer promise of enhancing fundamental geographical knowledge, concepts, theories, methods, and their application to societal problems and concerns.
As part of its effort to encourage and support projects that explicitly integrate education and basic research, GSS provides support to improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation projects undertaken by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities when the dissertation research is conducted in a scientifically sound manner and it offers strong potential for enhancing more general scientific knowledge.
This solicitation addresses the preparation and evaluation of proposals for Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards.
Effective July 1, 2017, there are no proposal-submission deadlines. Investigators should submit a proposal when they believe it is ready for submission. A doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to GSS only two times.
DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a co-principal investigator (co-PI).
The PI must be the advisor of the doctoral student or another faculty member at the U.S. university where the doctoral student is enrolled. There is no limitation on the number of times that an individual may be the principal investigator on a DDRI proposal submitted to GSS, either during a specific competition or over the course of her/his career.
A doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to GSS to support her/his dissertation research only twice during her/his lifetime. A student and her/his advisor therefore should carefully consider what times during the student's graduate program are most appropriate for submission of a DDRI proposal.
Estimated Number of Awards: 25 to 35
During a fiscal year, GSS expects to recommend (either on its own or through co-funding with one or more other NSF programs) a total of 25 to 35 doctoral dissertation research improvement (DDRI) awards. (Another GSS solicitation includes instructions for preparation of other kinds of proposals to the GSS program.)
Anticipated Funding Amount: $400,000 to $600,000 pending availability of funds. Project budgets should be developed at scales appropriate for the work to be conducted. GSS doctoral dissertation research improvement (DDRI) awards may not exceed $18,000, an amount that includes both direct and indirect costs for the entire duration of the award.