Two Items: 1) Join DEFORM;  2) Help write NSF proposal

Forwarded call for collaboration from Terry Tullis, Brown University:

Dear Colleagues,
 
Short Version:

Whether you engage in experimental rock deformation or apply results from such work to understanding nature, we invite your institution to join a new open collaboration called DEFORM (Deformation Experimentalists at the Frontier Of Rock and Mineral research), and invite you to help us write an NSF proposal to support our research efforts. If interested in either one, please fill out a form (takes 4-5 minutes) at: 
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEhZ...  

Further explanation:

DEFORM’s mission statement:

“DEFORM exists to facilitate experimental rock deformation research that furthers our understanding of fundamental processes and properties.  Support and development of communal experimental facilities that foster innovative science are our core objectives. We enable research relevant to understanding deformation in the natural environment and encourage the participation of new users from all scientific disciplines.”
 
Institutions having personnel who apply results from experiments as well as those who do experiments are encouraged to join. There is no cost.
 
Please respond if:

1) You believe your institution would be interested in being a member of DEFORM, and/or

2) You would like to help write an NSF Proposal to support this research (we want this to be an open process).

 
Only one person from a given institution needs to fill out an application to join DEFROM, so you could coordinate your response with others. If several from one institution respond, we will sort that out and contact all who respond if your answers concerning your institutional representative are inconsistent. Even if others from your institution respond, if you would like to help write an NSF proposal, please fill out the form at this website:
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEhZ... 

Institutions are encouraged to join whether from the USA or outside the USA, non-profit or for-profit, doing experiments or applying their results. Due to anticipated NSF funding, foreign institutions and for-profit institutions will be non-voting members, but otherwise will be full scientific participants.  
 
A set of Draft ByLaws is available at: 
https://dropbox.brown.edu/download.php?hash=6795d706 
 
Once our initial membership is established, we will have a formal ratification of the ByLaws, so if you have any suggested changes now, we encourage you to send them in an email with Subject “DEFORM ByLaws” to deform1000@gmail.com.
 
If you have questions about any of this, send an email with Subject “DEFORM Question” to deform1000@gmail.com.
 
So the bottom line is, if your institution would like to join DEFORM or help write an NSF proposal, please fill out the form at:
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dEhZ... 

Please do this as soon as you can. All legitimate applications prior to January 20 will be accepted.
 
Cheers,
Terry

Terry E. Tullis
Department of Geological Sciences
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912-1846

email: Terry_Tullis@brown.edu <Terry_Tullis@brown.edu> 
web: www.geo.brown.edu/faculty/ttullis/index.html

office: (401) 863-3829
lab: (401) 863-1923
Fax: (401) 863-2058
mobile: (401) 787-2210