^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AWG E-MAIL NEWS No. 2000-31, June 15, 2000 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CONTENTS: 1) NSF INFORMAL SCIENCE EDUCATION MEETING & PROPOSALS 2) LETTER TO THE EDITOR-IMPACTS OF REDUCTIONS IN USGS WATER RESOURCES DIVISION FUNDING 3) SUBMISSION & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1) NSF INFORMAL SCIENCE EDUCATION MEETING & PROPOSALS The NSF Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE) is hosting a meeting for community-based organizations in support of disseminating opportunities posed in the new ESIE/ISE program guidelines (NSF 00-99). If you can recommend organizations that might be interested in attending a local meeting, or in otherwise being updated (an e-mail message) on this opportunity, please send full contact information to Sylvia James, ESIE/ISE (sjames@nsf.gov), the event coordinator. NSF Informal Science Education (ISE) Meeting for Youth and Community-Based Organizations July 7, 2000 Room 110, National Science Foundation Arlington, VA ESIE has released a program announcement that includes guidelines for innovative projects that will engage youth in substantive out of school activities in specific areas of science, mathematics, and engineering. NSF After School Centers for Exploration and New Discovery (ASCEND) projects are expected to provide innovative opportunities for engaging middle- and high school youth in substantive out-of-school activities. Projects should promote technological literacy by exploring science, mathematics, and engineering in creative after-school and weekend programs. This program is established by the National Science Foundation in accord with the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-277). The program announcement, NSF 00-99, is only available electronically via NSF's Online Document System at . Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 00-2. The complete text of the GPG (including electronic forms) is available electronically on the NSF Web site . Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722, or by e-mail from . ASCEND proposals must be submitted electronically using the NSF FastLane system for electronic proposal submission and review, available through the World Wide Web at the FastLane Home Page . If your institution is not a FastLane registered institution, your Sponsored Research Office (SRO) or equivalent needs to submit the registration form located at . This should be done as soon as the decision to prepare a proposal is made. A list of FastLane registered institutions is located at . If the submitting organization has never received an NSF award, it is recommended that the organization's appropriate administrative officials become familiar with the policies and procedures in the NSF Grant Policy Manual which are applicable to most NSF awards. The Prospective New Awardee Guide (NSF 99-78) includes Administration and Management Information; Accounting System Requirements and Auditing Information; and information on Payments to Organizations with Awards. This information will assist an organization in preparing documents that NSF requires to conduct administrative and financial reviews of an organization. The guide also serves as a means of highlighting the accountability requirements associated with Federal awards. This document is available electronically on NSF's Web site . As a reminder, ASCEND Projects have proposal deadlines as follows: Preliminary proposals on August 14; Full proposals on November 15. EHR/ESIE's Informal Science Education program is hosting a meeting for community-based organizations in support of disseminating opportunities posed in the new ESIE/ISE program guidelines (NSF 00-99). If you can recommend organizations that might be interested in attending a local meeting, or in otherwise being updated (an e-mail message) on this opportunity, please send full contact information to Sylvia James, ESIE/ISE (sjames@nsf.gov), the event coordinator. NSF Informal Science Education (ISE) Meeting for Youth and Community-Based Organizations, July 7, 2000, Room 110, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 2) LETTER TO THE EDITOR-IMPACTS OF REDUCTIONS IN USGS WATER RESOURCES DIVISION FUNDING I thought it appropriate to point out some of the impacts of the reductions in Water Resources Division funding on those of us in the geosciences. The USGS streamgaging network has provided streamflow data for the nation since 1889. Because of funding cuts and redirection of funds at the Federal level, it is largely supported through agreements with many (about 1,300) cooperators nationwide. The data are irreplaceable for accurate flood forecasting and for evaluating risk. Accurate and timely streamflow data in the early minutes, hours, and days of a flood greatly improve the accuracy of National Weather Service flood models, enabling them to issue credible and timely flood warnings. These same sites also provide the long-term record of flood peaks that is needed to evaluate the risk and magnitude of future floods and these evaluations are used in all kinds of design criteria. Every time you safely cross a bridge, culvert, or drain during a flood, you are benefiting from data from the streamgaging network. Unfortunately the network has diminished greatly. Particularly disturbing is the closing down of sites with long-periods of record because of the redirection of limited funds. In the future, our estimates of risk will be less reliable. The impact of climate or land-use changes on streamflow will be a mystery. The most obvious example of the relation between streamflow and the geosciences is in geomorphology. There is an increasing role nationally for geomorphologists in the study of riparian systems because of the importance of riparian areas for protection of water quality from non-point runoff. Non-point source runoff is the largest source of water contamination in the United States. USGS streamflow data, including the measurement of cross-sections and velocities at about 7,000 sites every six weeks, often is an important part of these geomorphological investigations. Hence, the network, particularly the sites with long-periods of record, is important to the geosciences, not just the flood forecasters. Many steps lie between us and the final appropriation. I appreciate your newsletters and am glad to see you using them to inform members of the appropriation process. Please let me know if you would like more information. Sincerely, Kathy Kathy D. Peter,P.E. District Chief USGS 202 NW 66th, Bldg.7 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 kdpeter@usgs.gov 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 3) SUBMISSION & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ***Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of AWG E-Mail News. For submissions to AWG E-Mail News, contact Editor Joanne Kluessendorf at editor@awg.org. For advertising, contact the Ad Editor at ads@awg.org. PLEASE SEND AD COPY OR OTHER SUBMISSIONS AS RTF FILES OR AS PART OF AN E-MAIL MESSAGE ***For membership information or to join AWG, visit our website at or contact our business office at ***E-mail or address changes? Send to office@awg.org, please. -Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf Dept. of Geology, University of Illinois 1301 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801 USA phone: (217) 367-5916 fax: (217) 244-4996; e-mail: jkluesse@uiuc.ed