Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program - Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards | 21 621

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NSF HEGS Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (DDRI) opportunity?

The NSF Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences (HEGS) Program DDRI opportunity supports basic, dissertation-focused research that advances core scientific understanding of geographic and spatial processes. It is designed to improve and strengthen doctoral dissertation research by supporting projects that contribute to geographic and spatial science in a way that can generalize beyond a single case study.

What kinds of research topics does HEGS DDRI support?

HEGS supports research centered on explaining the nature, causes, and/or consequences of how human activities and environmental processes are distributed across space and across different scales, from local to regional to global. The program is intentionally broad and welcomes diverse geographical science topics as long as they are empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, methodologically strong, and contribute to generalizable knowledge.

Is this opportunity focused on basic science or applied work?

The program emphasizes fundamental (basic) science rather than primarily humanistic or applied work. Projects can be motivated by real-world issues, but proposals must clearly demonstrate how the research advances geographic and spatial theory and/or methods, rather than stopping at practical application.

Can a project be motivated by a real-world problem and still be competitive?

Yes. HEGS explicitly allows projects motivated by real-world issues. However, the proposal must frame the problem as an opportunity to test theories, extend theories, or build new theory and methods in geographical and spatial science. The motivation can be practical, but the contribution must be fundamentally scientific and theory-driven.

What does HEGS mean by "strong geographical science"?

HEGS is intentionally broad about what counts as strong geographical science. It welcomes diverse research traditions and approaches, provided proposals are empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, methodologically strong, and designed to produce findings that generalize beyond a single case study.

Are qualitative or mixed-methods dissertations eligible?

Yes. HEGS welcomes rigorous quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods designs, including novel uses of these approaches. The key requirement is that the design is methodologically strong and the project clearly advances geographic and spatial theory and/or methods.

Does HEGS support "creative combinations" of scientific and critical perspectives?

Yes. The program explicitly welcomes creative combinations of scientific and critical perspectives, as long as proposals remain empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, and methodologically rigorous, and they clearly contribute to fundamental geographic and spatial science.

Is using spatial tools on a social or environmental issue enough to qualify?

No. Proposals cannot stop at applying spatial tools to a social or environmental problem. HEGS expects applicants to clearly show how the chosen problem becomes a vehicle for theory testing, theory extension, or theory and methods building in geographical and spatial science.

What happens if a proposal does not clearly make a theory-testing or theory-expanding contribution?

If a submission does not make the theory-testing or theory-expanding contribution clear, or if it does not meet program expectations, it may be returned without review rather than evaluated in competition.

How important are the human dimensions in HEGS DDRI proposals?

Human dimensions are important because HEGS is housed within NSF's Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (within the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences Division). Proposals need to demonstrate meaningful engagement with human dimensions that matter to people and societies, even when environmental processes are central.

Can a proposal focus heavily on environmental processes?

Yes, but it should connect to human-environment relationships or other human-relevant spatial dynamics in a way that aligns with the program's social and behavioral science orientation.

What NSF review criteria apply to this opportunity?

Successful projects are expected to address NSF's standard expectations for both intellectual merit and broader impacts. In this context, projects should strengthen fundamental geographic theory and methodological capabilities while also generating broader impacts that benefit society.

What is the maximum award amount for HEGS DDRI?

Awards are capped at $20,000 per project.

About how many awards does NSF anticipate making under this opportunity?

The opportunity anticipates a total of about 15 awards.

Is there a fixed deadline to apply?

No. Proposals are accepted on an anytime basis rather than tied to a single fixed deadline.

Is this a discretionary NSF funding opportunity?

Yes. The HEGS DDRI is described as a discretionary NSF grant opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 21-621.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 47.075.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the detailed eligibility section of the program. This is typical of dissertation improvement awards, which are usually submitted by an eligible institution on behalf of a doctoral student and a faculty advisor.

Is the proposal typically submitted by the student directly?

Based on how dissertation improvement awards are commonly administered (as described in the opportunity summary), proposals are usually submitted by an eligible institution on behalf of a doctoral student and faculty advisor, rather than submitted independently by the student.

What scale of geographic or spatial analysis is appropriate for HEGS DDRI projects?

HEGS supports research spanning multiple scales, including local, regional, and global scales, as long as the work advances understanding of geographic and spatial processes and clearly articulates its generalizable scientific contribution.