The Account Management System in Research.gov supports a centralized account registration and profile management process for the research community so that researchers can use a single unique identifier (NSF ID) across all NSF business applications throughout their research careers and self-manage profile information such as demographics. Principal Investigators (PIs), Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Applicants and Fellows, and Administrative and Coordinating Officials are already integrated into Account Management. This functionality has now been expanded to include reviewers.

 

Benefits of Reviewer Integration into Account Management

The integration of reviewers into Account Management reduces administrative burden on the research community by consolidating the researcher's profile information from multiple NSF systems into a single NSF account which will be self-managed in Research.gov as well as supports NSF's merit review process. Profile information previously provided to NSF by reviewers will be pre-populated during this process.

 

Participants Added to Meetings Created by NSF Staff After March 24

  • The first iteration of reviewer integration includes all participants added to an NSF panel, site visit, advisory committee, subcommittee, or committee of visitors meeting created by NSF staff after March 24, 2023.
  • After being added to a meeting created after March 24 by NSF staff, the system will automatically send the meeting participant an email with an invitation code required to initiate the reviewer account process.
  • All meeting participants will be required to have an NSF account in Research.gov and complete a simple one-time process to provide their reviewer profile information.
  • Meeting participants must complete this new process before they can access meeting registration in the FastLane Travel & Reimbursement (FLTR) System.
  • This new process is currently limited to participants for the above-referenced meeting types only and does not include Ad Hoc reviewers unless they are added to a meeting created in MyNSF after March 24. Participants in meetings and events not part of merit review and/or under Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) procedures which are organized outside of MyNSF are not required to complete this process.
  • At this time, individuals cannot volunteer to review or provide reviewer profile information in Research.gov without first being added to a meeting.

 

Reviewer Self-managed Profile and New Gender Response Option

  • After completing the account registration process in Account Management, reviewers will self-manage their profile information going forward, including contact information; demographic, academic, and professional information; organizational affiliations; and areas of expertise.
  • The demographic information gender response options have been expanded to include a new "Unspecified, or another gender identity" selection for reviewers, PIs, and postdoctoral fellows in Account Management.

 

Overview of Account Management Reviewer Integration Process

  • NSF Program staff adds a reviewer to an NSF panel, site visit, advisory committee, subcommittee, or committee of visitors meeting and a system-generated email is sent with a unique invitation code to the reviewer.
  • Reviewer opens Research.gov and selects the Register function at the top of the Research.gov screen to create a new NSF account and to obtain an assigned NSF ID. (Note: Reviewers with an existing NSF account in Research.gov will skip this step. Each individual user of NSF system, (e.g., Research.gov) should not have more than one NSF ID per Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter I.G.3.).   
  • Reviewer signs into Research.gov with their credentials.
  • Reviewer accesses the Provide Reviewer Profile Information link under Reviews & Meetings on the Research.gov homepage, enters the unique invitation code, and follows the five-step wizard to provide reviewer profile information. Once this simple one-time process has been completed, the reviewer can proceed with all other panel activities.
  • Reviewer signs into FastLane Panelist Functions with the credentials included in the Panelist letter email from Program staff. There are no changes at this time for signing into FastLane Panelist Functions.  
  • Reviewer can access the FastLane Panel Review System for review activities as soon as the Panelist letter from Program staff is received. Reviewer must complete the one-time process to provide their reviewer profile information in order to register for the meeting via "Meeting Sign-In" after completing "Travel and Reimbursement" in the FLTR System.

 

Training Resources

 

Questions? If you have IT system-related questions, please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via rgov@nsf.gov. Policy-related questions should be directed to policy@nsf.gov.