NSF: Computer Systems Research
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Computer systems are ubiquitous, and society is increasingly dependent on them. They range from microprocessors embedded in automobiles and appliances, to worldwide grids of advanced processors, storage, graphics devices, and instruments interconnected by high-speed networks. Computer systems include large amounts of systems software. Systems software has two main roles: to provide abstractions and services that facilitate the implementation and execution of application programs; and, to orchestrate effective use of the underlying hardware resources through these abstractions and services. Computer systems are being applied to increasingly demanding applications. The environments in which they function and the resource configurations to be orchestrated are becoming more diverse, distributed and dynamic. While the time scales for control decisions are shrinking, the scale and complexity of the systems are increasing. The assumptions underlying current system software no longer hold in many cases. Moreover, current computer systems often fail, become compromised or perform poorly because of failures of system software. Responding to these challenges requires new directions in computer systems research.
The Computer Systems Research (CSR) program supports innovative research and education projects that have the potential to:
lead to significant improvements in computer systems by increasing our fundamental understanding of them;
address challenges raised by new technologies or system requirements;
lead to systems software that is quantifiably more reliable, easier to use, and/or more efficient; and
produce innovative curricula or educational materials that better prepare the next generation of computing professionals.
The CSR program also supports projects that expand the capabilities of computer systems by exploiting the potential of new technologies or by developing innovative new ways to use existing technologies. CSR-funded projects will strive to make significant progress on challenging high-impact problems, as opposed to incremental progress on familiar problems. To be successful, CSR proposals must have credible plans for demonstrating the utility and potential impact of the proposed work.
The CSR program is partitioned into two parts:
CORE areas - to support traditional CSR research and education topics. CSR core areas are: Embedded and Hybrid Systems (EHS); Parallel and Distributed Operating Systems (PDOS); Advanced Execution Systems (AES); and Systems Modeling and Analysis (SMA). Awards in the core areas may take one of two forms:
Single Investigator and Small Group awards. These awards will include one or two PIs, with budgets of up to $800,000 total, and award durations of two or three years. The estimated average award size is $450,000.
Team awards. These awards will include three or more PIs, with budgets of up to $1,500,000 total, and award durations of three or four years. The estimated average award size is $900,000.
THEMATIC areas - to stimulate research and education in topics that are considered timely and of emerging importance. Specific thematic areas may change from year to year. In FY 2007, the thematic areas are: Cross-Systems Integration (CSI); Virtualization for Configuration Management (VCM); and, Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). Awards in the thematic areas will be smaller by design, with funding levels ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 total, and with award durations of one or two years.
On occasion, the CSR program will accept proposals for workshops and Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGERs). These proposals may be submitted on or before the deadline for this solicitation under the conditions described herein, or they may be submitted at any other time in accordance with GPG guidelines. However, prior to submission of any workshop or SGER proposal, a PI must discuss their interests with a CSR Program Officer before submitting the proposal. Additional information about SGER proposals can be found in Section II.D.1. of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).
Deadline: November 9, 2007
For further information, please visit:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13385&org=NSF&sel_org=CISE&from=fund
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