If you are being paid directly by the NSF and they don't issue a 1099-MISC (I guess they get away with it because they are "government"?) then you are responsible for reporting your own income from your own records. Income is taxable when it is actually received, so you will have a large income in 2016 with few deductions, and a smaller income in 2017, possibly with more deductions for expenses.
As I mentioned above, the health insurance premiums are eligible for a premium tax credit and are includable as itemized deductions on schedule A, but only to the extent they are more than 10% of your income. Your travel expenses would only be deductible as work-related expenses if you show work-related income, which you won't be doing, so those won't be deductible for you.
