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The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) invites the submission of proposals for collaborative, interdisciplinary studies of the Earth's interior within the framework of the community-based initiative known as Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (CSEDI). Funding will support basic research on the character and dynamics of the Earth's mantle and core, their influence on the evolution of the Earth as a whole, and on processes operating within the deep interior that affect or are expressed on the Earth's surface. Projects may employ any combination of field, laboratory, and computational studies with observational, theoretical, or experimental approaches. Support is available for research and research infrastructure through grants and cooperative agreements awarded in response to investigator-initiated proposals from U.S. universities and other eligible institutions. Interdisciplinary projects are required.

Despite centuries of discovery, most of our planet's biodiversity remains unknown. The scale of the unknown diversity on Earth is especially troubling given the rapid and permanent loss of biodiversity across the globe. The goal of the Dimensions of Biodiversity campaign is to transform, by 2020, how we describe and understand the scope and role of life on Earth. This campaign promotes novel integrative approaches to fill the most substantial gaps in our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth. It takes a broad view of biodiversity, and focuses on the intersection of genetic, phylogenetic, and functional dimensions of biodiversity. Successful proposals must integrate these three dimensions to understand interactions and feedbacks among them. While this focus complements several core programs in BIO, it differs by requiring that multiple dimensions of biodiversity be addressed simultaneously, in novel ways, to understand their synergistic roles in critical ecological and evolutionary processes, especially pertaining to the mechanisms driving the origin, maintenance, and functional roles of biodiversity. The Dimensions of Biodiversity program includes partnerships with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) of Brazil, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa in fiscal year 2018. Investigators wishing to inquire about the suitability of potential projects for Dimensions of Biodiversity are encouraged to email a brief summary and contact information to Dimensions@nsf.gov.

The Lunar Data Analysis Program (LDAP) program funds research on the analysis of recent lunar missions in order to enhance their scientific return. LDAP broadens scientific participation in the analysis of mission data sets and funds high-priority areas of research that support planning for future lunar missions. LDAP supports scientific investigations of the Moon using publicly available (released) data. These include the following missions: Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS), Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), Lunar Prospector (LP), Deep Impact Lunar Flyby, Non-U.S. missions: Kaguya, Change 1, Change 2, Chandrayaan-1, Change 3. Any proposal may incorporate the investigation of data from more than one mission. An investigator may propose a study (e.g., scientific, landing site science, cartographic, topographic, geodetic research, etc.) based on analysis of lunar data collected by spacecraft at the Moon (listed above). Proposals may incorporate the analysis of data from more than one mission. Moreover, data analyses that require the use of older mission data sets (e.g., Apollo, Clementine) are allowable in the context of enhancing the analysis and understanding of the data from the missions listed above. The use of older data sets as complementary/supplementary data sets to the missions listed above for the purpose of creating a needed data product (e.g., maps) for analysis is allowable. Additional information about NASA and other lunar missions can be found at NASA's National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) at: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planets/moonpage.html.

NOIs Due: December 4, 2017; Proposals Due: February 2, 2018. Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) - 2016 "Appendix G: Solicitation of Proposals for Flight and Ground Space Biology Research" NNH16ZTT001N-FGThis Appendix to the Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) - 2016 NASA Omnibus Research Announcement (hereafter referred to as ROSBio-2016 Omnibus NRA) solicits proposals that will increase NASA's understanding of how living systems acclimate to spaceflight to support human space exploration.The solicited research will fall into into the following four research emphases:1. Microbiomes of the Built Environment (MoBE) of Spacecraft; 2. Plant Biology to support Human Space Exploration; 3. Animal Biology in support of Human Space Exploration; 4. Molecular and Cellular Biology.

The goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem by funding and implementing projects that address these problems. This single source funding opportunity to The Nature Conservancy funds fee title acquisition of land from a willing seller at the Bailey's Harbor Boreal Forest and Wetlands State Natural Area in Door County, Wisconsin. The program authorizing statutes for GLRI awards are listed in CFDA number 15.662 located at CFDA.gov.

NIST is soliciting applications from eligible colleges and universities in the U.S. and its territories, nominating undergraduate students to participate in the SURF Program. The SURF Program will provide research opportunities for undergraduate students to work with NIST scientists and engineers, to expose the students to cutting-edge research and promote the pursuit of graduate degrees in science and engineering.

The goal of the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program solicitation is to accelerate the creation of the scientific and engineering foundations that will enable smart and connected communities to bring about new levels of economic opportunity and growth, safety and security, health and wellness, and overall quality of life. This goal will be achieved through integrative research projects that pair advances in technological and social dimensions with meaningful community engagement. For the purposes of this solicitation, communities are defined as having geographically-delineated boundaries-such as towns, cities, counties, neighborhoods, community districts, rural areas, and tribal regions-consisting of various populations, with the structure and ability to engage in meaningful ways with proposed research activities. A "smart and connected community" is, in turn, a community that synergistically integrates intelligent technologies with the natural and built environments, including infrastructure, to improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of those who live, work, or travel within it. A proposal for an S&CC Integrative Research Grants must include the following: Integrative research that addresses the technological and social dimensions of smart and connected communities; Meaningful community engagement that integrates community stakeholders within the project; A management plan that summarizes how the project will be managed across disciplines, institutions, and community entities; and An evaluation plan for assessing short-, medium-, and long-term impacts of the proposed activities.

Expansive clay soils that are susceptible to shrink and swell, and silty soils that are susceptible to frost heave are found in many parts of the United States. At these locations, these soils serve as the subgrade of the pavement structure. The AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design (formerly DARWin-ME) and the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Manual of Practice (MEPDG) (see Special Note A) provide a methodology for the analysis and performance prediction of new and rehabilitated pavements. Although the performance of these pavements is known to be closely related to properties of the subgrade, the performance predicted by this methodology does not adequately consider the influence of subgrade soils susceptible to shrink/swell and/or frost heave on pavement performance. There is a need to evaluate the procedures contained in the Pavement ME Design and identify or develop enhancements (in the form of modified or new models) to ensure that the procedures appropriately account for the influence of these types of subgrade soils on the performance of new and rehabilitated pavements. Incorporating these enhancements into the Pavement ME Design procedures will allow an improved analysis and design of pavement structures.

The States of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico (Upper Division States), through UCRC, have been working in parallel with Arizona, California and Nevada (Lower Division States) and public entities within the Colorado River Basin, and in conjunction with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), to develop and implement drought contingency options, as appropriate, to avoid or reduce the likelihood of reaching critical reservoir elevations at either Lake Powell or Lake Mead. On July 16, 2013, Don Ostler, Executive Director of UCRC, testified before a Senate Subcommittee, "The Colorado River Basin remains in a very severe 14 year drought, the continuation of which could drive Lake Powell to levels that threaten the ability to generate electrical power and Lake Mead to levels that require implementation of shortages within a few years."

The primary objective of the EDMAP component of the NCGMP is to train the next generation of geologic mappers. To do this NCGMP provides funds for graduate and selected undergraduate students in academic research projects that involve geologic mapping as a major component. Through these cooperative agreements NCGMP hopes to expand the research and educational capacity of academic programs that teach earth science students the techniques of geologic mapping and field data analysis. Another important goal is to increase the level of communication between the Nations geologic surveys (both State Geological Surveys and the USGS) and geologic mappers in the academic community. We hope that this improved communication will have two results: 1) that the academic mapping community will learn more about the societal needs that drive geologic mapping projects at the USGS and State Geologic Surveys, and 2) more geologic maps produced in academia will eventually be made available to the public.

he Engineering for Natural Hazards (ENH) program supports fundamental research that advances knowledge for understanding and mitigating the impact of natural hazards on constructed civil infrastructure. Natural hazards considered by the ENH program include earthquakes, windstorms (such as tornadoes and hurricanes), tsunamis, storm surge, and landslides. The constructed civil infrastructure supported by the ENH program includes building systems, such as the soil-foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural system, as well as the façade and roofing, and other structures, geostructures, and underground facilities, such as tunnels. While research may focus on a single natural hazard, research that considers civil infrastructure performance over its lifetime in the context of multiple hazards, that is, a multi-hazard approach, is encouraged. Research may integrate geotechnical, structural, and architectural engineering advances with discoveries in other science and engineering fields, such as earth and atmospheric sciences, materials science, mechanics of materials, dynamic systems and control, systems engineering, decision theory, risk analysis, high performance computational modeling and simulation, and social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Multi-disciplinary and international collaborations are encouraged.

The NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences, including, but not limited to: theory, modeling, and analysis of SMD science data; aircraft, scientific balloon, sounding rocket, International Space Station, CubeSat and suborbital reusable launch vehicle investigations; development of experiment techniques suitable for future SMD space missions; development of concepts for future SMD space missions; development of advanced technologies relevant to SMD missions; development of techniques for and the laboratory analysis of both extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft, as well as terrestrial samples that support or otherwise help verify observations from SMD Earth system science missions; determination of atomic and composition parameters needed to analyze space data, as well as returned samples from the Earth or space; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support SMD science missions; development of integrated Earth system models; development of systems for applying Earth science research data to societal needs; and development of applied information systems applicable to SMD objectives and data.

Through a cooperative effort, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Roswell Field Office and the Recipient will work together to maintain, improve, explore and study Fort Stanton Cave resources within BLM New Mexico public lands, as well as seek and use the skills, knowledge, and expertise in Recipient organization to plan, develop, and implement cave management and conservation efforts with BLM New Mexico. BLM benefited greatly from an existing Assistance Agreement that helps BLM manage this world-class cave system.

The mission of the NOAA Climate and Societal Interactions (CSI) research portfolio is to inform improvements in planning and preparedness in diverse socio-economic regions and sectors throughout the U.S. and abroad via the integration of knowledge and information about extreme weather and climate. Our research advances the nation's understanding of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities across sectors and regions - within and beyond our borders - and the development of tools to foster more informed decision making. These efforts support NOAA's vision to create and sustain enhanced resilience in ecosystems, communities, and economies. The overall objectives of the CSI portfolio are the following: 1. Support innovative, applicable, and transferable approaches for decision making, especially for risk characterization in the context of a variable and changing climate; 2. Establishment of a network of regionally scoped, long-term efforts to inform climate risk management and decision making; and 3. Promotion of the transfer of climate knowledge, tools, products, and services within NOAA, across the federal government, nationally, and internationally.

Through this NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) solicitation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) invites applications for 2018-2019 Academic Year fellowships from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of their students pursuing Masters or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences or related disciplines. The purpose of the NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA's scientific goals outlined above by performing research projects. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities with the advisor serving as the principal investigator. Potential proposers should refer to the NESSF 2018-2019 Proposal Submission Instructions (PDF) Frequently Asked Questions (PDF), which may be found on the NSPIRES page for this solicitation.

The Science of Learning program supports potentially transformative basic research to advance the science of learning. The goals of the SL Program are to develop basic theoretical insights and fundamental knowledge about learning principles, processes and constraints. Projects that are integrative and/or interdisciplinary may be especially valuable in moving basic understanding of learning forward but research with a single discipline or methodology is also appropriate if it addresses basic scientific questions in learning. The possibility of developing connections between proposed research and specific scientific, technological, educational, and workforce challenges will be considered as valuable broader impacts, but are not necessarily central to the intellectual merit of proposed research. The program will support research addressing learning in a wide range of domains at one or more levels of analysis including: molecular/cellular mechanisms; brain systems; cognitive affective, and behavioral processes; and social/cultural influences. The program supports a variety of methods including: experiments, field studies, surveys, secondary-data analyses, and modeling.

The NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) invites applications for the establishment of a Cooperative Institute (CI) for Modeling the Earth System. This new cooperative institute supports the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) as it works toward advancing NOAA's ability to understand and predict variations and changes in weather, climate, oceans and coastal systems on a spectrum of timescales, through advanced numerical modeling of the Earth System's physical, dynamical, chemical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes. The scope of the new Cooperative Institute incorporates explicitly the consideration of the unforced variability of the Earth System, natural and anthropogenic forcings that include regional contributions and feedbacks, which together govern the response and temporal evolution of the Earth system (IPCC, 2001, 2013). Current state-of-the-art coupled climate models used to forecast weather-to-climate conditions particularly from sub-seasonal to seasonal to inter-annual to decadal and longer timescales must be improved dramatically. Fundamental research is needed to improve the representation of many processes and interactions of importance if these models are to fulfill their promise of advancing the scientific understanding and prediction and addressing NOAA's goals.

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, to deliver Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment in the environmental field. Please note that eligible entities who received an EWDJT grant in Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) are not eligible to apply for funding in FY18.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants as described in Section III.A to provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems to help such systems achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and to provide training and technical assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater systems, and private well owners to improve water quality under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Training and technical assistance activities provided to these systems, communities and private well owners should be made available nationally in rural and urban communities and to personnel of tribally- owned and operated systems.

The objective of the ALAS program is to conduct research and development (R&D) of innovative technological solutions to enhance radio frequency (RF), electro-optical (EO), and multi-spectral (MS) system technologies and sensors along with advancing test measurement techniques and methods necessary to meet cutting edge and emerging warfighter needs. Enhanced RF sensing technologies and systems include; improved radar systems, exploration of RF waveforms, signal processing and algorithm exploration, sensor resource management (SRM), and improved EO-RF systems. Advancing test measurement techniques and methods includes; clutter characterization and mitigation, bistatic and multi-static measurement, distributed/multispectral sensing measurement, and improved antenna and radar cross section (RCS) measurement.