FY09 Strategic University Research Partnership (SURP) Call for Proposals

Monday, November 10, 2008

The JPL Strategic University Research Partnership (SURP) Program is soliciting proposals for the fiscal year 2009 funding cycle for collaborative research and educational initiatives with our established Strategic Partnerships at the following academic institutions:

Arizona State University Stanford University
Carnegie Mellon University University of Arizona
Dartmouth College University of California, Los Angeles
Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Michigan
Princeton University University of Southern California

The intent of the SURP Program is to support innovative and collaborative research of mutual strategic value to JPL and our partners. Proposed activities can range from basic and applied research to educational initiatives and career path development for students. We anticipate that the total amount of new funding available for this program in FY09 will be approximately $1.5 - $2M, which will support 10-20 education initiatives funded up to $25K each and 15-30 research initiatives funded up to $100K each. We also encourage proposals that involve the exchange of personnel, through extended visits, between JPL and universities. Possible exchanges include students working at JPL under the technical supervision of the JPL principle investigator, JPL investigators working at the partner university, and academic faculty working at JPL. We also invite proposals that describe research performed jointly by a JPL team and by the academic faculty investigator while on sabbatical leave at JPL. In such cases, we encourage that a portion of the award going to the SURP partner be used as a way of augmenting the existing sabbatical leave program at the university.

Topical Areas of Strategic Interest

The SURP Program encourages proposals in the ten topical areas listed below. These topics are further described on the SURP website (http://surp.jpl.nasa.gov/call/index.cfm). Preference will be given to proposals that are aligned with these topical areas, but selection of an exceptional proposal outside these areas is not precluded. Topical Areas for Research Initiatives, funded up to $100K for one year 1) Advance Solar System Exploration in New Directions: To Understand Planetary Formation and Evolutionary Pathways, and to Seek, Discover and Inventory the Organic Materials in the Solar System and Elucidate Their Origins 2) Determining the Geometry and Structure of Our Universe 3) Discovery and Characterization of Exoplanets 4) An Integrated Earth System Science Information System for Research and Applications 5) Achieving Breakthrough Increases in Interplanetary Communications 6) Enabling Robotic Missions to Scientifically Interesting Extreme Environments 7) Enabling Autonomous Human Missions to the Moon and Mars 8) Fractionated, Distributed, Reconfigurable, Repairable, Reusable Missions 9) Large, Precise Space Structures to Enable Future Observing Instruments Educational Initiatives, funded up to $25 K for one year 10) Develop and Nurture the Next Generation of "Rocket Scientists

Submission Overview

A short proposal is required from the JPL-Partner University proposal team that describes the proposed research or educational initiative and documents the requested resources and time frame for the effort. Each proposal must be submitted with a Principle Investigator at JPL and one or more Co-Investigator(s) at the partner university. The period of performance for all SURP awards is one year and proposed activities should be written as complete one-year seed funding efforts. Proposal awards will be made pending availability of funding from NASA. Proposals must be submitted no later than 4:00 PM PST on Friday, December 12, 2008, via the SURP website (http://surp.jpl.nasa.gov/jpl/submissions/), in accordance with the following procedure: 1) Obtain an electronic copy of the proposal template on the SURP website (http://surp.jpl.nasa.gov/call/index.cfm). Guidelines are also provided to assist you in completing the template. 2) The completed proposal must be electronically submitted via the SURP website (http://surp.jpl.nasa.gov/jpl/submissions/). After your successful submission, you will be assigned a proposal number. Please record this proposal number in the upper right-hand side of your original signed hard-copy proposal. 3) In addition to your electronic submission, the original signed copy of your proposal and twelve (12) copies must be received by Alma Cardena (office location 180-604, Mail Stop 180-604, ext. 4-2328) by no later than 4 PM on the proposal due date. Please remember to include your assigned proposal number on all hard copies. Please note: Electronic submissions must be in Adobe PDF format. The file name cannot exceed 28 characters and the file name must end with the .pdf extension. Late submissions cannot be accepted. Sorry, there can be no exceptions. Award selections will be made in late January.

Questions

If you have any questions or problems with your electronic submission, please contact Shahin Dastur (Shahin.D.Dastur@jpl.nasa.gov, 818-393-1753 office) If you have any questions or comments regarding the SURP proposal call or process, please contact the SURP Program Manager, Paula Grunthaner (Paula.J.Grunthaner@jpl.nasa.gov, 818-354-0360 office)