Many of you, especially those who have worked with the National Science Foundation, may be familiar with the term “Broader Impacts”. Since 1997, all NSF proposals are evaluated based upon two merit review criteria: 1. Intellectual Merit, or the potential contributions to the scientific field and 2. Broader Impacts, or the potential contributions to society. It’s important to note that while NSF is widely viewed as being only interested in the advancement of science, this is a common misconception. Reviewers are instructed to consider both criteria, and we at OPD have seen many a proposal rejected due to a lack of attention to the broader impacts.

A very common question though is what are broader impacts? Many PI’s have difficulty making the connection between their scientific research and the impact that it can have on society. Often times faculty fall back on rather basic education and outreach plans, or maybe describe a potential commercial application of their research. Worse, some faculty develop “canned” or “boilerplate” broader impacts plans, and recycle them for nearly every proposal. According to NSF:

“Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to the achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.”

It’s also really important that we take a step back and consider why broader impacts matter. Keep in mind that every dollar that comes to you from NSF (or any federal agency) are taxpayer dollars. We, as a society, have determined that our collective interests will be served by providing funding for scientific research. So we invest billions of dollars every year in order to enable the United States to be a leader in scientific research.

However, if the public does not readily see the value in scientific research it undermines the belief that science benefits us all. This has become increasingly prevalent in the last two decades, to the point that a large percentage of the American public now supports massive cuts to research budgets. The remedy to this is broader impacts activities. It is imperative that modern researchers spend time to communicate the value of their work, and the impact that it has on the everyday American. It is no longer enough to stay in a lab or office and analyze data and write papers. Researchers must make a concerted effort to describe how the research they are conducting (which might as well be magic to some) is both relevant and beneficial to society.

One of the challenges in doing this is having the right connections, and knowing where to start. In order to help FSU faculty with this, OPD recently held the first annual Broader Impacts Fair to bring together groups from around Tallahassee, and at FSU, who may be able to help faculty with broader impacts activities. Nearly twenty groups with a wide array of specialties attended, and have offered to partner with FSU faculty wherever possible.

For more information check out OPD.FSU.EDU/BroaderImpacts