Welcome Gen-4 ERC Class of 2024

Congratulations to our new ERC awardees and welcome to the ERC family! We have developed this webpage to help you jump start your work in the first year. Please watch the introduction video below before reading the other information on this page.

Introduction

Important Dates in the first year of Award:

  • Kick off Q&A: 3-5pm EDT, Oct. 17, 2024
  • 90-day deliverables: Dec. 1, 2024
  • 6-month deliverables: Mar. 1, 2025
  • 6-month ramp-up site visit: 1 day in Spring 2025 (to be held on-campus at the lead university pending NSF funding availability for ERC PD travel) 
  • Class of 2024 year 2 site visit: 2-day on-campus site visits at the Lead university in Fall 2025

Your ERC team points of contact:

  • Cognizant ERC PD: NSF program director who has been assigned to oversee your ERC
  • ERC program Admin Staff: NSF administrative staff members who work with PDs in the NSF ERC program to organize and manage site visits
  • Functional Group Liaisons: NSF ERC PDs who provide input to various ERC self-managed groups by ERC functional role (eg. ADs, DCI Directors, etc...) and keep the rest of the NSF EEC division informed of the groups’ activities 
  • ERCWeb team: contractors who developed and have been maintaining the erc-assoc.org and erc-reports.org websites, 
  • Consultants: experts who are contracted by NSF to provide consulting services to the ERCs with regards to the AD and SPI/ILO roles

ERC Program Resources

Key Resources

  • ERC Acronyms contains frequently used acronyms for the ERC program.
  • The ERC Association website is the public-facing ERC program site and contains news and information regarding the ERC portfolio for a range of audiences.
    • The ERC Best Practices Manual contains useful information in launching and running a successful ERC. Please note that this manual is updated periodically by ERC functional groups.
  • The ERCWeb interface is the annual report data entry system for awarded ERCs and links to the ERC Library web which is publicly accessible and houses most of the ERC program guidance.
    • A key document on the ERC Library is the Gen-4 ERC Performance Criteria which are performance rubrics against which ERCs are evaluated during annual site visit review.

For each of the foundational component videos linked below, please pay attention to how ERC performance is evaluated and the best practices for component management and leadership. Please bring your questions to the Kick-off Q&A on Oct. 17th. Please note that while the dates and reference to COVID in the videos below are from the Class of 2020 kick-off, the content of these videos applies for all new Gen-4 ERCs.

 

Convergent Research

 

 

Engineering Workforce Development

  • Download slides to this video
  • Please note that the that this video references a project to develop resources for evaluation across Centers.  The MERCII tool is now available for teams who wish to use this resource for measuring the effectiveness of education and diversity programs within and across ERCs.
  • Resources for the ERC EWD Leaders Group can be found on nanohub: Learn More
  • Resources for the ERC Evaluators Group can be found on nanohub: Learn More

 

Innovation Ecosystem

 

Diversity and Culture of Inclusion

  • Download slides to this video
  • Please note that the ERC program is committed to broadening participation, building capacity, and creating opportunities for everyone. ERCs are encouraged to work within local university policies for carrying out work that falls within the DCI foundational component.
  • Resources for the ERC DCI Leaders Group can be found on nanohub: https://nanohub.org/groups/erc_diversity

 

90-Day Deliverables

Each new ERC is required to submit a collection of documents within 90 days of award.  As outlined in the cooperative agreement, the following list of items should be submitted via email to your cognizant ERC PD by December 1, 2024.

  • Strategic Plan and Logic Model
  • Evaluation and Assessment Plan
  • Center Governance Model and Organizational Chart
  • Innovation Ecosystem Membership Agreement
  • Intellectual Property Policy
  • Establishment of charters for boards, councils, and committees
  • Data Management Plan
  • Center-level Risk Management Plan
  • Updated IRB and IACUC documentation

The following videos provide some guidance on preparing these documents.  Many of the documents will become living documents for the ERC to periodically reflect upon and revise.

 

Logic Model

 

Infrastructure Management

 

Risk Management

 

Award Oversight and Annual Reporting

 

6-month Deliverables

To ensure that ERCs are progressing as needed in the first year of award, the ERC program requires documentation of meeting the 6-month deliverables. All Centers must address the first 3 items listed below, with additional items required for individual Centers as described in your cooperative agreement.

  • Ensure that all positions within the ERC Leadership team are filled. Verify that time and effort commitments to the ERC are consistent with their roles on the team.
  • Ensure that projects have started, and project management includes planned coordination to enhance the synergy across complementary activities.
  • Ensure that all technology elements (laboratories, equipment, testbeds) across partner institutions are in place to support the collaborative and integrative elements of the Center that are essential for success.

Start-up Site Visit

  • The first item to address when preparing for your ERC’s start-up site visit is to set a date for Spring 2025.  We recommend scheduling your site visit for March in coordination with your cognizant ERC Program Director.
  • In combination with the ERC Strategic Plan and other 90-day documentation, the Start-up Site visit serves as the basis for the Year 2 funding recommendation.
  • The NSF site visit team will include your cognizant ERC program director, disciplinary Co-program director, and additional NSF officers and staff who will provide feedback and guidance on ERC progress. 
  • Each ERC is expected to plan the site visit agenda following the guidance provided below, and with approval by your cognizant ERC PD.  Sufficient in-person attendance from ERC lead and core partner personnel is expected to facilitate the presentation and Q&A of the following topics.  Hybrid sessions or call-in options for key personnel should be used sparingly as needed. 
  • The one-day site visit agenda should include:
    • Center Overview including overview of strategic plan and any revisions, updates on institutional agreements, organizational chart, staffing, committees, SLC, and advisory boards
    • Council of Deans including updates on institutional commitments and cross-institution agreements
    • Convergent Research including updates on project selection process and selected projects
    • Engineering Workforce Development including program updates
    • Diversity and Culture of Inclusion including program updates
    • Innovation Ecosystem including program updates
    • Lead University Testbed/Facilities Tour including update on partner institution facilities

Preparing for the first Annual Site Visit

  • The first item to address when preparing for your ERC’s first annual site visit is to set a date for Fall 2025.  We recommend scheduling your site visit between mid-October and the end of November in coordination with your cognizant ERC Program Director.
  • Annual site visits are typically scheduled for a travel Day 0 during the work week, a full Day 1 that includes presentations and site visitor Q&A, and a Day 2 for site visitors to write the site visit report on site.  More detailed guidance for preparing for annual site visits can be found on the ERC Library.

 

Congratulations to our new ERC awardees and welcome to the ERC family! We have developed this webpage to help you jump start your work in the first year. Please watch the introduction video below before reading the other information on this page.

Introduction

Important Dates in the first year of Award:

  • Kick off Q&A: 3-5pm EDT, Oct. 17, 2024
  • 90-day deliverables: Dec. 1, 2024
  • 6-month deliverables: Mar. 1, 2025
  • 6-month ramp-up site visit: 1 day in Spring 2025 (to be held on-campus at the lead university pending NSF funding availability for ERC PD travel) 
  • Class of 2024 year 2 site visit: 2-day on-campus site visits at the Lead university in Fall 2025

Your ERC team points of contact:

  • Cognizant ERC PD: NSF program director who has been assigned to oversee your ERC
  • ERC program Admin Staff: NSF administrative staff members who work with PDs in the NSF ERC program to organize and manage site visits
  • Functional Group Liaisons: NSF ERC PDs who provide input to various ERC self-managed groups by ERC functional role (eg. ADs, DCI Directors, etc...) and keep the rest of the NSF EEC division informed of the groups’ activities 
  • ERCWeb team: contractors who developed and have been maintaining the erc-assoc.org and erc-reports.org websites, 
  • Consultants: experts who are contracted by NSF to provide consulting services to the ERCs with regards to the AD and SPI/ILO roles

ERC Program Resources

Key Resources

  • ERC Acronyms contains frequently used acronyms for the ERC program.
  • The ERC Association website is the public-facing ERC program site and contains news and information regarding the ERC portfolio for a range of audiences.
    • The ERC Best Practices Manual contains useful information in launching and running a successful ERC. Please note that this manual is updated periodically by ERC functional groups.
  • The ERCWeb interface is the annual report data entry system for awarded ERCs and links to the ERC Library web which is publicly accessible and houses most of the ERC program guidance.
    • A key document on the ERC Library is the Gen-4 ERC Performance Criteria which are performance rubrics against which ERCs are evaluated during annual site visit review.

For each of the foundational component videos linked below, please pay attention to how ERC performance is evaluated and the best practices for component management and leadership. Please bring your questions to the Kick-off Q&A on Oct. 17th. Please note that while the dates and reference to COVID in the videos below are from the Class of 2020 kick-off, the content of these videos applies for all new Gen-4 ERCs.

 

Convergent Research

 

 

Engineering Workforce Development

  • Download slides to this video
  • Please note that the that this video references a project to develop resources for evaluation across Centers.  The MERCII tool is now available for teams who wish to use this resource for measuring the effectiveness of education and diversity programs within and across ERCs.
  • Resources for the ERC EWD Leaders Group can be found on nanohub: Learn More
  • Resources for the ERC Evaluators Group can be found on nanohub: Learn More

 

Innovation Ecosystem

 

Diversity and Culture of Inclusion

  • Download slides to this video
  • Please note that the ERC program is committed to broadening participation, building capacity, and creating opportunities for everyone. ERCs are encouraged to work within local university policies for carrying out work that falls within the DCI foundational component.
  • Resources for the ERC DCI Leaders Group can be found on nanohub: https://nanohub.org/groups/erc_diversity

 

90-Day Deliverables

Each new ERC is required to submit a collection of documents within 90 days of award.  As outlined in the cooperative agreement, the following list of items should be submitted via email to your cognizant ERC PD by December 1, 2024.

  • Strategic Plan and Logic Model
  • Evaluation and Assessment Plan
  • Center Governance Model and Organizational Chart
  • Innovation Ecosystem Membership Agreement
  • Intellectual Property Policy
  • Establishment of charters for boards, councils, and committees
  • Data Management Plan
  • Center-level Risk Management Plan
  • Updated IRB and IACUC documentation

The following videos provide some guidance on preparing these documents.  Many of the documents will become living documents for the ERC to periodically reflect upon and revise.

 

Logic Model

 

Infrastructure Management

 

Risk Management

 

Award Oversight and Annual Reporting

 

6-month Deliverables

To ensure that ERCs are progressing as needed in the first year of award, the ERC program requires documentation of meeting the 6-month deliverables. All Centers must address the first 3 items listed below, with additional items required for individual Centers as described in your cooperative agreement.

  • Ensure that all positions within the ERC Leadership team are filled. Verify that time and effort commitments to the ERC are consistent with their roles on the team.
  • Ensure that projects have started, and project management includes planned coordination to enhance the synergy across complementary activities.
  • Ensure that all technology elements (laboratories, equipment, testbeds) across partner institutions are in place to support the collaborative and integrative elements of the Center that are essential for success.

Start-up Site Visit

  • The first item to address when preparing for your ERC’s start-up site visit is to set a date for Spring 2025.  We recommend scheduling your site visit for March in coordination with your cognizant ERC Program Director.
  • In combination with the ERC Strategic Plan and other 90-day documentation, the Start-up Site visit serves as the basis for the Year 2 funding recommendation.
  • The NSF site visit team will include your cognizant ERC program director, disciplinary Co-program director, and additional NSF officers and staff who will provide feedback and guidance on ERC progress. 
  • Each ERC is expected to plan the site visit agenda following the guidance provided below, and with approval by your cognizant ERC PD.  Sufficient in-person attendance from ERC lead and core partner personnel is expected to facilitate the presentation and Q&A of the following topics.  Hybrid sessions or call-in options for key personnel should be used sparingly as needed. 
  • The one-day site visit agenda should include:
    • Center Overview including overview of strategic plan and any revisions, updates on institutional agreements, organizational chart, staffing, committees, SLC, and advisory boards
    • Council of Deans including updates on institutional commitments and cross-institution agreements
    • Convergent Research including updates on project selection process and selected projects
    • Engineering Workforce Development including program updates
    • Diversity and Culture of Inclusion including program updates
    • Innovation Ecosystem including program updates
    • Lead University Testbed/Facilities Tour including update on partner institution facilities

Preparing for the first Annual Site Visit

  • The first item to address when preparing for your ERC’s first annual site visit is to set a date for Fall 2025.  We recommend scheduling your site visit between mid-October and the end of November in coordination with your cognizant ERC Program Director.
  • Annual site visits are typically scheduled for a travel Day 0 during the work week, a full Day 1 that includes presentations and site visitor Q&A, and a Day 2 for site visitors to write the site visit report on site.  More detailed guidance for preparing for annual site visits can be found on the ERC Library.