Target CC* and TCUP Program Areas

Workshop on NSF Cyberinfrastructure Funding, for HBCUs, TCUs, and Other Under-Resourced MSIs

Part II, January 24, 2024

Slide 1

Slide 1

Workshop Agenda

1:00-1:10pm ET Welcome and Introduction

1:10-1:40 Deeper Dive Into Target CC* and TCUP Program Areas

1:50-2:20 Breakout Groups - by Program / Area, with experiences

BREAK

2:35-2:55 CC* Regional Connectivity Components and REN Support

3:05-3:45 Breakout Groups - by Region, with REN+campus experiences

3:45-4:00 Resources and Wrap-Up

Each presentation will be recorded prior to �non-recorded discussion among participants.

Workshop Materials: http://bit.ly/NSFCIFundingWorkshop2023�(including later recordings)

Slide 2

Workshop Participation

• Each session will include presentation recording prior to dedicated time for non-recorded discussion among participants.
• Please mute unless speaking.
• For questions and comments: feel free to raise your hand in video or via Zoom Reactions, or to use the Zoom Chat.
• Complete the Post-Workshop survey to inform potential future workshops:

https://forms.gle/64zpxNdBK35Xp8n7A

Workshop Materials: http://bit.ly/NSFCIFundingWorkshop2023�(including later recordings)

Slide 3

Background - Overview

• Builds on previous November 2023 Workshop
• “Workshop on NSF CI Funding, for HBCUs, TCUs, and other under-resourced MSIs (Part I)”
• Does not expect everyone to have participated in that seminar.
• Part I materials and resources are available online.
• Focus will be on two specific NSF funding opportunities
• Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC*, NSF 24-530)
• Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP, NSF 21-595)
• Repeated Information
• Overlap in some of the information, particularly regarding science and engineering applications, from the first workshop.

Slide 4

Background - Similarities

• CC* and TCUP solicitation similarities
• Have multiple areas, not all of interest to smaller colleges and universities.
• Overall proposal submission guidelines are based on the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
• Reviewed in Workshop Part I.
• Science and engineering, specifically education and research application drivers are the motivation and critical for any submission.
• Fund cyberinfrastructure in support of identified science and engineering education and/or research application drivers.

Slide 5

Background – CC* Specific

• NSF 24-530
• Solicitation overview released on 01/23/2024
• https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/campus-cyberinfrastructure-cc
• Two 2024 due dates
• April 22, 2024
• October 15, 2024
• Due by 5pm submitter's local time
• Good to submit in April
• Resubmit in October 2024 if not funded in April.

Slide 6

Solicitation Overview CC*

• From 2024 Solicitation Overview
• Descriptions are based on 2022 & 2023 solicitations.

Slide 7

Solicitation Overview CC*

• From 2024 Solicitation Overview
• Details based on 2022 & 2023 solicitations

Slide 8

Background – CC* Specific

• NSF 24-530 puts single campus and region collaborations in the same area.
• Four areas:
• Network Infrastructure, Computing, Data Storage, Strategy
• Additional area, Network Integration, not addressed in this presentation.
• Infrastructure grants
• Not for an individual researcher, department or research project.
• Typically funds equipment and not people.
• Solicitation provides guidance on when people support is allowed.
• Some restrictions on the type of equipment allowed.
• Does not support enterprise equipment (e.g., commercial firewalls).

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Slide 9

Background - CC* Specific

• Region areas typically require at least 2 to 3 organizations involved in the submission.
• Lead organization
• Regional Network (referred to as a regional optical network RON in the solicitation); or,
• Leadership university in the region implementing a regional infrastructure.
• Campuses
• At least two non-R1 schools connecting to the regional infrastructure.
• Letters of Collaboration are a required part of the submission.
• Associated with your application drivers if not listed as a PI, co-PI or senior personnel.

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Slide 10

Background – TCUP Specific

• Eligibility is limited to a specific set of schools
• Federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-serving institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions.
• Solicitation includes additional criteria.
• Standing solicitation
• Has yearly due dates; some areas, including the CHAI, accept proposals any time during the year.
• Different restrictions on the use of funds.
• Enterprise equipment and services is allowed.
• E.g., campus firewall is allowed under the CHAI if it improves campus cybersecurity in support of science applications.

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Slide 11

TCUP Solicitation

• Solicitation has other areas not included in this presentation.

Slide 12

How to Decide Which to Submit to?

• Organization
• Organizational type and submission criteria.
• Proposal writing and submission experience.
• Purpose
• Application drivers – research, education, both.
• Collaborators – on campus, regionally, nationally (if applicable).
• Resources
• Infrastructure resource needs and requirements.
• Funding level.

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Slide 13

Example Decisions

Slide 14

Basic Requirements – All Submissions

• Application or science driver.
• Can be research, education or both.
• More than one is ideal.
• Must have application driver faculty or researcher supporting your project.
• Identified infrastructure.
• What is the infrastructure needed and how does it support the application.
• Must tie the two together.
• Requested infrastructure MUST support the applications identified.
• Need to provide explicit descriptions.

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Slide 15

Example – TCUP CHAI

• Submitting Organization: TCU
• Application: Environmental sciences curriculum
• Current network does NOT support in class access to campus-based data storage resources.
• Outdated cybersecurity infrastructure fails to protect against network disruptions.
• Infrastructure: New network routers and campus enterprise firewall.
• Replaces end of life routers and out of date firewall.
• Increases campus backbone bandwidth; protects and reduces attacks on campus network infrastructure.
• Provides a secure environment for teaching and learning.

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Slide 16

Example – TCUP CHAI - Comments

• Number of applications.
• Must be at least one.
• Many other applications will benefit from the upgraded infrastructure. Mention additional applications if possible.
• Infrastructure
• Can also include classroom equipment, but it should be tied to cited applications.
• Computer lab equipment for accessing resources; hardware or software to support remote learning and teaching.
• Support – can request staff time or consulting services for installing infrastructure.
• Not for PI listed on the proposal.

Slide 17

Example – CC* Area 1 Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Region

• Submitting Organization – Regional Optical Network (RON)
• Collaborators: RON and two college campuses in the region.
• Applications
• College 1: Computer Science cybersecurity curriculum requires access to cloud-based resources.
• College 2: Biology research requires faster access to genomic databases external to the campus.
• Infrastructure
• College 1 & 2: implementation of a campus science DMZ segregating campus enterprise network traffic from research and education traffic.
• College 1 & 2: regional network connection.
• Regional Network: backbone infrastructure to support both connections.

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Slide 18

Example – CC* Area 1 Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Region - Comments

• Number of applications
• At least one per college, but better to have more.
• Applications DO NOT have to be the same or related within or across the colleges.
• Diversity is good.
• Infrastructure
• Good to be consistent (same equipment) for college science DMZs and explain if not.
• Can provide internal campus network infrastructure if it connects the science application to the new science DMZ.
• Regional network infrastructure should be reasonable compared to college infrastructure.

Slide 19

Example – CC* Area 1 Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Region - Comments

• Submitting organization
• Often the regional network in the state or region.
• Can be another leadership organization.
• Not all states/regions have a RON.
• Sometimes the RON does not want to submit, so another organization – typically college or university – will submit the proposal. For example, Penn State recently received a regional CC* in Pennsylvania.
• Regional submissions often have some type of advisory or steering committee.
• Allows input from all partner organizations.

Slide 20

Example - CC* Area 1 Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Campus

• Submitting Organization – any college or university
• Applications – must have multiple applications
• Chemistry researcher needs access to common chemistry codes.
• Computer science research in Artificial Intelligence needs access to a national supercomputing center.
• Astronomy class needs access to remote data sets.
• Infrastructure
• Upgraded campus science DMZ separating research and education traffic from enterprise traffic.
• Upgraded regional network connection.
• Internal campus connections for each application.

Slide 21

Example - CC* Area 1 Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Campus - Comments

• Number of applications
• At least two – should not be for a single researcher, single application or single campus department.
• Infrastructure
• Equipment should support current end-to-end network performance technologies.
• Less than 10 Gbps connections should be explained.
• In previous solicitation fiber builds were allowed. Check or ask if you need to install or upgrade fiber infrastructure.
• Limited to colleges or universities who have not received a Network Infrastructure grant in the past 5 years.
• Open to all colleges and universities, including Research 1.

Slide 22

Things to Think About

• What are you requesting ?
• Need to have a clear idea on what you want to do and how it fits within the solicitation.
• Should align with campus’s strategic needs and plans.
• Great if you can reference a strategic plan; but can also be aspirational.
• What makes your organization unique can be the strongest motivation
• Informs the application choice.
• Compelling argument for improved network infrastructure needs.
• Where possible document (and quantify) what is unique about your community.

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Slide 23

Things to Think About

• For CC* collaborators are important regardless of which area you are submitting to.
• For TCUP CHAI collaborators are not needed, however if you do have external organizations that are relevant to your grant, mention them.
• Selecting Principal Investigator and co-Principal investigator
• Check the guidance in the solicitation.
• Should reflect the nature of your collaboration.

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Slide 24

Questions and Open Discussion �1:40pm – 1:50pm

Workshop on NSF Cyberinfrastructure Funding, for HBCUs, TCUs, and Other Under-Resourced MSIs

Part 2, January 24, 2023

Workshop Materials: http://bit.ly/NSFCIFundingWorkshop2023�(including later recordings)

Slide 25

Slide 25

Workshop Participation

• Each session will include presentation recording prior to dedicated time for non-recorded discussion among participants.
• Please mute unless speaking.
• For questions and comments: feel free to raise your hand in video or via Zoom Reactions, or to use the Zoom Chat.
• Complete the Post-Workshop survey to inform potential future workshops:

https://forms.gle/64zpxNdBK35Xp8n7A

​

​

Workshop Materials: http://bit.ly/NSFCIFundingWorkshop2023�(including later recordings)

Slide 26

Workshop Agenda

1:00-1:10pm ET Welcome and Introduction

1:10-1:40 Deeper Dive Into Target CC* and TCUP Program Areas

1:50-2:20 Breakout Groups - by Program / Area, with experiences

BREAK

2:35-2:55 CC* Regional Connectivity Components and REN Support

3:05-3:45 Breakout Groups - by Region, with REN+campus experiences

3:45-4:00 Resources and Wrap-Up

Each presentation will be recorded prior to �non-recorded discussion among participants.

Workshop Materials: http://bit.ly/NSFCIFundingWorkshop2023�(including later recordings)

Slide 27