The Mid-Career Advancement (MCA) program offers an opportunity for scientists at the mid-career stage.  Mid-career scientists are at a critical career transition phase where they need to advance their research programs to ensure long-term productivity and creativity but are often constrained by service, teaching, or other activities that limit the amount of time they can devote to research.  

The MCA program provides protected time and resources to gain new skills through synergistic and mutually beneficial partnerships, typically at an institution other than the candidate’s home institution.  

A key component of a successful MCA will be the demonstration that the PI’s current research program could substantively benefit from the protected time, mentored partnership(s), and resources provided through this program.  

For questions about the program, please reach out to a cognizant MCA Program Officer at MCA.info@nsf.gov and additional FAQs on the program page here. 

The new solicitation (22-603) includes some significant revisions, including:

• Pilot Track in BIO and GEO extends eligibility to Full Professors (or equivalent) at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) only
• 2-page Impact Statement, uploaded as supplementary document
• 12-page limit for Project Description
• PI and Partner must complete the Collaborative and Other Affiliations (COA) template