NSF Nuggets

The 2008 request for NSF nuggets, aka Highlights, came in the following e-mail from the visualization program officer at NSF

NSF Graphics/Visualization Program Grantee:

It’s that time again … the annual HIGHLIGHT call.

One way you can contribute to maintaining funding for the field is by helping to assure that the graphics/visualization program maintains strong visibility. HIGHLIGHTS are used by NSF to show congress and others what NSF is accomplishing, so they are important tools in gaining acceptance for the importance of NSF-funded research. One of our recent HIGHLIGHTS was one of a very small number inserted into last years briefing book that NSF sends to congress in support of its funding request. We have produced more highlights than other programs in the past and should strive to maintain this visibility.

Use the attached template for submission. I am requesting that all graphics/visualization program PIs provide me with a HIGHLIGHT not later than December 1. The best of these will be forwarded to the CCF Division Director for Division approval.

Typically, write two paragraphs. The first should describe the general research problem and the approach to a solution as well as the science advance. The second should discuss the scientific/commercial/educational/societal impact of the advance. Remember to describe your achievement in terms understandable by the intelligent layman (not a subject matter expert). Define words and simplify ideas that would not typically be familiar to someone outside the field.

You can insert text into the textbox in the template by cutting and pasting. Include one or two images with captions, credits, and publication permissions. Images must be in gif or jpeg formats. If you have any questions, let me know by email or phone.

Please read the instructions and style guides contained at the end of the attached highlight template.

The HIGHLIGHT template and three sample, successful recent HIGHLIGHTS are attached. In addition to the HIGHLIGHT process at NSF, the images and descriptions you provide will help us fulfill many other needs to show scientific impact. PIs with projects that were awarded in 2008 are excused for this year.

Cheers,

Larry

Everyone should fill in at least one potential nugget title by Nov 14, 2008. Candidates thus far are:

Eni: "Quantitative tractography metrics using axial and radial diffusivity can help characterize the type of axonal damage"

Radu: "We describe novel visualization and interaction paradigms that accelerate the analysis of quantitative proteomic data in the context of published protein-protein interaction networks and canonical signaling pathway models."

Wenjin: "We present an Analytical Model of Diffusion and Exchange of Water in White Matter from Diffusion-MRI and its Application in Measuring Axon Radii"

Jian: "We use a statistical method, called Bookstein coordinate, to measure bat wing shape morphology that has potential to quantify flight kinematics".

Trevor: "We present a quantitative 3D framework for visualization and analysis of cellular growth in the central nervous system as captured via confocal microscopy images."

"We introduce a novel, two-handed input scheme for facilitating exploration and scientific collaboration in 3D, time-varying visualization applications."

Cagatay:

"Smooth, one-to-one mapping from an orientation field to a color space is equivalent to embedding the real projective plane in 3D. Such mapping is not possible as the real projective plane does not admit an embedding into 3-space. Therefore, we introduce Boy's real projective plane immersion as a model for coloring tensor orientations in DTI data."

"We introduce a new coherence measure for integral curve bundles obtained from DTI data"

Jadrian: "We present results on supersampling diffusion-weighted MR images and recommend best practices for increasing the accuracy of diffusion tensor measures computed at high resolution."