Federal Register: October 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 193)
DOCID: FR Doc 03-25269
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Department
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Grants and cooperative agreements; availability, etc.:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice DE-FG01- 04ER04-04; Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Program
DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 2004, formal applications in response to this notice must be received on or before December 9, 2003.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving grant applications for support under its Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Program. Applications should be from tenuretrack faculty investigators who are currently involved in experimental or theoretical plasma physics research and should be submitted through a U.S. academic institution. The purpose of this program is to support the development of the individual research programs of exceptionally talented scientists and engineers early in their careers.
SUMMARY:
Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Program,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Program was started in Fiscal Year 1997. A principal goal of this program is to identify exceptionally talented plasma faculty members early in their careers and assist and facilitate the development of their research programs. Eligibility for awards under this notice is, therefore, restricted to tenuretrack regular academic faculty investigators who are conducting experimental or theoretical plasma physics research. Those Junior Faculty members presently holding career development awards will not be considered under this announcement.
Applications from Junior Faculty involved in any areas of plasma physics research, not only magnetic fusion, are welcomed and encouraged. Emphasis is to be placed on basic plasma science research. For applications to be considered for funding, certification of the status of the applicant as a tenuretrack regular academic faculty member by the head of the applicant's academic department or other university/college certifying official will be required before the grant is awarded. Awards made under this program will help to maintain the vitality of university plasma physics research and assure continued excellence in the teaching of plasma physics and related disciplines.
It is anticipated that annual funding levels up to $150,000 per
award may be made available for grants under this notice during Fiscal
Year 2004, contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds.
Funding for equipment above this level will be considered on a caseby
case basis. The number of awards during Fiscal Year 2004 will depend on
the number of meritorious applications and the availability of
appropriated funds. Multipleyear funding of grant awards is expected,
with funding provided on an annual basis subject to availability of
funds. The usual duration of these grants is three years and they will
not be renewed under the Plasma Physics Junior Faculty Development Program after the project period is completed. It
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is anticipated that at the end of the grant period, grantees will
submit new grant applications to continue their research to the
Department of Energy or other Federal funding agencies. For the Office
of Science, these applications should follow the usual application process.
Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review and will be evaluated against the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance as set forth in 10 CFR part 605:
1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project;
2. Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach;
3. Competency of applicant's personnel and adequacy of proposed resources; and
4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.
An additional review criterion will address educational aspects of the proposed work including the involvement of graduate and undergraduate students. These aspects should be discussed in the application.
General information about development and submission of
applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluations and selection
processes, and other policies and procedures are contained in the
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance
Program and 10 CFR part 605, which is available on the World Wide Web
at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html. DOE is under
no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of applications if an award is not made.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program
is 81.049 and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR part 605.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 26, 2003. John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 0325269 Filed 10303; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 645001P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Dr. Darlene Markevich, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, Research Division, SC55/ Germantown Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 205851290. Telephone: (301) 9034920. Email: Darlene.markevich@science.doe.gov.