Cyber-enabledCyber-enabledDiscovery and Discovery and

Innovation (CDI)Innovation (CDI)Enhancing American competitiveness by enabling

discovery and innovation through the use of computational thinking

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CDI is Unique Within NSFCDI is Unique Within NSF

Five-year initiativeAll directorates, programmatic offices involvedTo create bold, revolutionary, radical, paradigm-changing, transformative science and engineering research outcomes Multidisciplinary activities that significantly advance more than one field of science and engineeringThrough innovations in, or innovative use of, computational thinking (concepts, methods, models, algorithms, tools)

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The Funding Potential for CDI The Funding Potential for CDI Could be SignificantCould be Significant

All NSF directorates are participating in this activity (subject to budget approval)

RequestFY 2008

FY 2009

FY 2010

FY2011

FY 2012

$52M50%

pooled

$100M $150M $200M

$250M

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CDI PhilosophyCDI Philosophy

“Business as usual” need not apply “Projects that make straightforward use of

existing computational concepts, methods, models, algorithms and tools to significantly advance only one discipline should be submitted to an appropriate program in that field instead of to CDI.”  

No place for incremental research

Untraditional approaches and collaborations welcome

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NSF Review CriteriaNSF Review Criteria

Intellectual MeritBroader ImpactsNew language on Transformative Research: to what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?

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CDI Review CriteriaCDI Review Criteria

The proposal should define a bold multidisciplinary research agenda that, through computational thinking, promises paradigm-shifting outcomes in more than one field of science and engineering.The proposal should provide a clear and compelling rationale that describes how innovations in and/or innovative use of computational thinking will lead to the desired project outcomes.The proposal should draw on productive intellectual partnerships that capitalize upon knowledge and expertise synergies in multiple fields or sub-fields in science or engineering and/or in multiple types of organizations.

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CDI Review CriteriaCDI Review Criteria

Potential for extraordinary outcomes, such as,

Revolutionizing entire disciplines, Creating entirely new fields, or Disrupting accepted theories and perspectives as a

result of taking a fresh, multi-disciplinary approach.

Special emphasis will be placed on proposals that promise to enhance competitiveness, innovation, or safety and security in the United States.

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Three CDI ThemesThree CDI Themes

 

From Data to Knowledge: enhancing human cognition and generating new knowledge from a wealth of heterogeneous digital data; Understanding Complexity in Natural, Built, and Social Systems: deriving fundamental insights on systems comprising multiple interacting elements; Virtual Organizations: enhancing discovery and innovation by bringing people and resources together across institutional, geographical, and cultural boundaries. 

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From Data to KnowledgeFrom Data to Knowledge

Improving our ability to gather, organize, analyze, model, and visualize large, multi-scale, heterogeneous dataData aggregation and annotationModeling and algorithm developmentStatistical analysis and stochastic simulationApproaches to visualization and pattern recognition informed by knowledge of human cognition and perceptionData confidentiality, privacy, regulatory issues

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Understanding Complexity in Understanding Complexity in Natural, Built, and Social Natural, Built, and Social

SystemsSystemsIdentifying general principles and laws that

characterize complexity and capture the essence of complex systems is one of the major challenges of 21st century science. 

Attaining the breakthroughs to overcome these challenges requires transformative ideas in the following areas:Simulation and computational experimentsMathematical and statistical modeling and analysis, including agent-based modeling and neural networksNonlinear couplings across multiple scales

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Virtual Organizations (VOs)Virtual Organizations (VOs)

Creating systematic knowledge about the interwined social and technical issues of effective VOs.

Advances in VOs bring together domain needs with computational thinking, including algorithm development, systems operations, organizational studies, social computing, and interactive design.

CDI encourages:Multidisciplinary and potentially international research and education teams advancing the design, development, and assessment of VOsExploring VOs as a primary vehicle for broadening participation in not just research but also education, with the potential to reach students at all levels and the public at large.

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Broadening ParticipationBroadening Participation

Diversity of sciences and engineering, academic departmentsJunior researchers, students, and underrepresented minorities (especially in STEM)Intellectual partnerships involving investigators from academe, industry, and/or other types of organizations, including international entities (NB: Generally speaking, for-profit entities and international partners must support their participation in CDI from other funding sources)

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Types of ProjectsTypes of Projects

CDI defines research modalitiesProject size not measured by $$Projects classified by magnitude of effortThree types are defined: Types I, II, and IIIType III, center-scale efforts, will not be supported in the first year of CDI

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Type I ProjectsType I Projects

Research and education efforts roughly comparable to that of up to two investigators with summer support, two graduate students, and their research needs (e.g., materials, supplies, travel), for a duration of three years For example, focused aims that tackle discrete, high-risk problems that, once resolved, may enable transformative breakthroughs in multiple fields of science or engineering through computational thinking

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Type II projectsType II projectsSeveral intellectual leaders, larger teamsSignificant education component Likely to be distributed collaborative projects with more extensive project coordination needsGreater effort than in Type I, and, for example, roughly comparable to that of up to three investigators with summer support, three graduate students, one or two other senior personnel (post-doctoral researchers, staff), and their research needs (e.g., materials, supplies, travel), for a duration of four years For example, multiple major aims that tackle complementary facets of complex solutions for advancing multiple fields of science and engineering through computational thinking.

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Type III ProjectsType III Projects

Collaborative research, potentially distributed across several institutionsMay involve center-type activities, demanding substantial coordination effortsGreater effort than in Type II in terms of scope and in the order of magnitude of expected outcomes

Type III projects will not be supported in FY08, but will be supported in future years, subject to the availability of funds

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An SBE Hypothetical ExampleAn SBE Hypothetical Example

As hypotheses in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences have become more sophisticated, so have basic data needs. Merging biomedical data with survey and administrative data is a relatively untested area, but it is becoming more crucial for understanding hypotheses emerging from behavioral economics and other fields. Understanding human/environmental interactions requires the merging of data across multiple scales, such as remote sensing data, surveys of households, and ecological data. The creation and use of these sophisticated data sets raises many issues. For example, more and more of our data are geocoded. This raises serious questions regarding data confidentiality. How do researchers maintain the usability of data while protecting confidentiality when the identifying variables also are variables in the analysis? Research in this area lends itself to potential advances in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences, computer science, and the mathematical sciences. CDI Theme: From Data to Knowledge.

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Key Dates:Key Dates:

Letters of Intent (required) due: Nov 30, 2007

Preliminary Proposals due: Jan 8, 2008

Full proposals due: April 29, 2008

Full proposals by invitation only!

Awards: no later than October 2008

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More Information on CDIMore Information on CDICDI Solicitation: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.j

sp?ods_key=nsf07603

CDI Overview, References, FAQ, Calendar of Events: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/cdi/index.jsp

Contact members of CDIIT Contact the CDIIT Co-chairs: Sirin Tekinay

(CISE), Tom Russell (MPS), Eduardo Misawa (ENG)

SBE Reps: Terry Langendoen and Cheryl Eavey

cdi@nsf.gov ; (703)292-8080