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Funding Sources and Priorities for 2016

ISEE works with various funding agencies and stakeholders to obtain funding for as many participants as possible. By utilizing these funding sources ISEE is able to waive registration fees, and cover travel costs to and from the Institutes. In some cases these funding sources will cover travel needed to teach, when the teaching venue is located a significant distance from participants’ home institution. ISEE manages many of these funding sources through grants given to ISEE specifically for supporting participants. ISEE uses selection criteria to prioritize funding allocations for PDP participation. Other funding sources are managed by ISEE Chapters, and may be subject to additional selection conditions beyond ISEE’s usual standards. By reviewing funding sources, applicants can see how well they fit with the priorities of funding sources, and thus their likelihood of getting a fee waiver and travel support. ISEE anticipates the following sources of funding for 2016 PDP participants:

  1. NSF grant to expand the PDP in astronomy in the U.S. (NSF AST#1347767; PI: Lisa Hunter). This grant can fund graduate students and postdocs who are in the field of astronomy. Priority is on establishing chapters, so individuals from ISEE chapters or “recruiting sites” (sites considering becoming a chapter) are given priority. Participants from other U.S. institutions will be considered if they can be placed on a team (usually incurs more costs and travel time). For examples of past teams that are similar to teams anticipated for 2016, see: 2014-3, 2014-4, 2014-17, 2014-18, 2014-19, 2015-1, 2015-12, 2015-13, 2015-14, 2015-15, 2015-17, 2015-18, 2-15-21, and 2015-22.
  2. Air Force Office of Scientific Research grant to support the Akamai program, Maui related research and technology (e.g. related to Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope currently under construction and existing astronomy and remote sensing facilities) (FA95501510427; PI: Lisa Hunter). This grant can fund graduate students that teach in a PREP course for the Akamai Internship Program. Disciplinary areas include: engineering, computer science, physics, astronomy, renewable energy, and many other technology-focused topics. For examples of past teams that are similar to teams anticipated for 2016, see: 2014-6, 2014-7, 2015-6, 2015-7.
  3. Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant to support the transformation of undergraduate introductory courses at UCSC in biology, chemistry, and physics (#52008112; PI: Koch). This grant can fund UCSC graduate students, postdocs, and professionals who will be working on course transformation. In 2016, teams will be supported in biology, chemistry and physics. For examples of past teams that are similar to teams anticipated for 2016, see: 2015-8, 2015-9, 2015-10, 2015-11.
  4. UCSC/ISEE funding supports teams that teach for UCSC campus related activities, such as the WEST program. WESTs can be in a broad range of science and engineering disciplines, often determined by the team leader’s disciplinary background. WESTs that emphasize interdisciplinary topics are highly desirable. For examples of past teams that are similar to teams anticipated for 2016, see: 2014-13, 2014-14, 2014-15, 2014-16, 2015-2, 2015-3, 2015-4, 2015-5. In addition, ISEE has sources of funding that could cover teams such as 2014-2 and 2015-16.
  5. Dunlap Chapter: The Dunlap Institute has funded 6-7 participants each year, and expects to maintain similar participation, though this is subject to funding availability. Dunlap is interested in funding teams to teach in their Instrumentation Summer School and a “PREP” course for their Summer Undergraduate Research Program. For examples of past teams that are similar to teams anticipated for 2016, see: 2014-1, 2015-22, 2015-23.
  6. Funding from the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M (PI: Ryan Quadri) will go toward partial support of a team such as 2015-17, which with additional funding from ISEE’s NSF grant (see funding source #1 above) will be able to support 1-2 Texas A&M teams focused on physics and astronomy.
  7. Funding from an NSF astronomy research grant (AST-1518273, PI: Jessica Lu) will support University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy graduate students and postdocs to participate and teach in their REU PREP course, UH Manoa undergraduate astronomy short courses, and a bridge program summer course.
  8. NSF Astronomy research grant supports UCSC astronomy-related graduate students and postdocs in Akamai-Hawaii activities, such as the Akamai PREP course (AST-1412851; PI: C. Max).
  9. Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) grant (P200A150100)-Conservation Biology: Solutions to Preserving the Land-Sea Interface, supports Ecology and Evolutionary Biology students at UCSC (PI: R. Mehta and Co-PI: I. Parker).
  10. ISEE is often able to provide support for applicants that do not fit other funding criteria and fill a high priority ISEE need.

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