NSF Deadline: EHR Core Research (ECR)

Solicitation  19-508

The EHR Core Research program (ECR) invites proposals for fundamental research (basic research or use-inspired basic research) that advances knowledge in one or more of the three Research Tracks: Research on STEM Learning and Learning Environments, Research on Broadening Participation in STEM fields, and Research on STEM Workforce Development.

The ECR program places emphasis on the rigorous development of theory and accumulation of knowledge to inform efforts to address challenges in STEM interest, learning, and participation, for all groups and all ages in formal and informal settings. This emphasis includes research on advancing evaluative methodologies to support research efforts funded through ECR.

ECR supports a wide range of research activities. ECR seeks to fund fundamental research that could involve the collection of new qualitative or quantitative data, secondary analyses using extant datasets, or meta-analyses. In addition, ECR supports research to develop innovative research methods, metrics, and conceptual models to measure existing and emerging phenomena, and to test theories that inform core scientific questions about STEM education and learning.  The three levels of funding should align with the maturity of the proposed work, the size and scope of the empirical effort, and the capacity of the team to conduct the proposed research: (1) Level I proposals: have a maximum award size of $500,000 and a maximum duration of 3 years; (2) Level II proposals have a maximum award size of $1,500,000 and a maximum duration of 3 years; (3) Level III proposals have a maximum award size of $2,500,000 and a maximum duration of 5 years.