Loren Albert
albert-loren.bsky.social
Loren Albert
@albert-loren.bsky.social
Plant physiological ecologist, tropical forest sleuth, and data wrangler; These are my personal views. Pronouns: she/her/hers.
Reposted by Loren Albert
The FAQ on the COA form is a little vague on the criteria to use, but it is generally accepted that, if there was no communication among a subset of co-authors on a particular paper, then it doesn't rise to the level of a collaboration to list. (Streamlined COA forms help program officers.) (19)
February 20, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Also, NSF takes conflicts of interest seriously. That said, when you're filling out your COA form, listing every single co-author might not be necessary. When papers have many co-authors (e.g., genetics papers), not everyone rises to the level of a collaborator. (18)

www.nsf.gov/funding/seni...
Frequently Asked Questions: Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information Template
Do you have questions about the Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information Template? You can get them answered here.
www.nsf.gov
February 20, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Oh, one more thing. This website is probably the best resource for NSF's response to the executive orders: www.nsf.gov/executive-or...

Please check there first before emailing the program officers (who have been coached to email you this link as a first response). (17)
NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders
Information for the NSF community regarding executive orders.
www.nsf.gov
February 20, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Finally, have confidence that the program officers and staff members working in NSF’s directorates are among the most committed and thoughtful people that you could ever hope to meet, doing their absolute best to uphold the agency’s mission as long as the time allows. (16)
February 19, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Perhaps now more than ever, cultivate curiosity in your students and reassure them that there are paths toward becoming a scientist in the future. Education and training remain a huge part of the NSF mission. (15)
February 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Reposted by Loren Albert
Great ideas can come from anywhere, and congressional legislation (e.g., CHIPS and Science Act) has directed the NSF toward the goal of broadening participation in science. Researchers can organize and approach the legal counsel at their universities for clarifications on their activities. (14)
February 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Reposted by Loren Albert
If you are invited to submit a draft of an abstract, recognize that abstracts are written for public audiences (i.e., taxpayers), not your academic peers. Make it clear why this study is worth doing. Avoid jargon. Think big picture. Minimize potential for misinterpretations. (9)
February 19, 2025 at 7:11 PM