NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program
Harvard Pre-Proposal Deadline: January 7, 2021
Sponsor Deadline (if nominated): February 25, 2021
Award Amount: up to $3,000,000 for up to 5 years

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The NRT program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. The program is dedicated to the effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary research areas through the use of a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.

NSF seeks proposals in any interdisciplinary research theme of national priority, with special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) and the six research areas within NSF’s 10 Big Ideas:

• Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR)
• The Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier (HTF)
• Navigating the New Arctic (NNA)
• Windows on the Universe: The Era of Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (WOU)
• The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum Revolution (QL)
• Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting Phenotype (URoL)

This is a limited submission opportunity. Harvard University is limited to participating in no more than two proposals in consideration for this opportunity. Participation includes serving as the lead organization, non-lead organization, or subawardee on any proposal. An individual may serve as Lead Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on only one proposal submitted to the NRT program per annual competition. One of Harvard’s two nomination slots has been filled through a prior internal competition that was run in September. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research is facilitating a second internal competition to fill the remaining nomination slot. To be considered for the Harvard nomination, potential applicants must submit an internal pre-proposal at the link above. Additional information about this opportunity can be found on the NSF NRT website.