Dear Rubin Observatory LSST Science Community:
The LSSTCorp is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals (total budget ~$100,000) to support activities to help prepare for LSST science. Please see below for details on priorities and submission guidelines. The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm(PDT) Monday, May 11, 2020 Tuesday May 26, 2020.
Details of the Call can also be found on this LSSTCorp web page. The proposal template is available here.
We look forward to receiving your proposals in response to this Call.
Gordon Richards & Pat Burchat
LSST Corporation Enabling Science Committee Members
Call for Proposals
The LSST Corporation’s (LSSTCorp) Enabling Science Committee is soliciting proposals for LSSTCorp funding to support programs to help prepare for LSST science. Information about the Committee’s activities in support of LSSTCorp’s mission of Investing in Discovery with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space & Time (LSST) can be found at https://www.lsstcorporation.org/enabling-science. For examples of past activities and funding levels see https://www.lsstcorporation.org/activities.
The total budget available for the 2020 Call for Proposals is ~$100,000. The level of funding allocated will depend on proposal demand consistent with LSSTCorp Enabling Science priorities.
Proposal Submission:
Submit proposal as a PDF to lsstc@lsst.org (subject line: 2020 Enabling Science Proposal) no later than 11:59pm(PDT) Monday, May 11, 2020 (PDT) Tuesday May 26, 2020. Proposals should be a maximum of five pages in length, including an itemized budget table within those pages.
WORKSHOPS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
As in previous years, this Call is open to proposals to fund workshops, schools, and other programs to prepare for research, education, and outreach opportunities with the LSST data. Given the limited funding for this year’s Call, the Enabling Science program will prioritize LSST Science Collaboration activities and workshops, especially those that bridge the needs of more than one Science Collaboration.
We are accepting proposals to fund activities planned through summer 2021. Proposals should itemize the anticipated expenses, including support for travel for participants. Proposals for workshops, conferences, and similar activities are encouraged to use LSSTCorp funding to enable broader community and junior scientist participation, and as leverage for cost-sharing for local expenses such as catering where possible or appropriate. We welcome proposals that make activities accessible without travel.
Please indicate whether or how your proposed program can be performed with potential COVID-related travel restrictions. There will be no bias for or against programs that require some travel; however, it is important that the committee be aware of how many programs would be impacted by restrictions.
GENERAL GUIDANCE
The primary criterion by which all proposals will be evaluated is the potential impact of the activity on the preparation of any part of the user community for science with LSST data. This preparation can take any form, from preparatory analysis and simulations to the development of techniques, and student education. Proposals that are aligned with the science-preparation tasks of the LSST Science Collaborations are particularly encouraged, as are proposals that include participation of members of Rubin Observatory. Preference will also be given to proposals that include significant participation by LSSTCorp member institutions.
Investigators proposing programs that require more resources than are available through this call are encouraged to apply for LSSTCorp seed funding to develop their ideas. Such proposals should provide a vision for the full program, the near-term goals to be accomplished with the seed funding, and a plan for additional fund-raising.
No indirect fees may be charged to this award. The host institution’s normal fund administration fee may be charged in order to cover a portion of the costs involved in actual expenses administering the grant. It is expected that this rate will not exceed 10% of the grant award. Questions about this policy should be addressed to LSSTCorp (lsstc@lsst.org).
All proposals should describe the program or project, its goals and motivation, and a plan for how it will be carried out. Proposed projects will be evaluated on their potential for impact on the LSSTCorp goals of science preparation and community engagement as well as on the feasibility of the proposed project and plan for execution.
Proposals should address the following items, as appropriate (see template Google doc or PDF):
- How the program will engage the LSSTCorp member institutions, the Science Collaborations, the scientific community, and/or the general public.
- The specific LSST science preparation goal(s) to be addressed; examples include, but are not at all limited to, user-generated pipelines and data products, or activities identified in the Science Collaboration roadmap plans.
- The personnel and resources required, including an estimated budget, the plan and prospects for obtaining needed resources, and how the LSSTCorp funding will be used.
- Concrete deliverables that will result from the program.
Proposals will be reviewed by a panel appointed by the LSSTCorp Board of Directors. Information about the expectations for awardees can be found at this link.
The above details are also available on this LSSTCorp web page.
2020 Enabling Science Proposal template (Google doc or PDF)
Please structure your proposal according to the format outlined in the template and submit a PDF version to lsstc@lsst.org.