ICERM encourages proposals for programs that support its mission "to foster and broaden the relationship between mathematics and computation". These include semester programs, topical workshops, Hot Topic workshops, Collaborate@ICERM teams, and Summer@ICERM undergraduate research programs. We are open to proposals from any area of the mathematical sciences. Both pure and applied fields may benefit from the positive feedback between computation and theory that ICERM seeks to promote. ICERM Directors can help proposers flesh out their ideas within the context of our mission.
Developing an ICERM workshop or semester program is an iterative process, involving many conversations with ICERM Directors and proposal drafts in response to feedback from Directors and ICERM's boards, and fine-tuning after the event is publicly announced. The first step is often a brief conversation with a Director or board member. While not every idea leads to a program or even a proposal, about half of formal proposals result in ICERM programs.
Program organizers are involved in decisions regarding invitations of research fellows and speakers, as well as the selection of participants who apply to attend their programs. Financial decisions are the responsibility of ICERM Directors. Once a program is accepted, organizers continue to receive scientific feedback and guidance from the Directors. In addition, the institute's event, finance, and IT staff provide comprehensive logistical and customer support to all organizers and participants.
Effective proposals generally address several questions: Why is the proposed scientific topic important and timely? How does it support ICERM's mission? Who will organize the event, i.e., give scientific direction and make necessary decisions as the program develops? How will the event attract participation from the community, including from underrepresented groups? And how will it support the training of early-career researchers?
Directors are happy to offer feedback on draft proposals in advance of program deadlines.
ICERM hosts two semester programs per year. Each has organizers and long-term participants who are expected to be in residence for the majority of the semester. Semester programs typically incorporate three week-long associated workshops. For a typical program, ICERM provides travel and lodging support for 5-10 organizers (at least a month in residence, with some for the full semester); 20-30 long-term participants (4+ weeks); 1 Institute and 5 Semester postdoctoral fellows (salaried); 60 short-term participants (1-4 weeks); 10-15 graduate students (6+ weeks); and workshop attendees. ICERM helps essential long-term participants negotiate sabbatical leaves or teaching releases to foster their participation.
Contact the ICERM Director to discuss program ideas prior to submitting a formal proposal.
A semester program proposal should be 6-10 pages and contain:
Proposals should be submitted to the ICERM Director. Annual target deadlines are October 1st and May 1st. ICERM Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) review all proposals. Proposers will receive feedback within a month of the SAB meeting.
Steps and deadlines for Fall Semester Proposals
Steps and deadlines for Spring Semester Proposals
ICERM's topical workshops run over 5 weekdays and focus on a timely and exciting theme that aligns with the institute's mission of supporting and broadening the relationship between mathematics and computation. ICERM hosts 5-7 topical workshops each year. They are typically scheduled in December, January, and May through August (around the dates of the semester programs). ICERM covers travel and lodging expenses of the organizers and 20-25 invited speakers/lead participants; some participants (applicants) to the workshop may also be supported.
Contact the ICERM Director to discuss program ideas prior to submitting a formal proposal.
A topical workshop proposal should be 2-4 pages and contain:
Proposals should be submitted to the ICERM Director. Annual target deadlines are October 1st and May 1st. ICERM Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) review all proposals. Proposers will receive feedback within a month of the SAB meeting.
Hot Topics workshops are designed to allow ICERM to move quickly in order to start the public exploration of breakthroughs and emerging mathematical areas. They run 2-3 days and are organized on a few months notice. They can originate through suggestions from ICERM boards or the community.
We welcome suggestions for Hot Topics Workshops. Send your ideas to the ICERM Director ICERM Director. The Director and the SAB Hot Topics subcommittee will consider proposals for such workshops, which should include:
Proposals can be brief but ICERM directors may follow up with questions or requests for additional information.
Deadlines for Hot Topics proposals are February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Suggestions are considered by the ICERM Directors, and a sub-committee of ICERM's Scientific Advisory Board that decides which ideas are developed into workshops.
Summer@ICERM is not your typical REU, in that ICERM provides comprehensive start-to-finish logistical support to the faculty organizers, including assistance recruiting TAs. In addition, faculty and TAs are paid summer salary with lodging support, and the average faculty/TA-to-student ratio is 3:1.
Summer@ICERM is an eight-week summer research program for 16-20 undergraduates, with participants selected (via MathPrograms.org) from a talented pool of students currently enrolled in U.S. universities and colleges. A small number of international participants may also be admitted.
Students work in small groups, typically in pairs, supervised by faculty advisors and assisted by TAs.
In addition to research projects, the program includes topical mini-courses and colloquium-style lectures given by invited speakers. Students present their findings at a symposium at the end of the program. Faculty organizers and TAs are required to be in residence for a minimum of six of the eight weeks, especially the first and last week of the program. Faculty and TAs receive a stipend and travel support, and faculty also get partial or full support for lodging. Students receive stipends, room, and board.
Contact the ICERM Director to discuss program ideas prior to submitting a formal proposal.
Summer@ICERM proposals should be 4-6 pages and contain:
Proposals should be submitted to the ICERM Director. The deadline is September 1st of each year. For the current cycle, we are accepting proposals through October 21, 2024. ICERM Directors and the Education Advisory Board (EAB) review all proposals. Proposers receive feedback within a month of the EAB meeting. Proposals from faculty experienced in leading undergraduate research projects are given preference.
These are 1-3 week events on a timely and exciting theme that aligns with the institute's mission, with a focus on the training of graduate students, recent PhDs, and researchers new to the field. They are typically scheduled in December, January, and May through August (around the dates of the semester programs). ICERM covers travel and lodging expenses of the organizers, invited speakers, TAs, and early-career participants (applicants).
Contact the ICERM Director to discuss program ideas prior to submitting a formal proposal.
A proposal should be 4-6 pages and contain:
Proposals should be submitted to the ICERM Director. Annual target deadlines are October 1st and May 1st. ICERM Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) review all proposals. Proposers will receive feedback within a month of the SAB meeting.
Collaborate@ICERM offers teams of 3-6 researchers the opportunity to spend five days at the institute during the summer (May-August) or during the month of January. The team research project should have a computational or experimental component. ICERM provides access to a variety of software packages as well as to high performance computing through Brown's Center for Computation and Visualization.
Proposals involving research projects that continue a collaboration fostered at one of the past ICERM semester programs are encouraged. This program provides limited funding for travel to the institute and local accommodations for six nights.
Though it is not required, Collaborate@ICERM proposers are welcome to contact the ICERM Director prior to submitting a proposal for preliminary feedback.
The 2-3 page Collaborate@ICERM proposal should include a research title and the list of team members on the first page, as well as:
The majority of group participants must be from U.S. institutions. C@I groups can include self-funded participants. The entire team should be present for the week at ICERM. An individual invited to more than one accepted C@I proposal within a given review cycle will only receive funding for one of the visits. Individuals should not participate in a C@I program more than twice within three years.
Completed proposals should be submitted to the ICERM Director. Annual target deadlines are October 1st and May 1st. ICERM Directors and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) review all proposals. Proposers will receive feedback within a month of the SAB meeting.
SAB members are welcome to submit proposals for consideration for any of ICERM's programs. However, they will not participate in the discussion of the full SAB, or relevant subcommittee, of any proposals being considered for the program to which they have submitted a proposal. For example, an SAB member who proposes a semester program to be considered during an SAB review will not participate in the discussion for any of the semester programs under consideration during that review.
Anything considered a conflict of interest under NSF panel rules must be declared to the director before the proposal is discussed and evaluated in any SAB review. This would include proposals from recent collaborators, doctoral students, doctoral advisors, and family members. Conflicts that ICERM is made aware of will be communicated in a note attached to the final agenda of the SAB meeting(s) or distributed to the relevant subcommittee reviewing the proposal.
Please click here for information regarding ICERM's funding sources.