NSF Bio

The biosketch is a common grant proposal element used by sponsors to asses one’s professional background in relation to the project. The biosketch depicts in brief, chronological form, the researcher’s professional accomplishments.

The bio should tell the story of an individual’s expertise to carry out the proposed project. Sponsors typically request that PIs edit their list to highlight experiences relevant to the proposal. Bios of all senior/key personnel involved in the project are typically required elements.

Guidance and Templates

Reminders

Use an approved format (NSF PDF template or SciENcv).
Synergistic activities should be distinct activities, not categories with lists of sub-activities.
List any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).
As of 10/23/2023, biosketches must be prepared in SciENcv.

Resources

NSF Guidelines and Policies

Using SciENcv for Biosketches and Current & Pending

SciENcv can streamline the way you produce your NSF Bio, Current & Pending, and NIH Bio documents.

Tipsheet

Reporting Appointments

Federal sponsors are applying more scrutiny to appointments listed by senior personnel in standard PI documents.
NSF appointments defined:
“Appointments include any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary). With regard to professional appointments, senior personnel must identify all current domestic and foreign professional appointments outside of the individual’s academic, professional, or institutional appointments at the proposing organization.“
NSF PAPPG Ch.II.D.2.h.i.a.4

Frequently Asked Questions

Who must submit a Biosketch?

Each person designated as senior personnel on the proposal, including non-Co-PI senior personnel, must submit a Biosketch at the time of the proposal.

Learn more about the NSF definition of senior personnel.

What must be included in the NSF Biosketch?

Standard sections of the NSF Biosketch template include:

a. Professional preparation – a list in chronological order of individual’s undergraduate and graduate education and postdoctoral training (including location)

b. Appointments – A list, in reverse chronological order by start date of all the individual’s academic, professional, or institutional appointments, beginning with the current appointment. Appointments include any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).
Read: Disclosure and Reporting Requirements for International Research Partnerships and Collaborations

c.i. Products most closely related to the proposed project (5 max)

c.ii. Other Significant Products, whether or not related to the project. (5 max)

Product examples: publications, data sets, software, patents, and copyrights.

d. Synergistic Activities (5 max) List five distinct examples that demonstrate the broader impact of the individual’s professional and scholarly activities that focus on the integration and transfer of knowledge as well as its creation.

Synergistic activities must not include multiple examples of the same type of activity to further describe the activity.
Example: If one lists peer review for NSF, NIH and DOE, each named instance would count toward the five allowed activities. One may, however, may mention peer review for federal agencies as a single activity.

Disclosing Foreign Affiliations in the Biosketch

What do foreign collaborations and research support have to do with the NSF Bio?
In recent years, documents like the C&P, Biosketch, Facilities documents in a proposal and the annual report have become increasingly important tools for disclosing one’s research affiliation with institutions outside the U.S. This comes as a time when the security of U.S.-funded intellectual property has received more attention.

Note NSF PAPPG II.D.2.h, guidance on which appointments to list in the Bio:

Appointments: “include any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).”

Issues surrounding foreign influence and international activities in federally funded research has been an evolving topic, in which the U.S. Government has shown increasing concern. These concerns include:

Diversion of intellectual property to foreign entities;
Disclosure of confidential grant application information by NSF peer reviewers to third parties;
Failure of researchers to disclose research resources and support provided by other organizations, including foreign entities.

Agency attention on this issue is outlined in the OVCR’s website Disclosure and Reporting Requirements for International Research Partnerships and Collaborations.

Investigators are encouraged to stay abreast of agency updates and requirements for proposal documents and award documents in order to best comply with these reporting requirements.