2024 Seed Proposal Period: November 14, 2024–January 15, 2025
In August of 2024, NSF Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) and the Facilities and Instrumentation Program (IF) renewed funding for NCALM's Seed Project program for two years. The program will seek proposals for the collection of high density airborne lidar data to support Earth science research. For these cycles, we are looking for proposals that also broaden participation and impact of the program, for example:
- projects with the direct participation of individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities or institutions,
- projects that directly address a geospatial/Earth science need of a minority community (e.g., study of geohazard risk on tribal land or impoverish neighborhood),
- projects that aim at using the data for Earth science education and/or capacity building of historically marginalized or underrepresented groups (e.g., mapping an educational field site to create a digital twin to increase accessibility for students),
- projects that aim to obtain data of regions of high scientific and/or social importance that have not been mapped before,
- novel applications of airborne mapping lidar as part of interdisciplinary research with an Earth science component.
To broaden participation in the program, the eligibility requirements of applicants have been expanded to include:
- graduate level students (M.S. and Ph.D.) at any accredited institution in the U.S.,
- Earth science (or related) faculty at recognized minority serving institutions without doctoral programs,
- Earth science (or related) faculty at community colleges.
As in the previous cycles, NCALM will collect high density topographic lidar data (~15 pulses/m2) for a total area(s) of interest of up to 40 km2. Proposals for the 2024–2025 cycle should be submitted by January 15th, 2025. For more information on the program, FAQs, technical limitations and restrictions, and link to the application page, visit the NCALM Seed Project Program website at: ncalm.cive.uh.edu/seed-proposals.
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