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To submit proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and perform other award-related activities using NSF systems, you must have an NSF ID, which is a unique numerical identifier assigned to users by NSF through the registration process outlined below. 

• You may only have one NSF ID. If you move to another university or research institution in the future, you will not create a new account but rather change the institution affiliated with your existing account.  
• For a DDRIG application, both the PI (faculty advisor) and Co-PI (doctoral student) must have NSF IDs.

For the Maxwell School, the contact person for assistance with registering for an NSF ID and affiliating your account with Syracuse University is Caroline McMullin (cmcmulli@syr.edu), Research Administrator in the SU Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).

Creating a New Account

Step 1: Visit Research.gov to begin registration process.

Step 2: Confirm that you do not have an existing NSF account.  

1. 1. Access the NSF ID Lookup page to search for an existing NSF account.
   2.  If you do not have an existing NSF account, proceed to Step 3.
   3. If you havean NSF account and forgot your password, click here to retrieve it. Remember that you may only have a single NSF ID, regardless of your past or current institutional affiliations. 

Step 3: After confirming that you do not have an existing NSF account, begin the registration process by clicking “Register” at the top of the page. 

Step 4: Create a new NSF account. 

1. 1. Input the requested personal information.
   2. Each NSF account requires a primary email address and a work email address. For the primary email address, use an email account that you will have continued access to even if you leave Syracuse University (e.g., Gmail). Your primary email address is used for important notifications about your NSF account such as password resets. For the work email address, use your Syracuse University (syr.edu) email address. The work email address is associated with your role(s) at a particular organization; it is used for role request and approval notifications as well as for proposal and award related notifications.
   3. You may wish to create an Open Research and Contributor Identifier (ORCID). An ORCID is a unique code that is used to identify scientific and other academic authors and contributors. To create this code, click on the green circle with “ID” and follow the link to the registration page.
   4. Save and review the information for accuracy before submitting.
   5. After submitting, you will receive two emails: one containing your new NSF ID and another with your temporary password. Use your NSF ID and temporary password to sign into the Research.gov. Change your password after logging in.
   6. Important: After you have successfully created an account, you must “Add a New Role” (Step 5) to affiliate your account to Syracuse University. 

Step 5: Add a New Role

Take the following steps to request the Investigator role:

1. 1. Sign into into Research.gov. 
   2. Select the “My Profile” link located on the top right of the screen. 
   3. Select the “Add a New Role” option from the left navigation bar.

   4. Click the blue “Add Investigator or Authorized User Role” button located in the “Prepare Proposals and Manage Awards” box. 

   5. Select "Yes, prepare and manage proposals with an organization" and click "Submit." 

   6. Complete the Four-Step Role Wizard: 

 I: Find Organization

To find Syracuse University as your organization, use DUNS number 002257350. 

 II: Add Information 

Complete the required fields and click "Next." 

III: Choose Role(s)

The "Principal Investigator" role is pre-selected. Click "Next." 

 IV: Review and Submit

Review your information for accuracy and click "Submit." 

Success!

You have successfully submitted a role request! Caroline in OSP will receive a notification email to review and approve your affiliation and role.