NSF solicitation (19-543) describes one or more Ideas Lab(s) on Institutes for Data-Intensive Research in Science and Engineering (I-DIRSE) as part of the National Science Foundation’s Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR) Big Idea activity. HDR is a national-scale activity that aims to enable new modes of data-driven discovery for fundamental questions at the frontiers of science and engineering. The HDR vision is realized through an interrelated set of efforts in:

—foundations of data science;
—algorithms and systems for data science;
—data-intensive science and engineering;
—data cyberinfrastructure; and
—education and workforce development.

HDR Institutes will be developed through a two-phase process. The conceptualization phase will be implemented in FY 2019 via two complementary funding opportunities. The first opportunity in FY 2019, described in this solicitation, will encourage individuals with compelling data-intensive science and engineering problems and/or technical expertise to self-organize into teams with the aim of developing innovative, collaborative research proposals through an Ideas Lab process. The second opportunity in FY 2019 will encourage applications from teams of researchers proposing frameworks for integrated sets of science and engineering problems and data science solutions. The conceptualization phase will result in two-year awards aimed at building communities, defining research priorities, and developing interdisciplinary prototype solutions. NSF anticipates implementing the subsequent convergence and co-design phase in the 2021 timeframe with awards that integrate and scale successful prototypes and new ideas into larger, more comprehensive HDR Institutes that bring together multiple science and engineering communities with computer and computational scientists, mathematicians, statisticians, and information scientists around common data science approaches.

Individuals interested in participating in an Ideas Lab must submit a preliminary proposal application which is due to NSF no later than Monday, January 28. Note that OSRP must be notified that the LOI is uploaded in Fastlane for submission at least two (2) business days prior to the NSF deadline.