In July, CSBS wrapped up its inaugural NSF CAREER Club, a new initiative aimed at equipping early-career faculty in the social and behavioral sciences (SBS) with the tools, guidance, and support needed to develop competitive proposals for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER).
Launched in January 2025, the NSF CAREER Club was open to a select group of ten SBS faculty members who met NSF’s eligibility criteria and were planning to submit proposals for the July 23, 2025 deadline. Over six months, participants engaged in a robust lineup of activities designed to strengthen every aspect of their proposal—from initial concept to final submission.
“We created the NSF CAREER Club to demystify the application process and give our faculty the tools and support they need to succeed,” said Kaylee Lukacena, Senior Research Development Manager at CSBS. “The club’s engagement exceeded expectations, and I am especially proud of our faculty who persevered despite the ongoing uncertainties in federal research funding and the challenging environment early-career researchers face today.”
CAREER Club Activities Included:
- Kickoff + CAREER Information Session (Jan 17): Overview of the NSF CAREER program and application process.
- Broader Impacts Workshop (Feb 21): Training on how to design strong, community-engaged broader impacts plans.
- Structured Writing Sessions (March 7 & April 11): Focused writing time and peer support to make steady progress.
- Peer Review Session (May 9): Participants exchanged drafts and received critical feedback from fellow applicants.
- Individual Consultations (May–June): Comprehensive review of proposals by CSBS research development staff, including feedback on supplemental documents and additional one-on-one working sessions.
All NSF CAREER Club services were provided at no cost to participants. In return, members were expected to attend at least four of the five sessions, complete assignments between meetings, and actively contribute to a collaborative, respectful environment.
By the end of the program, three faculty members submitted full CAREER proposals to NSF. We wish them the best as their submissions undergo review and scoring in the coming months. CSBS is proud to foster the next generation of research leaders through initiatives like the NSF CAREER Club and looks forward to supporting more promising scholars in the future.