Professional Research Experience Program | 2017 NIST PREP 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2017 NIST PREP 01

The Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) grant opportunity from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, including those in U.S. territories, to apply to run and oversee a structured research partnership program that connects their students and affiliates with NIST researchers and facilities. The program is designed to formalize and expand collaborative research relationships between NIST staff and a range of emerging researchers, including undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees, postdoctoral fellows, and other academic affiliates tied to the participating institution. The core idea is that the awardee institution does not just place individuals at NIST; it establishes and manages an ongoing pipeline and support system that helps participants engage in meaningful, NIST-relevant research while maintaining a connection to their home academic institution.

The research areas targeted by this opportunity are broadly within STEM and specifically aligned to the technical work of NIST laboratories and major programs. Eligible disciplines include, but are not limited to, biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical sciences, physics, and statistics. NIST emphasizes that the disciplines must be relevant to its lab programs, and applicants are expected to align proposed activities with NIST’s mission and research priorities as reflected in the agency’s laboratory and program portfolio.

PREP research opportunities under this solicitation are tied to specific NIST campuses and are organized into two main program locations. PREP Boulder supports work at NIST’s Boulder, Colorado campus. PREP Gaithersburg covers research opportunities at NIST’s Gaithersburg, Maryland campus and may also include work at the Charleston, South Carolina location. Applicant institutions can choose to apply to establish and manage only a PREP Boulder program, only a PREP Gaithersburg program, or both, depending on their capacity and alignment with NIST sites and research needs.

In terms of award mechanics, this opportunity is a discretionary federal funding program issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning NIST expects to have substantial involvement in the execution of the program compared to a standard grant. The listing is associated with CFDA number 11.620, and the funding opportunity number is 2017 NIST PREP 01. The application closing date shown in the source data is August 4, 2017, and the posting indicates it was created on June 6, 2017. While the summary data provided does not include an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the central deliverable is clear: an institution-run program that recruits, places, supports, and coordinates PREP participants in collaborative research experiences with NIST, strengthening ties between NIST and academia while developing the STEM workforce through hands-on, mentored research at federal research campuses.

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Professional Research Experience Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-06-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-08-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 2017 NIST PREP 01

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