The program, part of NSF’s BRAIN Initiative efforts, will open new opportunities to understand complex aspects of neural and cognitive systems through integrative multidisciplinary approaches
The National Science Foundation has recently released a solicitation for a new BRAIN Initiative program called “Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems.” This program, focusing on the complexities of brain and behavior, calls for innovative, integrative, boundary-crossing proposals that can leverage rapid advances within and across disciplines. Such proposals will form an increasingly interconnected fabric of theories, models, empirical methods and findings, and educational approaches.
The program will consider two classes of high-risk, high-reward proposals. Integrative Foundations awards will support projects that develop foundational advances that are deeply connected to a broad scope of important research questions in neural and cognitive systems, and have significant potential for transformative advances in one or more of the integrative thematic areas. Core + Supplements will provide additional support to new or existing projects in the participating NSF directorates, enabling additional activities that will connect those projects to significant new integrative opportunities in neural and cognitive systems.
This program is open to proposals to advance the foundations of one or more of the following research themes:
Two of the themes continued from FY15 are Neuroengineering and Brain-Inspired Concepts and Designs and Individuality and Variation.
Two additional themes for FY16 are Cognitive and Neural Processes in Realistic, Complex Environments and Data-Intensive Neuroscience and Cognitive Science.
Within each theme, advances in theory and methods, technological innovations, educational approaches, research infrastructure, and workforce development are all of significant interest.
The table below explains the structure of the program: first researchers pick a proposal type (Integrative Foundations or Core + Supplements) and then choose one of the four themes.
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Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems |
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Integrative Foundations |
Core + Supplements |
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FY 15: Neuroengineering and Brain-Inspired Concepts and Designs |
FY 15: Neuroengineering and Brain-Inspired Concepts and Designs |
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FY 15: Individuality and Variation |
FY 15: Individuality and Variation |
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FY 16: Cognitive and Neural Processes in Realistic, Complex Environments |
FY 16: Cognitive and Neural Processes in Realistic, Complex Environments |
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FY 16: Data-Intensive Neuroscience and Cognitive Science |
FY 16: Data-Intensive Neuroscience and Cognitive Science |
Letter of Intent Deadline Date: December 10, 2015
Full Proposal Deadline Date: January 26, 2016
A webinar was held on November 23, 2015, to describe the goals and focus of the solicitation, help investigators understand its scope, and answer any questions potential PIs may have. The following materials related to the webinar are available for download:
- Presentation slides (PPT file, 1.2 MB)
- Audio (MP3 file, 6.7 MB)
- Transcript (PDF, 114 KB)
More information about the solicitation can be found here: