NSF Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) Program

NSF Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) Program is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF) Physics Frontiers Centers. Supports interdisciplinary research in physics, including soft matter physics.

NSF 22-592: Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Active funding opportunity This document is the current version. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. NSF 22-592: Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

9mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p. m. submitter's local time): (required) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time): Important Information And Revision Notes This Physics Frontiers Centers solicitation supersedes version NSF 19-578 . Physics Frontiers Centers funded through this solicitation will be funded for six years instead of the previous five years.

In addition, the length of the Project Description has been increased from 70 pages to 72, to allow a corresponding change in the length of the Education, Human Resources, Diversity, and Outreach Section (increased from three pages to four) as well as the addition of a Broader Impacts section. A requirement for a plan to sustain Education, Outreach, and Diversity activities beyond the lifespan of the Center has been added.

Innovating and migrating proposal preparation and submission capabilities from FastLane to Research. gov is part of the ongoing NSF information technology modernization efforts, as described in Important Notice No. 147 . In support of these efforts, research proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation must be prepared and submitted via Research.

gov or via Grants. gov, and may not be prepared or submitted via FastLane. Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 22-1 ), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after October 4, 2021.

Summary Of Program Requirements Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas.

The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students.

Activities supported through the program are in all sub-fields of physics within the purview of the Division of Physics: atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, particle astro-, gravitational, and biological physics.

Interdisciplinary projects at the interface between these physics areas and other disciplines and physics sub-fields may also be considered, although the bulk of the effort must fall within one of those areas within the purview of the Division of Physics.

The successful PFC activity will demonstrate: (1) the potential for a profound advance in physics; (2) creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, diversity, and public outreach; (3) potential for broader impacts, e.g., impacts on other field(s) and benefits to society; (4) a synergy or value-added rationale that justifies a center- or institute-like approach.

Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact. Michael J.

Cavagnero, Program Director, telephone: (703) 292-7927, email: mcavagne@nsf. gov Kathleen McCloud, telephone: (703) 292-8236, email: kmccloud@nsf. gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 47.

049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Number of Awards: 3 to 5 Anticipated Funding Amount: $6,000,000 to $8,000,000 in FY 2023, pending availability of funds and the quality of proposals received.

Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 2 No more than two preliminary proposals may be submitted by any one institution. The same limitation applies to full proposals.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1 Any one individual may be the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) for only one preliminary proposal. The same limitation applies to full proposals. Individuals may be listed as participating senior investigators on more than one proposal.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Full Proposals submitted via Research. gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply. The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=pappg . Full Proposals submitted via Grants. gov: NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.

gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ). Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time): (required) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

Physics addresses an inspiring range of phenomena, from quarks to the cosmos, from the Big Bang to the end of the universe, and all energy, length and time scales in between. The results of physics research touch everyone's life every day and promise solutions to some of our most daunting challenges.

In a very real sense, advancing the intellectual frontiers in science, generally, and physics, in particular, is vital to the nation's health, prosperity, and defense. The purpose of the Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program is to support timely, aggressive, and forward-looking research that has the potential to lead to a major advance in physics, and, thereby, to advances in other fields and to benefits for society.

Major advances in physics are produced by efforts of all sizes. Over time, individual investigators and the small research group have consistently been among the most important producers of ideas and innovations. However, as projects have become increasingly more complex, large collaborations with hundreds of members are needed to address certain problems involving large-scale tools and facilities.

An increasingly important mode of discovery-class research has developed that engages intermediate-sized collaborations that involve a mix of disciplines and/or talents, infrastructure for shared use, and center-scale activities. It is this mode of research that the PFC program is designed to address.

The PFC program will enable university-based investigators to address research areas that require more resources than are normally available to individual investigators or small groups, such as combinations of talents, skills, and/or disciplines or specialized infrastructure. Centers, groups, or institutes funded through the program are expected to address the most exciting questions at the very edge of current understanding.

Such activities frequently take new research directions and always involve considerable technical risk. Organization of such activities will vary widely, depending on the particular needs of the research.

It follows that maximum flexibility in the design of units funded through the program is essential, so the specific organization of the unit, whether it be a group, a center, or an institute, is left to the creativity of the Principal Investigators. Proposals to the program will be evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts.

In addition to this, a major deciding factor in determining whether an activity qualifies for PFC funding is the synergy and value added that justifies center-scale support. Units supported through the PFC program are expected to provide an exceptionally stimulating environment for education so that students will benefit from interactions with a large, often interdisciplinary, group of scientists at all career levels.

Awardees should strongly attract the most talented and motivated graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs and provide them with broad educational experiences. They should actively seek to enhance the participation of underrepresented groups in the scientific enterprise and as participants in the proposed unit. And they should reach out to involve k-12 students and the public in ways that increase science interest and literacy.

Activities supported through the program are in all sub-fields of physics within the purview of the Division of Physics: atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, particle astro-, gravitational, and biological physics. Proposals using experimental, theoretical, or computational methods, or any combination, will be considered.

Interdisciplinary projects that connect these physics areas to other disciplines and physics sub-fields not within the purview of the Division of Physics may also be considered, although the bulk of the effort must fall within one of those areas within the purview of the Division of Physics. Such projects will be considered and reviewed in consultation with other relevant Divisions.

The PFC program is designed to provide support to enable research at the frontiers of physics when the activities are of a scope and complexity that would not be feasible with standard individual investigator or small group support.

Through the PFC program university researchers can form centers, institutes, or large group efforts that lead to major new ideas, discoveries, or broad advances in physics or at the boundaries of physics with other disciplines. Proposals for PFC support may address any area within the purview of the Division of Physics, including interdisciplinary and emerging areas of research.

Since the PFC program is designed to foster research at the intellectual frontiers, new types of joint efforts may be needed to address the most promising problems. Therefore, preconceived specifications as to the organization of the effort are kept to a minimum. In all cases, however, a unit must demonstrate that the whole is substantially greater than the sum of the parts.

The unit must have a Director who takes overall responsibility for the effort. There must be a management and governance plan to indicate how the unit will operate.

Such a plan must contain information on the overall management and reporting structure, how research projects are chosen, the existence and makeup of any advisory board(s) to be used, and the senior investigators responsible for different parts of the unit's research and education activities.

All units are expected to be actively engaged in activities that promote the participation of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, and these activities should be clearly described. Outreach to the scientific community and the general public must also be described. Specific plans for these three topics must be clearly delineated in the proposal.

The main characteristics of a PFC-supported unit are tailored by the Principal Investigators to most effectively address the chosen physics goals. Therefore, every unit will be different. Some may be centers; others may be institutes.

Some may be stand-alone efforts; others may be intellectually-connected parts of a larger unit. Whatever the type of organization, it is expected that the PFC-supported unit will have some or all of the following characteristics of successful units of similar size and complexity in physics and other fields.

In no particular order, these are: (1) combining talent, skills, or facilities required for a major advance in physics; (2) combining groups, departments, institutions, etc. required to make a major advance in physics; (3) providing critical mass or specialized infrastructure needed for an advance by the unit, and often the broader field; (4) providing the context and/or organization to bring together leaders and students to initiate work in a promising new area, a new interdisciplinary field, an important application, or a new facility of strategic importance to physics; (5) fostering field-wide exploration of frontier research within the community at large; (6) making available specialized infrastructure to others; and (7) creating innovative projects to promote education, the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in science, and public outreach using the center as a focal point.

Investigators making up the unit requesting PFC funding may already have, or choose to apply for, funding outside the context of the PFC funds. The combination of PFC support with other support for the major investigators will be handled in the following way: If the existing individual support is for work not related to the PFC, it must be listed in the proposal to indicate the context of the proposed work.

If an existing grant is related to the objectives of the proposed PFC, that support could be considered to be a base for the incremental PFC support that would then contribute to the additional benefits expected from the PFC. If no related support exists, or if the PIs so choose, the PFC budget can include all support for the activity.

Examples of both approaches exist, and the PIs are encouraged to discuss such matters with the cognizant Program Director prior to submitting the preliminary proposal.

Whatever the choice made, however, it is critical to demonstrate that the research for which PFC funds are requested is connected to the overall PFC-supported activity in such a way as to foster progress that would not be realized in the absence of the synergy provided by the PFC effort. Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

Individual PFC awards are expected to range in size between $1. 0 million/year and $5. 0 million/year.

The number of awards in FY 2023 is expected to be in the range 3-5, depending upon the availability of funds and the quality of proposals received. Awards will be made for six years. Proposals from existing (re-competing) PFCs will be evaluated in open competition with new proposals.

If a proposal from an existing Center is not successful, phase-out support, primarily for students and postdocs, may be provided at a reduced level for up to two years under the current award. If a proposal from an existing PFC is successful, a new cooperative agreement will be awarded. Anticipated date of awards: On or about August 1, 2023.

IV. Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 2 No more than two preliminary proposals may be submitted by any one institution. The same limitation applies to full proposals.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1 Any one individual may be the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) for only one preliminary proposal. The same limitation applies to full proposals. Individuals may be listed as participating senior investigators on more than one proposal.

Additional Eligibility Info: Interested IHEs in the United States with research and education programs in the areas of physics outlined in the Introduction in Section I must submit preliminary proposals.

In order to guarantee a review of these complex projects that is sufficiently informative to guide the decision-making process and free of conflicts, given the breadth of the science covered and the large numbers of investigators involved as senior participants, the NSF will accept full proposals for PFC funding by invitation only, based on the results of the preliminary proposal evaluation.

No more than two preliminary proposals may be submitted by any one institution. While more than one institution may participate in a single proposal or preliminary proposal, a single institution must accept overall management responsibility for the PFC.

Although collaborations between institutions are strongly encouraged, the proposal must be submitted by only one institution with funding provided to the other institutions through subawards; use of separately submitted collaborative proposals is not permitted. Any one individual may be the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) for only one preliminary proposal. The same limitations apply to full proposals.

Individuals may be listed as participating senior investigators on more than one proposal. V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Preliminary Proposals (required) : Preliminary proposals are required and must be submitted via Research. gov even if full proposals will be submitted via Grants. gov. The following instructions for the submission of preliminary proposals supplement the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

Unless otherwise specified in this solicitation, the guidelines listed in the PAPPG must be followed: The following instructions supplement the guidance in the PAPPG. Preliminary Proposal Set-Up: Select "Prepare New Preliminary Proposal" in Research. gov. Search for and select this solicitation title in Step One of the Preliminary Proposal wizard.

Select "Single proposal (with or without subawards). Separately submitted collaborative proposals will be returned without review. Cover Sheet: Enter a proposed duration of 72 months.

Project Summary: The Project Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the intellectual merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity. Include scientific thrusts, educational, outreach and broadening participation activities, and other information necessary to provide a concise overview of the proposed PFC activities. When preparing in Research.

gov, please note that the Project Summary must have three separate section headers entitled "Overview", "Intellectual Merit", and "Broader Impacts and that each heading must be on its own line with no other text on that line. (Limit: 1 page) Project Description: This section must include the following: a.

a list of the PI, any co-PIs and each participating senior investigator (faculty level and equivalent) by full name, institutional affiliation, and departmental affiliation. It is assumed that all participating members will have an active role in all center activities, research, education, and outreach, and will be able to provide a statement to that effect should a full proposal be invited.

This list should be clearly labeled and made the first item in the Project Description. b.

a narrative that includes the following: a brief overview of the PFC project as a whole, including a concise rationale for establishing the PFC, and an outline of the existing and planned capabilities of the participating institutions in physics research and education (Limit: 2 pages) ; a description of pertinent achievements under prior NSF support.

This should include both research results and the results of activities that pertain to broader impacts. (Limit: 2 pages) ; a description of each Major Activity (MA) (a Major Activity is usually a primary research thrust, but may also be a large-scale effort in workshop organization or comparable community-building effort.)

For research thrusts include names of faculty-level participants (these names should have also been included in the list of participating senior investigators) and estimated numbers of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral associates in each group (Limit: 2 pages for each Major Activity) ; a section labeled Broader Impacts (Please note this section must include a separate section header labeled Broader Impacts and the heading must be on its own line with no other text on that line) with a description of proposed activities in education and human resource development; specific details for activities to promote broadening participation, outreach to both the scientific community and engaging the general public; proposed collaborations with industry and/or other sectors; shared experimental facilities; international collaboration (Limit: 2 pages) ; and an outline of the proposed arrangements for administration and management of the PFC (Limit: 2 pages) .

Limit this narrative section (3. b) to no more than thirteen pages total, including tables, and illustrations, regardless of the number of Major Activities. c.

a one-page synopsis of institutional support and other commitments to the proposed PFC; include this immediately following the narrative along with a title that clearly identifies the section. The synopsis should be narrative in nature and must not include any quantifiable financial information.

Limit the Project Description to no more than 16 pages, including all the items a-c References Cited: List only references cited in the Project Description. Budget and Budget Justification : See the Section V. B.

, Budgetary Information, for instructions on how to prepare these documents. Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources: Upload or insert text that states "See Project Description." Senior Personnel Documents Biographical Sketch(es): In accordance with the guidance contained in the PAPPG, a separate biographical sketch must be provided for each individual designated as senior personnel.

Current and Pending Support: In accordance with the guidance contained in the PAPPG, current and pending support information must be separately provided for each individual designated as senior personnel. Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information: COA information must be separately provided for the PI, any co-PIs and other senior personnel identified on the project.

For large collaborations or authorships, the form should only list those people with whom the senior personnel have collaborated in a direct and substantive way. Note in this context that listing a collaboration name or providing a collaboration URL is not allowed - each direct collaborator must be individually named. Supplementary Documents: Please submit only the following Supplementary Documents: Letters of Collaboration .

Include only official letters of collaboration verifying specific collaborations and/or commitments of non-financial resources from participating institutions.

Letters of collaboration must follow the single-sentence format: "If the proposal submitted by Dr. [insert the full name of the Principal Investigator] entitled [insert the proposal title] is selected for funding by the NSF, it is my intent to collaborate and/or commit resources as detailed in the Project Description." Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan: (if funding for post-doctoral participants is included). Limit: 1 page.

Data Management Plan: Limit: 2 pages . Suggested Reviewers (Optional). Submit a list of individuals who might be suitable to act as impartial reviewers.

Include their names, affiliations, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and areas of expertise. PIs can also include a short list of reviewers not to include. Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research.

gov or Grants. gov. Full Proposals submitted via Research. gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=pappg . Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.

gov . The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number. Full proposals submitted via Grants.

gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants. gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.

gov . The complete text of the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.

gov website and on the NSF website at: ( https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.

gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants. gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.

gov . See PAPPG Chapter II. C.

2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions. A full proposal may be submitted by invitation only, based on the evaluation of the preliminary proposal.

For submissions involving multiple institutions, the proposal should be submitted from only one institution, with funding for participating institutions made through subawards. Proposals should not be submitted as separately submitted collaborative proposals. The instructions below supplement the guidelines in the PAPPG or NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide. Proposal Set-Up: Select "Prepare New Full Proposal" in Research. gov. Search for and select this solicitation title in Step One of the Full Proposal wizard.

Select "Center" as the proposal type. In the proposal details section, select "Single proposal (with or without subawards). Separately submitted collaborative proposals will be returned without review.

Cover Sheet: Enter a proposed duration of 72 months and include the Preliminary Proposal Number Project Summary: The Project Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the intellectual merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity.

Include a description of proposed activities in education and human resource development; specific details for activities to promote the participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences and outreach to both the scientific community and the general public; broader impacts, and other information necessary to provide a concise overview of the PFC activities. When preparing in Research.

gov, please note that the Project Summary must have three separate section headers entitled "Overview", "Intellectual Merit", and "Broader Impacts and that each heading must be on its own line with no other text on that line. Limit: 1 page. Project Description: This section is comprised of the following sections and is limited to no more than 72 pages, regardless of the number of Major Activities.

a. Executive Summary. Provide a clear rationale for and description of the proposed PFC and its potential impact.

Briefly describe the institutional setting of the PFC unit, its proposed scope and organization, activities in research and education and their integration, specific efforts to promote diversity, outreach activities to the scientific community and the general public, any shared experimental facilities, any collaborative activities with industry or other sectors, links with related major research centers on or off campus, and management plan.

Limit: 4 pages. b. List of Participants.

List the PI, any co-PIs and each participating senior investigator (faculty level or equivalent) by full name, and his or her institutional and departmental affiliation (Additional biographical information should be inserted in the Biographical Sketch section.) c. Results from Prior NSF Support.

Describe achievements under prior NSF support that pertain to the present proposal. This should include both research results and the results of activities that pertain to broader impacts. Limit: 5 pages.

d. Major Activities (MAs). The PFC activity may encompass one or more MAs.

A Major Activity will most frequently be a major research thrust of the unit but may also be a large-scale effort in workshop organization, or comparable community-building activity that advances the frontiers of physics.

For an MA that involves community-building activities the need for the activity should be clearly established, including justification for the approach, arguments for why the proposed PFC is the appropriate vehicle to carry out the organization, the proposed organizational mechanism, the number of faculty and students potentially impacted by the activity, and the expected impacts on the community.

For each proposed MA that involves a research thrust, provide a concise description of the long-term research goals and intellectual focus, and describe the planned research activities in sufficient detail to enable their scientific merit and significance to be assessed.

In all cases, describe the role and intellectual contribution of each senior participant in the MA, and briefly outline the resources available or planned to accomplish the stated goals. The need for a center- or institute-like approach involving several investigators and the means of achieving this should be clearly established.

The role of the MA in the context of the PFC as a whole should be outlined, and connections between MAs making up the unit should be sufficiently drawn to justify their inclusion within the PFC Interactions with other groups and institutions should be described.

At the beginning of each MA section in the proposal, name the senior personnel who will participate (these participating senior personnel should have also been included in the overall List of Participants), and state the proposed number of postdoctoral and undergraduate and graduate student participants. Limit for each MA: 10 pages. e.

Education, Human Resources, Diversity, and Outreach. Describe the proposed activities of the PFC in education and human resource development, including plans for participation by undergraduates, and outreach to the scientific community and the general public.

Specifically address how these efforts and others will impact the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in science and in the center itself, which is a high-priority goal of the Division of Physics and of NSF. Outline plans for seminar series, colloquia, workshops, conferences, summer schools, and related activities, as appropriate.

Describe any additional outreach programs not included in other sections of the proposal. If the outreach