Office of Biological and Environmental Research
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
The Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2018 Solicitation 1. Applications are due 5:00pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.
The SCGSR program supports supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory/facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months—with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission. Detailed information about the program, including eligibility requirements and access to the online application system, can be found at: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/.
Open calls from user facilities
Two TES-suppored scienctists, Colleen Iversen (ORNL) and Matt Wallenstein (Colorado State University) were featured on NPR's Science Friday. Visit Science Friday to listen. [Jan 12, 2018]
The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program within the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby announces its interest in receiving research applications for Environmental System Science (ESS). As part of the ESS program, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science activity seeks to improve the understanding and representation of terrestrial ecosystems in ways that advance Earth system model parameterizations and capabilities. This FOA will consider applications that utilize and couple measurements, experiments, modeling and/or synthesis of terrestrial ecosystem across a continuum from the subsurface to the top of the vegetated canopy and from molecular to global scales. ESS hereby announces its interest in grant applications for improved quantitative and predictive understanding of critical terrestrial ecosystems processes and feedbacks within high latitude (i.e., Arctic and Boreal) and coastal ecosystems in the following areas: Interactions between above- and below-ground processes and traits, impacts of disturbances on ecosystems, and coupled biogeochemical and energy fluxes at the terrestrial-aquatic interface. Applicants are required to pose their research applications in the context of representing terrestrial ecosystem processes appropriate for improving the predictability of Earth system models.
Applications from this FOA will support the scientific mission for the Environmental System Science/Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) activity (more information on the program can be found at https://science.energy.gov/ber/research/cesd/terrestrial-ecosystem-science/ and https://tes.science.energy.gov/.
DE-FOA-0001855 - Environmental System Science (https://science.energy.gov/grants/foas/open/) (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=298742)
Please note the schedule below.
Deadline for Pre-applications (required): December 20, 2017; 5 pm eastern time
Deadline for Proposals: March 1, 2018; 11:59 pm eastern time
Please see the announcement for additional details.
Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2017 Solicitation 2. Applications are due 5:00pm ET on Thursday, November 16, 2017.
The SCGSR program supports supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months—with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission.
The Environmental Systems Science topic is one of the most popular in the SCGSR, and students are encouraged to consider applying to the new announcement:
(e) Environmental Systems Science: Process-Level Terrestrial Ecosystem and Biogeochemical Research to Inform Models of the Earth and Environmental System
Current land process, watershed, ecosystem, and climate models inadequately represent the structure and function of key environmental and ecological processes that span the continuum from the bedrock, through the soil and vegetation, and to the atmospheric interface. These processes (e.g., soil biogeochemical reactions, plant-rhizosphere interactions, reactive transport, microbe-mineral interactions, vegetative, etc.), have interfaces and interactions between the various components of the continuum and land surface, riverine environments, coastal zones and the subsurface environment. The inadequate representation of these terrestrial ecosystem, subsurface structures, biogeochemical processes and hydrologic interactions represents a major roadblock in our ability to predictively understand the Earth and environmental systems. Improving our representation of the complex Earth system requires a better understanding of terrestrial ecosystem and/or subsurface processes that can affect the cycling and transport of water, elements (including carbon), nutrients, and other constituents from process-level observational, ecosystem and hydrobiogeochemical research. Candidates for this topic are required to delineate an integrative, hypothesis-driven approach and clearly describe the existing needs in state-of-the-art models through terrestrial ecosystem and subsurface biogeochemical process research projects that will inform land process, watershed, and ecosystem models, and aligns with the scope and focus of the DOE Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and/or Subsurface Biogeochemical Research programs. Developing a workforce with experience in innovative, experimental approaches efforts in subsurface/belowground process research will enable DOE to make significant advances in the high resolution predictive understanding of the Earth and environmental system and to foster innovative research.
Detailed information about the program, including eligibility requirements and access to the online application system, can be found at: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/.
The SCGSR program is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE Office of Science. The program is open to graduate students with Permanent Resident status, in addition to U.S. Citizens, who meet all other eligibility requirements. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral thesis/dissertation while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories. The supplemental award provides for additional, incremental costs for living and travel expenses directly associated with conducting the SCGSR research project at the DOE host laboratory during the award period.
Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 200 graduate awardees from about 90 different universities to conduct thesis research at DOE national laboratories across the nation.
The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), in collaboration with the six Office of Science research programs offices and the DOE national laboratories, and the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE).
For any questions, please contact the SCGSR Program Manager, Dr. Ping Ge, at sc.scgsr@science.doe.gov.
Workshop Report Published: Research Priorities to Incorporate Terrestrial-Aquatic Interfaces in Earth System Models Workshop (2016)
DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications! Detailed information about the program, including eligibility requirements and access to the online application system, can be found at: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/. Applications due May 16, 2017 5:00PM Eastern Time
2017 JGI Community Science Program Annual Call Released
The CSP Annual Call is focused on large-scale sequence-based genomic science projects that address questions of relevance to DOE missions in energy security and sustainability and global biogeochemistry. While applications will be accepted that address any aspect of these mission areas, priority for this call will be given to projects that address the specific areas of special emphasis that are listed in the call, and exploit the diversity of JGI technical and analytical capabilities.
This year four topics areas are emphasized:
A Letter of Intent is required before submitting a proposal. Letters of intent for CSP18 will only be accepted electronically and should be submitted between February 6 and March 31, 2017. For more information, please see the website.
TSE Postdoctoral Research Position Now Open
Applications accepted until Dec. 31, 2016
The Terrestrial and Subsurface Ecosystems science program at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, has an opening for a postdoctoral research staff member. See the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory job posting to apply.
Program Management (Rotator) Opportunity in DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. Download PDF
The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research would like to alert you to new temporary staff opportunities. DOE is seeking qualified individuals to join our Climate and Environmental Sciences Division as Program Manager rotators (under the Interagency Personnel Act – similar to NSF rotators). The positions would be for up to two years. Potential IPAs would need to have a permanent position in either a University or not-for-profit research institution located in the U.S., and would be “loaned” from their home institution to DOE for the performance period. The positions would not be as federal employees. As a rotator, the candidate will co-manage a program within the Division with specific duties including: co-write/manage funding opportunity announcements; manage resulting research projects; assist in coordinating activities at the DOE National laboratories; develop strategic plans and program workshops, plan annual principle investigator meetings, participate in federal interagency coordination committees, etc. In addition, candidates would be expected to have excellent communication skills involving both writing and oral presentation. The positions are based in Germantown, MD (DC metro area) and are limited to US citizens. A Ph.D. is required.
Candidates are invited to work within the following programmatic areas:
For additional information, please contact or send a CV and statement of interest to Dr. Gary Geernaert (Gerald.Geernaert@science.doe.gov, CESD Division Director), Dr. Dan Stover (Daniel.Stover@science.doe.gov, TES), or Dorothy Koch (Dorothy.Koch@science.doe.gov, ESM). Serious inquires only please.
DOE Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory EMSL Director Allison Campbell interviews Malak Tfaily, a post doc in EMSL's Spectrometry group. TES funds Tfaily's role at EMSL. (June 29, 2014)
The Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is accepting applications for the 2016 Solicitation 2. Applications are due 5:00 pm ET on Monday, November 21, 2016. The SCGSR program supports supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months—with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE / Office of Science mission. The SCGSR program is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE Office of Science. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students' overall doctoral thesis/dissertation while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories. The supplemental award provides for additional, incremental costs for living and travel expenses directly associated with conducting the SCGSR research project at the DOE host laboratory during the award period.
Early Career Research Program (PDF, 405KB) Announcement Number: DE FOA 0001625; Posting Date: July 28, 2016; Closing Date: November 14, 2016 Companion Announcement: LAB 16-1625. See Also: additional information from the Office of Science
Notes: Pre-Application Due Date: 09/08/2016 at 5 PM Eastern Time (A Pre-Application is required);
Encourage/Discourage Date: 10/06/2016 at 5 PM Eastern Time;
Application Due Date: 11/14/2016 at 5 PM Eastern Time
For TES-Funded Research Only: Online highlight submission now available! This system collects brief science highlights describing published research supported by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) program within DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER).
Post Doc Opening. The Terrestrial and Subsurface Ecosystems science program at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, in Richland WA has an opening for postdoctoral research staff. We are seeking a recent graduate in environmental geochemistry, soil ecology, plant ecophysiology or hydrology to study the terrestrial carbon cycle dynamics using advanced spectroscopic, analytical, imaging experimental platforms and computational, simulation, and modeling approaches. Candidates will be interviewed in June 2016. MORE INFORMATION.
DOE, NASA, USDA-NIFA, and NOAA are pleased to announce the release of the NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) Funding Opportunity, Topic A.5 "Carbon Cycle Science". This is a joint solicitation between NASA, NOAA, USDA-NIFA, and DOE for funding in fiscal year 2017. Step 1/Notice of Intents are due April 1, 2016, and full proposals are due June 15, 2016.
More information on the ROSES announcement can be found here: http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2016.
Specific information on Topic A.5 Carbon Cycle Science can be found here: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={BDFEB327-957C-2DA8-CFB4-AABEA9A38D57}&path=open
For more information, please see the full ROSES announcement below:
DOE JGI CSP Call. DOE's Joint Genome Institute (JGI) has just released its annual Community Science Program (CSP) call focused on large-scale sequence-based genomic science projects that address questions of relevance to DOE missions in sustainable biofuel production, global carbon cycling, and biogeochemistry. While applications will be accepted that address any aspect of these mission areas, priority for this call will be given to projects that address the specific areas of special emphasis that are listed in the call, and exploit the diversity of JGI technical and analytical capabilities. Note a Letter of Intent is required (April 7, 2016 deadline).
For the CSP annual call, a letter of intent is required to submit a proposal to JGI. Submitters whose letters of intent/proposals are approved will receive further instructions via email. Human or animal disease-causing organisms will NOT be considered under this Program. Only plant pathogens of relevance to bioenergy-related crops or plants will be considered. All proposals will be reviewed for scientific merit, DOE relevance, proposed data usage by the applicant/community, and track record of the applicant. Proposers are encouraged to review JGI's sample requirements; samples that are not available in a timely manner, or are of insufficient quality or quantity, will delay or potentially defer approval for sequencing.
For questions about the appropriateness of projects, program specifics or application process, please contact Susannah Tringe (sgtringe@lbl.gov). For more information: https://jgi.doe.gov/user-program-info/community-science-program/ [2/16]
DOE JGI-EMSL Facilities Integrating Collaborations for User Science (FICUS) Call for Proposals. The FICUS program was established to encourage and enable researchers to more easily integrate the expertise and capabilities of multiple user facilities into their research. The FICUS call between DOE JGI and Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory (EMSL) represents a unique opportunity for researchers to combine the power of genomics and molecular characterization in one proposed research project. Both user facilities play critical roles in supporting DOE's energy, environment and basic research missions. Successful applications will focus on high risk/high payoff projects in the focused topic areas that can be completed on an accelerated timeline as compared with the standard CSP projects. In addition, they must utilize a broad range of the capabilities of each facility, and generate datasets beyond what each of these facilities could generate by itself. A letter of Intent is required (April 4, 2016 deadline).
For questions about the appropriateness of projects, program specifics or application process, please contact Terry Law (Emsl@pnnl.gov). For more information:https://jgi.doe.gov/user-program-info/community-science-program/how-to-propose-a-csp-project/emsl/ [2/16]
Science Graduate Student Research Accepting Applications. The Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) is now accepting applications for the SCGSR Program for its first solicitation for 2016.Applications are due May 11, 2016. Please note that beginning with the 2015 Solicitation 2 the SCGSR Program began accepting applications from graduate students with Permanent Resident status, in addition to those who are U.S. citizens. Questions: sc.scgsr@science.doe.gov [2/16]
SBIR/STTR FY 2016 Phase II DE-FOA-0001405: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for Fiscal Year 2016, Phase II Release 1. (Closing date: Dec 15, 2015) See also http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir.
Grant Notice: DE-FOA-0001437
Closing Date for Applications: Jan 22, 2016
The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research in Environmental Systems Science (ESS), including Terrestrial Ecosystem Science (TES) and Subsurface Biogeochemical Research (SBR). The mission of the Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD) within BER is to advance a robust predictive understanding of Earth’s climate and environmental systems and to inform the development of sustainable solutions to the Nation’s energy and environmental challenges. The goal of the Environmental System Science (ESS) activity in the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) is to advance a robust predictive understanding of terrestrial environments, extending from bedrock to the top of the vegetated canopy and from molecular to global scales in support of DOE’s energy and environmental missions. Using an iterative approach to model-driven experimentation and observation, interdisciplinary teams of scientists work to unravel the coupled physical, chemical and biological processes that control the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems across vast spatial and temporal scales. State-of-science understanding is captured in conceptual theories and models which can be translated into a hierarchy of computational components and used to predict the system response to perturbations caused, for example, by changes in climate, land use/cover or contaminant loading. Basic understanding of the system structure and function is advanced through this iterative cycle of experimentation and observation by targeting key system components and processes that are suspected to most limit the predictive skill of the models. Details.
Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program. The US Department of Energy is pleased to announce the Office of Science's Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) is now accepting applications for the new Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program for the 2015. The SCGSR program will support supplemental awards to graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months. The goal of the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is to prepare graduate students for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission, by providing graduate thesis research opportunities at DOE laboratories. The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students' overall doctoral thesis while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the DOE laboratories. Priority research areas for the 2015 SCGSR competition were identified to help address important workforce needs in support of Office of Science mission. The priority research areas for the 2015 SCGSR competition can be viewed at: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/how-to-apply/priority-sc-research-areas/.
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories/facilities. They perform research, under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers, on projects supporting the DOE mission. Applications for the SULI program are solicited annually for three separate internship terms. Internship appointments are 10 weeks in duration for the Summer Term (May through August) or 16 weeks in duration for the Fall (August through December) and Spring (January through May) Terms. Each DOE laboratory/facility offers different research opportunities; not all DOE laboratories/facilities offer internships during the Fall and Spring Terms. More information can be found at https://science.energy.gov/wdts/suli/.
SBIR/STTR FY 2016 DE-FOA-0001366: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for two distinct funding opportunities for DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for Fiscal Year 2016, Phase I Release 1. (Closing date: Oct 19, 2015) See also announcement PDF and http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir.
Shaima Nasiri Announced as New Program Manager in Climate and Environmental Sciences Division: Dr. Shaima Nasiri has been selected as Program Manager, responsible for co-managing the Atmospheric System Research Program of BER in DOE Office of Science; starting August 10, 2015. She shares programmatic responsibilities for the ASR program with Dr. Ashley Williamson. Dr. Nasiri comes to DOE with impeccable scientific credentials as well as experience in the management of federal programs. During the past decade, Dr. Nasiri served on the faculty of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, where she published extensively on topics involving cloud physics, aerosol science, and satellite meteorology. Dr. Nasiri also gained tremendous experience during the past year as an IPA serving as co-manager of the ASR program; during this time she has also represented DOE conducting strategic planning for climate sciences within the US Global Change Research Program (as part of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy).
DE-FOA-0001386 Early Career Research Program Announcement: The Office of Science of the Department of Energy hereby invites grant applications for support under the Early Career Research Program in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); High Energy Physics (HEP), and Nuclear Physics (NP). The purpose of this program is to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and to stimulate research careers in the areas supported by the DOE Office of Science.(Closing date: Nov 19, 2015)
TES welcomes new Program Manager Jared DeForest: Dr. Jared L. DeForest is a Program Manager for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science programs in the Climate and Environmental Sciences Division of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. He co-manages a portfolio of university and national laboratory research projects to improve the representation of critical terrestrial ecosystem properties and processes in predictive Earth system models (ESM). This includes the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE-Arctic & NEGG-Tropics) and SPRUCE. Jared is a rotator (IPA) to DOE’s Office of Science from the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology at Ohio University. He earned his Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan in 2004 and his M.S. and B.S. in Forestry from Michigan Technological University in 2000 and 1997, respectively. After his post-doc investigating ecosystem-scale carbon exchange from the University of Toledo, he became a faculty member at Ohio University in 2006 and is currently an associate professor. His teaching portfolio includes Soil Properties and Ecosystem Processes, Restoration Ecology, Plant Ecology (non-majors), and Plants & People (non-majors). His research interests draws from soil biogeochemistry (coupled biogeochemical cycles), ecosystem ecology, microbial ecology, and forestry to understand how soil mediates the structure and function of ecosystems. Specifically, he investigates soil microorganism’s influence on the nutrient economy (nitrogen and phosphorus) and how that mediates ecosystem carbon cycling and storage. [bio]
The Terrestrial Ecosystem Science program is sponsored by the Climate and Environmental Sciences Division of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
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