Program Description: AGEP is committed to the national goal of increasing the numbers of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (URMs), including URMs with disabilities entering and completing graduate education and postdoctoral training to levels representative of the available pool of URMs. Increased URM participation in advanced STEM education and training is critical for supporting the development of a diverse professional STEM workforce especially a diverse STEM faculty who serve as the intellectual, professional, personal, and organizational role models that shape the expectations of future scientists and engineers. To achieve this long term commitment, the AGEP program will support the development, implementation, study, and dissemination of innovative models and standards of graduate education and postdoctoral training that are designed to improve URM participation, preparation, and success.

AGEP projects must focus on URM U.S. citizens in STEM graduate education, and/or postdoctoral training, and their preparation for academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education. STEM professional development more broadly may be included in projects with a strong and compelling argument. AGEP is interested in proposals that include any or all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields supported by NSF including the social, behavioral and economic sciences, and multi-, cross-, or inter-disciplinary STEM fields.

AGEP encourages community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, minority-serving institutions (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities), women's colleges, and institutions primarily serving persons with disabilities to participate as lead institutions and as alliance partners in all three types of AGEP projects.

AGEP intends to support the following types of projects:

• AGEP-Transformation - Strategic alliances of institutions and organizations to develop, implement, and study innovative evidence-based models and standards for STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM career preparation that eliminate or mitigate negative factors and promote positive practices for URMs.
• AGEP-Knowledge Adoption and Translation (AGEP-KAT) - Projects to expand the adoption (or adaptation) of research findings and evidence-based strategies and practices related to the participation and success of URMs in STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education.
• AGEP-Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education (AGEP-BPR) - Investigator initiated empirical research projects that seek to create and study new theory-driven models and innovations related to the participation and success of URMs in STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM careers at all types of institutions of higher education.

Note to students and postdoctoral scholars seeking support: The AGEP program does not make awards to individual students or postdocs to undertake their education or research activities.Undergraduates and graduate students seeking support for graduate education should review the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship program (GRFP) which is a fellowship program (http://nsfgrfp.org/). Postdoctoral scholars seeking support should review the NSF postdoctoral programs summarized at www.fastlane.nsf.gov/servlet/fastlane.pdoc.
DisplayProgramType. Additionally, some NSF Directorates may have special funding opportunities to support students and postdoctoral trainees that contribute to broadening participation in STEM. The pilot AGEP-Graduate Research Supplements by the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences in this solicitation and in Dear Colleague Letter NSF 12-021 is an example. Another Dear Colleague Letter of interest is the Directorate for Engineering's Graduate Research Diversity Supplements Dear Colleague Letter NSF 12-007. NSF principle investigators seeking funds to support diverse students and postdoctoral trainees are encouraged to contact your NSF program officer for information on potential opportunities.

Please see the solicitation for complete information.

One (1) AGEP-Transformation proposal per lead institution

**NOTE** There are no limits for AGEP-KAT, AGEP-BPR, and BPS-RN

Associate Deans or Designates should submit the following materials electronically to limitedsub@austin.utexas.edu by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, 2012:

1. Dean's or ORU Director's Letter of Nomination
2. Two page maximum lay abstract describing the aims/needs of the proposed research project.
3. The bio sketch/CV of the UT PI

Each college may submit one (1) AGEP-Transformation nomination.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

The Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program will support three types of projects described in this solicitation: 1) AGEP-Transformation; 2) AGEP-Knowledge Adoption and Translation; and 3) AGEP-Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education. This solicitation represents an expansion of the program to include strategic investments in the development and study of new models for STEM graduate education, postdoctoral training, and academic STEM career preparation that eliminate or mitigate negative factors and promote positive practices for underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities.

AGEP is interested in proposals that include any or all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields supported by the NSF, including the social, behavioral and economic sciences, and multi-, cross-, or inter- disciplinary fields. A pilot project with the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) is included in this solicitation, but AGEP is not limited to or focused only on the mathematical and physical sciences.

Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) Special Call for Proposals

BPS-Resource Network: This solicitation includes a special call for design proposals that will lead to the development of a Broadening Participation in STEM Resource Network (BPS-Resource Network). The purpose of the BPS-Resource Network will be to support the NSF's performance goal to "Prepare and engage a diverse STEM workforce motivated to participate at the frontiers" articulated in the NSF Strategic Plan for 2011-2016. Design project proposals are encouraged from all eligible NSF proposers. The scope of the BPS-Resource Network design proposals should include but not be limited to the AGEP program goal or targeted populations. Please see section II. Program Description for more information and the related Dear Colleague Letter Prepare, Engage, and Motivate a Diverse STEM Workforce - Design Proposals to Develop a Broadening Participation in STEM Resource Network (NSF 12-034).