NSF Forum

In this forum, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) will provide various avenues for the IMECE community to interact with program directors from the Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) Section and the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Section. The highlights of the forum include panels on NSF research opportunities, a proposal writing workshop, 1-on-1 meetings with NSF program directors, ASME Rising Stars celebration, and a student-centered IMECE-wide poster session for NSF-funded research.

Panel on CMMI Research Opportunities: November 10th 8:50am – 10:35am

Representatives from the Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) Section of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) will introduce Sectional and Foundation-wide funding opportunities to CMMI communities of researchers and have a live Q&A with audience. This session will be of greatest benefit to current faculty members (all ranks) at US Institutions.

CMMI Representatives: Alena Talkachova, Kiran Solanki, Siddiq Qidwai

Panel on CBET Research Opportunities: November 10th 2:15pm – 4:00pm

Representatives from the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Section of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) will introduce Sectional and Foundation-wide funding opportunities to CBET communities of researchers and have a live Q&A with the audience. This session will be of greatest benefit to current faculty members (all ranks) at US Institutions.

CBET Representatives: Ronald Joslin, Shahab Shojaei-Zadeh

Proposal Writing Workshop: November 10th 4:00pm – 5:30pm

In this workshop, US National Science Foundation (NSF) program directors will cover the fundamentals of grant proposal writing for NSF. Participants will learn about key topics, including the components of a successful proposal and finding the right home for the research. Critical aspects of the merit review process will be presented. This workshop is geared towards early career and aspiring investigators at US institutions seeking to understand the NSF merit review process, although the information provided will be valuable to principal investigators at any stage of their career seeking to learn more about proposal writing.

NSF Representatives: Alena Talkachova, Kiran Solanki, Ronald Joslin, Shahab Shojaei-Zadeh, Siddiq Qidwai

The ASME Rising Stars of Mechanical Engineering Celebration and Showcase: November 10th 1:15pm – 2:15pm

The ASME Rising Stars of Mechanical Engineering Celebration and Showcase at the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE) is a prestigious event designed to honor early-career researchers who have received recognition through NSF CAREER, ONR YIP, AFOSR YIP, DARPA YFA, and NIH New Innovator Awards. This reception-style celebration will commence with a brief introduction, followed by a poster session during which Principal Investigators (PIs) are invited to present their innovative work. Subsequently, a networking period allows PIs to connect with their peers and other professionals in the field.

One-on-Ones With NSF Program Directors: November 11th, 9:50am – 11:50am and 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Faculty members at US institutions will have an opportunity to discuss specific research concepts with Program Directors from the following National Science Foundation (NSF) core research programs:

• Advanced Manufacturing, Design and Operations (AMDO)
• Foundational Research in Robotics (FRR)
• Intelligent and Interactive Dynamic Systems (IIDS)
• Mechanics of Advanced Materials Systems (MAMS)
• Transport Phenomena (TP)

The meeting time of 20 minutes demands that the PIs come prepared with their talking points.

Student Poster Competition

Students and graduates are invited to present and/or compete with their posters based on work from NSF-funded research. This forum provides the students with an opportunity to disseminate their research to their junior, peer, senior, and experts-in-the-field colleagues. IMECE provides a unique environment for students to interact with fellow researchers from single-focus, multidisciplinary, and/or international backgrounds. The Student Poster Competition track is divided into the topics of (1) NSF-funded research grants/programs and (2) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs).

Poster Session: NSF-funded Research (Grad & Undergrad): November 11th, 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Poster Session: NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU): November 11th, 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Both topics will be held simultaneously at the same venue to encourage networking and sharing of information by the participants. Awards will be presented to recognize and rank the outstanding posters and presenters. Judging of the posters will be made on-site. The Track Organizers will provide additional information after abstract acceptance, including poster format and the availability of limited travel grants.

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NSF Program Directors