about version dale 6/i6/(K) NC Building a Scientific Foundation for Sound Environmental Decisions The National Center for Environ- mental Research (NCER) was es- tahlisksd in May 1995, as part of the overall reorganization of the Office of Research and Develop- ment (ORD). Since its establish- ment, NCER has had a unique place in ORD and the Agency. Its competitive, peer-review re- search focus and commitment to involve the country's best scien- tists is intended to play an impor- tant role in enhancing EPA's cred- ibility as a scientific organization and helping ORD achieve its goal of providing national and interna- tional leadership in environmen- tal science and risk assessment. NCER's Mission: Stimulate the re- search community to provide high quality, innovative ideas and so- lutions to protect human health and the environment. NCER's aims are to: 1) achieve excellence in research by supporting only the highest quality research through national research competitions and independent peer review of proposals. 2) focus on the highest priority environmental science and engineering needs to assist EPA in its mission of protecting human health and the environment. This is accomplished by working with EPA's Program anu Regional Offices, ORD scientists, the EPA Science Advisory Board, the ORD Board of Scientific Counselors, and federal partners and private partners, and the academic community. 3) achieve high levels of accountabil- ity and integrity by having an entirely open, transparent, and competitive process; by ensuring that procedures and schedules for solicitations, reviews and awards are clearly established; and by publishing and broadly disseminating research results. 4) leverage resources and form partnerships on common federal and private sector research agendas through coordination with research partners and joint issuance of solicitations. 5) communicate/integrate research results through workshops and seminars to summarize results of research; state-of-the-science papers that assimilate research results; and a technical liaison program in ORD laboratories and program offices. 6} develop the next generation of environmental scientists through graduate and undergraduate fellow- ship programs. 7) provide ORD-wide policy develop- ment and implementation over- sight of the EPA quality assurance program. Science to Achieve Results The STAR Program, "Science To Achieve Results", NCER's largest and moo*, visible initiative, (accounting for 85 pc rcent of its annual budget), funds research grants and fellowships in environ- mental science and engineering. The STAR program is one of EPA's tools for focusing on sci- ence and improving the scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues. The program works by engaging (competitively) the participation of the nation's best scientists in credible, targeted research that complements EPA's own out- standing scientists and research program and that of our research partners in other federal agen- cies. STAR is structured to bring new ideas and solutions to deal with current environmental problems, and to identify, and help to resolve issues that are likely to become environmental problems in the future. Further, the STAR program facilitates and expands access to research information and communicates science results through work- shops, publications, and the Internet. The STAR program has four formal solicitation periods during the year--January, April, August, and October-and uses its Internet homepage as the primary vehicle to announce Requests for Applications (RFAs) in some 20 targeted areas. These RFAs are derived from the ORD Strategic Plan and from specific topical research plans developed by ORD. The RFAs are prepared in coopera- U.S. EPA / Office of Research and Development / National Center tor Environmental Research ------- Annual Active STAR Grants tion with other parts of the Agency and focus research on areas of particular importance to the Agency, and/or areas that complement the ORD intramural research program and the pro- grams of our research partners. Research Partnership grants and 125 graduate fellowships cover- ing a total of 280 institutions and organizations in 49 states and Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. On an annual basis, NCER administers Jhe SJAR program has grown over the past six /ears, and now awards $95 million dollars annually and supports between 900-1000 active grants and fellowships The research that NCER sponsors covers the entire gamut of EPA interests. The main areas that we are focusing on currently include: the effects of air pollu- tion, especially fine particuiates, on human health; the impacts of chemical and microbiological contaminants in drinking water on human health; the effects of exposure to toxic chemicals on sensitive populations, especially children; the impact on people of cumulative exposures to many chemicals through many different pathways; ecological indicators of ecosystem health and trends; the effect of endocrine disrupters on human health and wildlife popula- tions; and the effects of human activities on global climate change. For more details look on the NCER website. NCER receives approxi- mately 3000- 3500 proposals each year for its STAR research and graduate fellowships program. Each year the STAR program awards a bout 180 EPA grants, 30 EPA 650 - 750 STAR research grants and some 300 STAR fellowships. Approximately 10 percent of the applications submitted to the STAR program are funded. Other NCER programs include: From time to time, NCER will establish larger research centers competitively in specific areas of national concern. At present such centers focus on harzardous substances, children's health, and particulate matter research. Other NCER activities include the Small Business Innovation Research program, the Experimental Program To Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the Minority Aca- demic Institution Program for Graduate and Undergraduate Fellowships, the AAAS Science and Engineering Fellowship Program, and the Resident Research Associateship Program. The STAR Partnerships have expanded significantly. In 1995, the STAR Program began a partnership with NSF in three topical areas. The number of partners has grown to about twelve in 2000 and includes private sector organizations as well as federal agencies. In addition, the funds so leveraged have increased as well, allowing about 20% more grants to be funded than would be possible with EPA resources alone. Visit our web site to obtain current STAR grants information: www.epa.gov/ncerqa ^J CDA .f L_ I r\ United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH U.S. EPA / Office of Research and Development / National Center for Environmental Research ------- |