Subject: (no subject)

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 21:07:45 EST

Hi Mary: I feel like I need a reality  check so here is what I'm working on 
for the first part of the application. The  info in black BOLD are from the 
instructions -- I've put them at the top of  the section so they can be referred 
to quickly. Just read it over and tell me if  it is on the right track or if I 
need to start again. I'm now working on the  part 3, Project Description.
 
Thanks;
Bob

1. COVER SHEET
 
a. Include the program solicitation number and check the  preliminary 
proposal (or preproposal) box.
 
Mary White will get the info for this section.
 
2. PROJECT SUMMARY
 
a. essence of the proposed project clear to the  reader.
b. Succinctly describe deliverables and demonstrate how they  achieve the 
intended audience and strategic impacts.
c. Address the characteristics of innovation and collaboration. 
d. It must explicitly summarize in separate statements the  project's 
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, including the Additional  Review Criteria (in 
Section, VI. A)
these are * What is the intellectual merit of the proposed  activity? ** What 
are the broader impacts of the proposed activities?  ***  Additional Review 
Criteria -- within Intellectual merit reviewers will  asses: + deliverables, ++ 
project design, +++ project team, ++++  Partnerships. **** Within Broader 
impacts, reviewers will asses: + Audience  (Impact), ++ Public audiences 
(Impact), +++ Professional (Impact), ++++ Impact  evaluation + clear measures and 
criteria to for defining success? ++ Strategic  Impact, 
e. Summary is limited to one single-spaced page.

The essence of the proposed project is to promote and deliver  informal 
science education in an economically efficient manner  to a broad spectrum of the 
general public at  the National and International levels.  To accomplish this 
we will need to substantially expand our  current model, that employs two (2) 
significant and innovative  elements, which we have tested and found to be very 
successful. First,  we have constructed a website that serves as an informal 
source of  accurate scientific information for a broad spectrum of the general 
public,  as well as for science educators at all levels. This website,  
darwinday.org, contains detailed information on the topics  of Charles Darwin's 
life, his contributions as an important scientist,  and evolutionary biology -- 
including the molecular mechanisms that  underlies the process of evolution. (A 
measure of the current success of  this website can be seen from the fact 
that over 1,100 other websites point to  it for information on these subjects.)  
Secondly, by using Darwin as a  symbol, we are promoting an annual Celebration 
of Science and  Humanity, on or near his birthday on February 12. We 
accomplish this  through informal partnerships and collaborative activity with many 
other groups  throughout the USA, and in other countries. For instance, in 
February  2005 there were 143 informal educational EVENTS open to  the public, that 
took place across America and in 12 additional  countries around the world. 
These events were attended by many thousands of  participants. Samples of these 
informal, educational events can be seen on  our website under EVENTS. The 
funds we are seeking will be used  to improve and expand the content of our 
website and to greatly expand our  outreach to groups across the country and 
around the world who in turn develop  the educational celebratory events.  
 
The intellectual merit of this project is that it addresses  a timely and 
current topic in the public arena, that of the  authenticity of evolution as a 
scientific theory and the need for the  general public to learn more about it. 
Our approch makes it possible  to includes exciting new data on the 
relationship between molecular genetics and  evolution. For instance any members of the 
general public have shown a  strong interest in the structure of DNA and 
function of the human  genome and in it's relationship to the genetics of all other 
living organisms on  this planet. Therefore, we feel confident that our 
approachto informal  science  education has been shown to be an effective method for 
 reaching out to those interested in life-long informal learning and is ready 
for  significant expansion. 
 
To accomplish this we make it possible for the general public to  access 
informal educational opportunities from both the website that they can  visit 
online and also through attendance at the numerous educational events  sponsored 
be University Biology Departments, Museums, Libraries and others  organizations 
that independently learn about our efforts from our  website.  

The broader impact of these activities can be seen in the  long-term effects 
of these ongoing informal educational opportunities. For  instance we have 
been able to build excitement around the fact that Darwin's  200th birthday will 
occur in 2009 and among other activities we are promoting a  countdown to 2009 
to achieve what we refer to as a Global Celebration. In this  context large 
numbers of the general public both in the USA and around the  world will be 
informally educated as we encourage professional  individuals and institutions to 
develop an informal programs to  Celebrate Science and Humanity and to invite 
the public to attend.  
 
This topic makes it possible to includes exciting new data on the  
relationship between molecular genetics and evolution. Many members of the  general 
public have shown a strong interest in the structure and  function of the human 
genome and in it's relationship to the genetics of  all other living organisms 
on this planet. Therefore, we feel confident that  this project has been shown 
to be an effective method for reaching out to  those interested in life-long 
informal learning and is ready for significant  expansion. 

3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
 
a. The narrative is a condensed version of the project description  for the 
full proposal 
b. Limited to 6 single-spaced pages.
c. Identify the essential features of the project in terms of  * impact,  ** 
innovation and ***collaboration as described for a full  proposal.