Grants / National Science Foundation / U.S. National Science Foundation

NSF 18-504: Biological Anthropology Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants

Closed Closed Opportunity NSF 18-504 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) (NSF 27-500). Status: Closes January 29, 2027 (83 days left). It is in our archive of U.S. National Science Foundation notices from 2025.

• Total funding$800,000
• Expected awards40
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: - Universities and Colleges - Ph.D. granting universities and colleges accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions. *Who May Serve as PI: DDRIG proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI; the faculty member serving as the doctoral student's dissertation advisor) and a co-principal investigator (Co-PI; the doctoral student) from the same U.S. university. The proposal should be submitted through regular, required organizational channels by the PI/dissertation advisor on behalf of the graduate student Co-PI. If appropriate, an additional faculty member may serve as another Co-PI. The doctoral student must be enrolled at a U.S. institution, but need not be a U.S. citizen. At the time of the submission deadline, doctoral students are expected to be at the appropriate stage of their academic career to enable submission of a finalized dissertation proposal, most typically very near, or having advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Most of the program's money (87% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The Biological Anthropology Program supports multifaceted research to advance scientific knowledge of human biology and ecology, including understanding of our evolutionary history and mechanisms that have shaped human and nonhuman primate biological diversity. Supported research focuses on living and fossil forms of both human and nonhuman primates, addressing time scales ranging from the short-term to evolutionary, encompassing multiple levels of analysis (e.g., molecular, organismal, population, ecosystem), conducted in field, laboratory, captive, and computationalresearch environments, and often incorporating interactions between human biology and culture. Areas of inquiry that promote understanding of the evolution, biology, and adaptability of our diverse species include, but are not limited to:genetic/epigenetic/genomic variation and relationship to phenotype;ecology and socioecology; functional anatomy and skeletal biology; andpaleoanthropology and primate paleontology. Multidisciplinary research that integrates biological anthropology with related anthropological fields, such as archaeology, cultural anthropology, and forensic anthropology, also may receive support through the Program. The Program contributes to the integration of education and basic research through support of dissertation projects conducted by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities. This solicitation specifically addresses the preparation and evaluation of proposals for such Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) Grants. Dissertation research projects in all of the subareas of biological anthropology are eligible for support through these grants. These awards are intended to enhance and improve the conduct of dissertation research by doctoral students who are pursuing research in biological anthropology that enhances basic scientific knowledge.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, NSF 27-500, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.