The goal of the RCN program is to advance a field or create new directions in research or education by supporting groups of investigators to communicate and coordinate their research, training and educational activities across disciplinary, organizational, geographic and international boundaries.
RCN provides opportunities to foster new collaborations, including international partnerships, and address interdisciplinary topics. Innovative ideas for implementing novel networking strategies, collaborative technologies, and development of community standards for data and meta-data are especially encouraged. RCN awards are not meant to support existing networks; nor are they meant to support the activities of established collaborations.
RCN awards do not support primary research. RCN supports the means by which investigators can share information and ideas, coordinate ongoing or planned research activities, foster synthesis and new collaborations, develop community standards, and in other ways advance science and education through communication and sharing of ideas.
Proposed networking activities directed to the RCN program should focus on a theme to give coherence to the collaboration, such as a broad research question or particular technologies or approaches.
Three different tracks are available
1) General RCN proposals
2) Targeted Undergraduate Biology Education track
3) Targeted Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability track.
Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 25 Varies across disciplinary research programs and RCN tracks.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $7,500,000 to $17,500,000 Pending availability of funding. Varies across disciplinary research programs and RCN tracks.
For more information, please refer to the solicitation page: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13520/nsf13520.htm