Below, five topical areas are listed with their respective application deadlines.

Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems,
Dec. 3, 2003 and Nov. 17, 2004.

Coupled Biogeochemical Cycles,
Jan. 22, 2004.

Genome-Enabled Environmental Science and Engineering,
Dec. 17, 2003.

Instrumentation Development for Environmental Activities,
Dec. 3, 2003.

Materials Use: Science, Engineering & Society,
Feb. 11, 2004 and Feb. 8, 2005.

NSF invites proposals for biocomplexity studies that will provide a more complete understanding of natural processes and cycles, of human behaviors and decisions in the natural world, and of ways to use new technology effectively to observe the environment and sustain the diversity of life on Earth.

By placing biocomplexity studies in an environmental context, this competition emphasizes research with the following characteristics:

(a) a high degree of interdisciplinarity;

(b) a focus on complex environmental systems that includes non-human biota or humans; and

(c) a focus on systems with high potential for exhibiting non-linear behavior.

A total of approximately $68 million is expected to be available over fiscal years 2004-05 to fund 40 awards. The categories of proposers identified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals.

More information is available at: www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf03597