NSF ARCH Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Award (ARCH-DDRI)

The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. The Program sets no priorities by either geographic region or time period. It also has no priorities in regard to theoretical orientation or question and it is the responsibility of the applicant to explain convincingly why these are significant and have the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge. While the Program, in order to encourage innovative research, neither limits nor defines specific categories of research type, most applications either request funds for field research and/or the analysis of archaeological material through multiple approaches. The Program also supports methodological projects which develop analytic techniques of potential archaeological value. As part of its effort to encourage and support projects that explicitly integrate education and basic research, the Archaeology Program provides support to enhance and improve doctoral dissertation projects conducted by doctoral students enrolled in U.S. universities in anthropologically significant archaeology. Projects in other fields which directly contribute to this goal are also eligible for consideration. Proposals may request up to $20,000 in direct costs; indirect costs are in addition to this maximum direct cost limitation. Proposals for dissertation research are not expected to support the full costs of the student's research. These awards are intended to provide supplemental funds for items not normally available from the student's university or other funding sources. Allowable items include travel to field sites, archives, specialized collections, and/or facilities away from the student's campus, costs for equipment necessary for the conduct of the project that will be devoted to the project over the duration of the award, costs for materials and supplies required for the conduct of the project, costs associated with archaeological field survey and excavation, costs for dating and analysis of archaeologically relevant materials, and costs for archiving, preservation, and public access to primary data. Funds may NOT be used for stipends or salary for the doctoral student or their advisor(s), tuition, textbooks or journals, dissertation preparation or publication costs, travel by the faculty advisor to the field site or to professional meetings, or travel by the student to professional meetings. Although most grants are for a shorter time period, DDRI awards may be up to three years in duration. The dissertation does not have to be completed during that time period, but costs associated with research activities to be reimbursed with DDRI funds must be incurred during this award period. There are no proposal-submission deadlines. A doctoral student may submit a DDRI proposal to the ARCH Program twice (original and one resubmission). During a fiscal year, the Archaeology Program expects to recommend a total of 45 to 50 Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) awards.

Discipline: Humanities and Social Sciences

Eligibility: Doctoral degree granting universities and colleges accredited in, and having a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty members may submit proposals. DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a co-principal investigator (co-PI). The PI must be the faculty member serving as the doctoral student's dissertation advisor, and the co-PI is the doctoral student. The doctoral student must be enrolled at a U.S. institution, but need not be a U.S. citizen. Projects in other fields that directly contribute to the Program's goal are also eligible for consideration. Enrollment in an anthropology or archaeology doctoral program is not required.

Academic level: Doctoral

Citizenship: U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, International

Award amount: Up to $20,000

Award category: Research

Award cycle: N/A (no deadline)

Population:

Contact: John E. Yellen, Program Director 703.292.8759 jyellen@nsf.gov If you are interested in submitting an application for a DDRI Award, you must contact The Graduate College's External Funding Coordinators at gcexternalfunds@txstate.edu.