Beginning October 5, 2020 the National Science Foundation (NSF) will require that applications include biosketches for key personnel created using the SciENcv online platform. The NIH already requires that funding application Biosketches be created using SciENcv. The Department of Education also uses SciENcv for researcher biosketches.
What is SciENcv?
Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) is an electronic system that researchers can use to create and maintain biosketches that must be submitted with NIH and NSF grant applications and annual reports. SciENcv pulls information from other systems, including MyNCBI, ORCID, and eRA Commons in order to ease administrative burden and allow researchers to quickly create and recreate a biosketch for each grant application or annual report.
What is a biosketch?
A biographical sketch or biosketch is a document highlighting the qualifications of key personnel for a specific role in a proposed grant project. Both the NIH and the NSF require a biosketch for senior or key personnel applying for and renewing grants with each agency.
As of June 1, 2020, NSF has indicated that only PDFs for biographical sketches that are generated through the use of an NSF-approved format will be accepted. You can generate these PDFs via the SciENcv tool or the NSF Fillable PDF. Proposers can download the respective fillable PDF form from the NSF biographical sketch and current and pending support websites and then submit the completed forms as part of their proposals via FastLane, Research.gov or Grants.gov.
For additional information about the NSF FIllable PDF, see the NSF Biographical Sketch and Current & Pending Support Fillable PDF Document FAQs.
