The slides are available here. 

The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) held a Virtual Office Hour on April 21^st, 2022 where we spoke about the Leading Culture Change Through Professional Societies of Biology (BIO-LEAPS, NSF 22-542). Program officers active in this opportunity visited to discuss and answer questions that the audience had.

BIO-LEAPS aims to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the biological sciences through the leadership, broad reach, and unique attributes of our professional societies (broad membership, publishing journals, etc.). Ultimately, a change in culture in the life sciences is the desired outcome. Some important points to remember:

• There are three ‘tracks’ – Evaluation, Design, and Implementation. Applicants determine where their planned activities best fit.
• Proposals are due July 1^st, 2022.
• Proposals may be submitted either by institutions of higher education or by non-profit, non-academic organizations like professional societies.

Some general questions asked included:

• Is it required to identify which track you are applying for? – Yes, at the beginning of your project title you will indicate ‘Evaluation:’, ‘Design:’ or ‘Implementation:’ as best fits your proposed project and activities.
• What if our proposed project potentially fits multiple tracks? For example, we have some participants who are ready to design a strategy while others are still evaluating their professional society. – The best advice we can give is to consider what you will be proposing and how much of what you are proposing is falling to one track or another, and then choose the track that best fits the majority of your proposal. We also encourage you to reach out to the BIO-LEAPS program (BIO-LEAPS@nsf.gov) to have a discussion with program officers.
• There is a need for ‘evidence-based strategies’ to guide and inform project design and implementation. Does this mean only published work or can internal data satisfy this requirement? – Depending on the activities you are proposing, internal data is appropriate to gather. However, it depends on how you will be using that data to inform the approaches you are proposing to address culture change.  The approaches you use should be evidence based.
• Do all of the tracks require an individual with expertise in assessment, systemic or organizational change, or DEI? – Yes, projects submitted to any of the three tracks require that an individual who meets this requirement be involved in the work.

Please join us on May 19^th, 2022 for our next IOS Virtual Office Hour when we will discuss the Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER, new solicitation NSF 22-586).  Please let newer faculty in your department know about this upcoming VOH and the new CAREER solicitation!