4 Everyday Geoscience
This session will focus on elevating the importance of geoscience through geoscience education (e.g., curricula development, leading fieldwork experiences, etc.) and/or convergence research (e.g., using community-focused research frameworks/methods, community-engaged research, etc.).
Monday, 18 May 2026
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Alvarado B
Demystifying the National Science Foundation (NSF) for Everyday Geoscience
Paper number: 4-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:05 AM – 9:25 AM
Authors
Abstract
NSF is still alive and kicking, in spite of the abuse it’s suffered since January 2025. Although most new solicitations are targeted for AI, quantum, biotech, and other administration priorities, Geoscience Directorate programs remain active, including in the Earth Sciences. Opportunities to propose geoscience education or convergence and community-engaged research projects are much more limited than previously, however, except as Broader Impacts activities for a more traditional science proposal.
Because many early-career researchers have not received training or support in collaborating with individuals and organizations outside academia, or how to plan these collaborations in light of the uncertainties of funding, this presentation will describe some best practices for including community partners in NSF proposals, including how and when to engage, how to budget for their participation, and how to highlight their qualifications instead of hiding them with the traditional NSF biosketch format. Some of these approaches are also relevant to engaging educators outside academia in your proposal. Because today’s smaller scopes and budgets make it harder to have (and demonstrate) impact, thoughtful program design should have evaluation in mind from the beginning.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 4
doi: 10.1130/abs/2026RM-410689
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