Overview of NSF Center Programs

1
Overview of NSFCenter Programs

• Presentation at the Grant Agency
• of the Czech Republic (GACR)
• September 3, 2002
• Bruce M. Kramer
• Director, Division of Engineering Education and
  Centers
• bkramer_at_nsf.gov

2
NSF Support for Centers

• In FY 2001, NSF invested approximately 334
  million in centers (approximately 10 of its
  research budget)

3
Center Configuration

• Most centers are located on one university campus
• Some centers consist of one lead university with
  a small number of core partners
• Some centers are consortia led by a team in one
  university with nodes at other universities,
  companies, government labs, schools or school
  districts, and non-profit organizations
• Some consortia are tightly integrated among sites
  and linked by Internet, videoconferencing, or
  other electronic networks to become virtual
  centers or centers without walls

4
NSF Center Programs--I

• 1973 Industry/University Cooperative Research
  Centers
• 1979 Institute for Theoretical Physics
• 1980 Long-Term Ecological Research Program
• 1982 Mathematical Science Research Institutes
• 1985 Engineering Research Centers and Groups
• 1987 Science and Technology Centers
• 1987 Centers of Research Excellence in Science
  Technology
• 1988 Earthquake Engineering Research Centers
• 1988 National Center for Geographical
  Information Analysis
• 1991 State/University/Industry Cooperative
  Research Centers

5
NSF Center Programs--II

• 1994 Materials Research Science and Engineering
  Centers
• 1995 Center for Ecological Analysis and
  Synthesis
• 1995 Research Centers on Human Dimensions of
• Global Change
• 1995 National Consortium on Violence Research
• 1998 Plant Genome Virtual Centers
• 1998 Chemistry Centers
• 2000 Information Technology Research Centers
• 2000 Centers for Learning and Teaching
• 2001 Physics Frontiers Centers
• 2001 Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers
• 2003 Science of Learning Centers

6
1999 Data for Selected Centers
7
Engineering Research Centers

• Develop centers to integrate disciplines,
  research and education to produce next-generation
  innovations in engineered systems
• Develop new generations of engineers, more
  effective in industry, better positioned to lead
  in a global economy
• Develop partnerships between academe, industry,
  and government to strengthen the competitiveness
  of industry and the Nation

8
Carnegie Mellon University Data Storage Systems
Center
Ohio State University Net Shape Manufacturing
University of Michigan Reconfigurable Machining
Systems
University of Minnesota Interfacial Engineering
Columbia University Telecommunications Research
Carnegie Mellon University Eng. Design Research
Center
University of Michigan Wireless Integrated
Microsystems
University of Illinois, Mid-America Earthquake
Center
SUNY Buffalo, Multidisciplinary Center for
Earthquake Engineering Research
Montana State Biofilm Engineering
Lehigh University Adv. Tech. for Large Structural
Systems
University of Illinois Compound Semiconductor
Microelectronics
Purdue University Collaborative Manufacturing
MIT Biotechnology Process Engineering
WA
MT
MN
MIT Competitive Product Development
Brigham Young University Adv. Combustion
Engineering
NY
MA
MI
Northeastern University Subsurface Sensing
Imaging Systems
PA
UC, Berkeley, Pacific Earthquake Engineering
Research Center
IL
OH
IN
MD
UT
CO
University of Maryland Systems Research
California Institute of Technology Neuromorphic
Systems Engineering
CA
VA
NC
TN
Johns Hopkins University Computer Integrated
Surgical Systems
AZ
University of Southern California Integrated
Media Systems
SC
MS
GA
TX
University of Arizona Environmentally Benign
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Virginia Polytechnic Institute Power Electronic
Systems
FL
North Carolina State University Adv. Electronics
Materials Processing
University of Colorado Optoelectronic Computing
Systems
Duke University Emerging Cardiovascular
Technologies
Texas AM University Offshore Technology Research
Center
University of Florida Particle Science
Technology
Clemson University Adv. Engineering of Fibers
Films
HI
Mississippi State University Computational Field
Simulation
Georgia Institute of Technology Low Cost
Electronic Packaging
University of Hawaii Marine Bioproducts
Vanderbilt University Bioengineering Educational
Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology Tissue Engineering
9
ERCs Key Features

• Research
• Education
• Diversity
• Outreach
• Industrial Collaboration

10
Financial Arrangements

• NSF negotiates a formal Cooperative Agreement
  with the lead university
• Funds are released to university, based on
  satisfactory performance (annual site
  visits/reviews)
• University disburses funds using its normal
  procedures

11
Intellectual Property

• Each ERC must have a formal membership agreement
• IP policy is negotiated between university and
  industrial members
• Industry members often get royalty-free,
  non-exclusive license, with option for
  royalty-bearing exclusive

12
Technology Transfer

• Publications
• Graduates
• Industrial Members
• Start-up Companies

13
More Information on ERCs

• ERC Best Practices Manual http//www.erc-assoc.o
  rg/manual/bp_index.htm
• Most recent ERC Solicitation
• http//www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf02
  24
• Link to two-page descriptions of ERCs
  http//www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf00137/start.htm
• ERC Home Page http//www.eng.nsf.gov/eec/Program_
  Areas/Centers_Programs/centers_programs.htm

14
Contact Information

• Bruce M. Kramer
• Director, Division of Engineering Education and
  Centers
• bkramer_at_nsf.gov
• [phone]
• Bonnie H. Thompson
• Program Manager, Central and Eastern Europe
• Office of International Science and Engineering
• bhthomps_at_nsf.gov
• [phone]