[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9111-9113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3495]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. 
This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published 
in the Federal Register at 69 FR 61409, and one comment was received. 
NSF is

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forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of 
this second notice. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology should 
be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, 
Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725--17th 
Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. 
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail 
to [email protected]. Comments regarding these information collections 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days 
of this notification. Copies of the submission may be obtained by 
calling (703) 292-7556.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 18, 2004, we published in the 
Federal Register (69 FR 61409) a 60-day notice of our intent to request 
renewal of this information collection authority from OMB. In that 
notice, we solicited public comments for 60 days ending September 14, 
2004. We received one comment regarding this notice.
    Comment: One commenter wrote that taxpayers should not fund this 
program and that participants should pay for their own involvement.
    Response: NSF believes that because the comment does not pertain to 
the collection of information on the required forms for which NSF is 
seeking OMB approval, NSF is preceding with the clearance request.
    Title of Collection: Application for NATO Advanced Study Institutes 
Travel Award and NATO Advanced Study Institutes Travel Award Report 
Form.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0001.
    Abstract: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), initiated 
its Advanced Study Institutes Program in 1958 modeled after a small 
number of very successful summer science ``courses'' that were held in 
Europe and that sought to rebuild Europe's science strength following 
World War II. The goal was to bring together both students and 
researchers from the leading centers of research in highly targeted 
fields of science and engineering to promote the ``American'' approach 
to advanced learning, spirited give-and-take between students and 
teachers, that was clearly driving the rapid growth of U.S. research 
strength. Today the goal remains the same; but due to the expansion of 
NATO, each year an increasing number of ASIs are held in NATO Partner 
Countries along with those held in NATO Member Countries. In the spirit 
of cooperation with this important activity, the Foundation inaugurated 
in 1959 a small program of travel grants for advanced graduate students 
to assist with the major cost of such participation, that of 
transatlantic travel. It remains today a significant means for young 
scientists and engineers to develop contact with their peers throughout 
the world in their respective fields of specialization.
    The Advanced Study Institutes (ASI) travel awards are offered to 
advanced graduate students, to attend one of the NATO's ASIs held in 
the NATO-member and partner countries of Europe. The NATO ASI program 
is targeted to those individuals nearing the completion of their 
doctoral studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics 
(STEM) who can take advantage of opportunities to become familiar with 
progress in their respective fields of specialization in other 
countries.
    The Division of Graduate Education (DGE) in the Education and Human 
Resources (EHR) Directorate administers the NATO ASI Travel Awards 
Program. The following describes the procedures for the administration 
of the Foundation's NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) Travel Awards, 
which provide travel support for a number of U.S. graduate students to 
attend the ASIs scheduled for Europe.
     Advanced Study Institute Determination: Once NATO has 
notified DGE that the schedule of institutes is final, and DGE has 
received the descriptions of each institute, DGE determines which 
institutes NSF will support. The ASI travel award program supports 
those institutes that offer instruction in the STEM fields 
traditionally supported by NSF as published in Guide to Programs. The 
program will not support institutes that deal with clinical topics, 
biomedical topics, or topics that have disease-related goals. Examples 
of areas of research that will not be considered are epidemiology; 
toxicology; the development or testing of drugs or procedures for their 
use; diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, 
or malfunction in human beings or animals; and animal models of such 
conditions. However, the program does support institutes that involve 
research in bioengineering, with diagnosis or treatment-related goals 
that apply engineering principles to problems in biology and medicine 
while advancing engineering knowledge. The program also supports 
bioengineering topics that aid persons with disabilities. Program 
officers from other Divisions in NSF will be contacted should 
scientific expertise outside of DGE be required in the determination 
process.
     Solicitation for Nominations: Following the final 
determination as to which Advanced Study Institutes NSF will support, 
DGE contacts each institute director to ask for a list of up to 5 
nominations to be considered for NSF travel support.
     DGE/EHR Contact With the Individuals Nominated: Each 
individual who is nominated by a director will be sent the rules of 
eligibility, information about the amount of funding available, and the 
forms (NSF Form 1379, giving our Division of Financial Management (DFM) 
electronic banking information; NSF Form 1310 (already cleared), and 
NSF Form 192 (Application for International Travel Grant)) necessary 
for our application process.
     The Funding Process:
    Once an applicant has been selected to receive NSF travel award 
support, his or her application is sent to DFM for funding. DFM 
electronically transfers the amount of $1000 into the bank or other 
financial institution account identified by the awardee.
    Our plan is to have the $1000 directly deposited into the awardee's 
account prior to the purchase of their airline ticket. An electronic 
message to the awardee states that NSF is providing support in the 
amount of $1000 for transportation and miscellaneous expenses. The 
letter also states that the award is subject to the conditions in F.L. 
27, Attachment to International Travel Grant, which states the U.S. 
flag-carrier policy.

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    As a follow-up, each ASI director may be asked to verify whether 
all NSF awardees attended the institute. If an awardee is identified as 
not utilizing the funds as prescribed, we contact the awardee to 
retrieve the funds. However, if our efforts are not successful, we will 
forward the awardee's name to the Division of Grants and Agreements 
(DGA), which has procedures to deal with that situation.
    We also ask the awardee to submit a final report on an NSF Form 
250, which we provide as an attachment to the electronic award message.
     Selection of Awardees:
    The criteria used to select NSF Advanced Study Institute travel 
awardees are as follows:
    1. The applicant is an advanced graduate student.
    2. We shall generally follow the order of the nominations, listed 
by the director of the institute, within priority level.
    3. Those who have not attended an ASI in the past will have a 
higher priority than those who have.
    4. Nominees from different institutions and research groups have 
higher priority than those from the same institution or research group. 
(Typically, no more than one person is invited from a school or from a 
research group.)
    Use of the Information: For NSF Form 192, information will be used 
in order to verify eligibility and qualifications for the award. For 
NSF Form 250, information will be used to verify attendance at Advanced 
Study Institute and will be included in Division annual report.
    Estimate of Burden: Form 192--1.5 hours; Form 250--2 hours.
    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Award: 150 responses, broken down 
as follows: For NSF Form 250, 75 respondents; for NSF Form 192, 75 
respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 262. 5 hours, broken 
down by 150 hours for NSF Form 250 (2 hours per 75 respondents); and 
112.5 hours for NSF Form 192 (1.5 hours per 75 respondents).
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

    Dated: February 17, 2005.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 05-3495 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M