Ethical and Responsible Research | 23 630

NSF Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) Program (FON 23-630) - FAQs

1) What is the NSF Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program?

ER2 is a discretionary National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program (Funding Opportunity Number 23-630) that supports fundamental research on responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Its purpose is to generate evidence and deeper understanding of the behaviors, norms, incentives, and environments that shape research integrity.

2) What kinds of projects is ER2 trying to fund?

ER2 focuses on research that explains what responsible and ethical research is, what helps it flourish, and how it can be strengthened. The program emphasizes evidence-building and understanding mechanisms behind research integrity, including how workplace structures, incentive systems, leadership, mentoring, and local context affect ethical and responsible research conduct.

3) Is ER2 mainly a training-materials grant?

No. The central focus is not simply creating training materials. ER2 prioritizes projects that generate evidence and deeper understanding about the factors that shape research integrity, including why certain ethical practices work, how they persist over time, and how they can be strengthened across different STEM environments.

4) Who is the intended audience or beneficiaries of ER2-funded research?

ER2 is designed to reach STEM researchers, practitioners, and educators at any career stage. The goal is to improve both how research is conducted and how ethical research practices are taught and reinforced.

5) What are examples of the core questions ER2 is interested in?

The program highlights questions such as what counts as responsible and ethical research (and why those standards matter in practice), how RECR norms vary across disciplines and settings, and which organizational and cultural conditions promote or undermine ethical and responsible research in STEM.

6) Does ER2 support research comparing ethics norms across disciplines and sectors?

Yes. ER2 invites work that compares RECR norms across different disciplines and settings, including comparisons between academia, industry, and nonprofit research. It also includes comparisons across geographic contexts such as different states, regions, and countries.

7) Why does ER2 emphasize "learning across contexts"?

A key theme is identifying how ethical expectations vary across environments, what those differences reveal, and which approaches can translate effectively from one context to another. ER2 is interested in understanding both differences and transferability of effective practices.

8) What organizational factors does ER2 want researchers to study?

ER2 encourages studies of policies, workplace structures, incentive systems, leadership approaches, and local contexts that tend to promote or undermine ethical and responsible STEM research, along with the mechanisms behind those effects.

9) What interpersonal or cultural topics fit within ER2?

ER2 includes research on interpersonal and cultural dimensions of research environments, such as mentoring and other interpersonal behaviors that influence research conduct, bias and culture in decision-making, transparency and openness in research practice, and how ethical cultures are created and maintained over time.

10) Does ER2 include diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA)-related ethical issues?

Yes. The program notes that proposals may examine ethical issues connected to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, including the role of bias and culture in decision-making within research environments.

11) What does ER2 mean by "durable and portable" ethical practices?

ER2 is interested in work that explains what makes certain interventions or norms durable (able to be maintained over time) and portable (able to be transferred and adapted to new research or learning settings) without losing effectiveness.

12) Are collaborations with certain types of institutions encouraged?

Yes. NSF strongly encourages proposals that come from, or include substantial collaboration with, organizations in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions, minority-serving institutions, women's colleges, and organizations that primarily serve persons with disabilities.

13) Are international collaborations allowed or encouraged?

International collaborations are encouraged when they add clear value through unique expertise, facilities, resources, or locations that strengthen the research. Applicants are expected to follow NSF guidance on international collaboration described in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

14) When was this funding opportunity created and when did it close?

The opportunity was created on September 30, 2023. The original closing date listed is January 25, 2024.

15) How many awards did NSF expect to make under this opportunity?

NSF anticipated making about 15 awards.

16) What is the award maximum (ceiling) for ER2?

The listed award ceiling is shown as 0 in the summary record. This typically signals that applicants should rely on the solicitation and NSF guidance for realistic budgeting expectations rather than a fixed maximum posted in the summary.

17) What is the main goal ER2 is trying to achieve in STEM research?

ER2 aims to improve both how STEM research is conducted and how ethical research practices are taught and reinforced, by building evidence-based understanding of the systems, norms, incentives, and environments that shape research integrity.