Funding International Science at the National Science Foundation

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Funding International Science at the National
Science Foundation

• Harold Stolberg
• Office of International Science and Engineering

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Scientific cooperation is not a luxury, but a
necessity and the foundation for the
future" Arden L. Bement, Jr. NSF
Director May 2006
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Support for International Activities

• Integrated throughout NSF
• New proposals to NSF research or education
  programs
• Supplements to active grants
• New proposals to the Office of International
  Science and Engineering (OISE)

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Role of the Office of International Science and
Engineering

• Serve as a point of contact for international
  research activities inside and outside of NSF
• Promote an integrated international strategy
• Administer international programs that are
  responsive to the interests of NSF and the
  scientific community

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Structure of NSF
Office of International Science and Engineering
(OISE)
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Key elements for OISE funding

• True intellectual collaboration with
  international partner
• Include biosketch, letter of support from
  collaborator
• New international collaboration, or scaling up of
  existing collaboration
• Leveraging of resources from both U.S. and
  international institutions
• NSF funds U.S. side of international
  collaboration
• Engagement of U.S. students, junior researchers
  in international research activities

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Types of International Funding

• Planning Visits and Workshops
• Programs for U.S. Students/Junior Researchers
• Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Program (DDEP)
• Pan-American Advanced Studies Institutes (PASI)
• Partnerships for International Research and
  Education (PIRE)

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International Research Experiences for Students
(IRES)

• Supports small groups of graduate and/or
  undergraduate students to do research in other
  countries
• Collaboration with international mentors and/or
  students
• Three years of support generally 8-10 weeks
  duration each summer
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04036/nsf04036.htm

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Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Program (DDEP)

• Supports doctoral students to do research under
  the mentorship of international scientists
• U.S. faculty mentor submits the proposal on
  behalf of the student
• Dissertation Enhancement proposals can also be
  submitted to the relevant research directorates
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04036/nsf04036.htm

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Pan-American Advanced Studies Institutes (PASI)

• Offers training in areas of current research for
  advanced graduate students, postdocs, junior
  faculty
• Puts young U.S. researchers in contact with
  colleagues from across the hemisphere
• U.S. investigator submits proposal in
  collaboration with researchers from other
  countries
• NSF supports participants from all countries
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03506/nsf03506.htm

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Partnerships for International Research and
Education (PIRE)

• Supports cutting-edge international research and
  education collaborations
• Success of research depends on full intellectual
  engagement of all partners, both U.S. and
  international
• Funding for up to five years no budget ceiling
• 32 active projects
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09505/nsf09505.htm

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PIRE I Awards
PIRE II Awards
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www.nsf.gov/OISE
International
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New Initiatives at NSF

• BREAD Program (Basic Research to Enable
  Agricultural Development)
• Collaboration between NSF and the Bill and
  Melinda Gates Foundation
• Supports novel and transformative agricultural
  research
• Support available for both U.S. and international
  investigators
• First proposal deadline September 9, 2009
  (letter of intent due August 5)
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09566/nsf09566.htm

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New Initiatives at NSF

• Joint Initiative between NSF y the U.S.
  Department of Energy (DOE)
• Educational campaign to involve young people in
  clean energy research
• Research and education opportunities for graduate
  and undergraduate students
• Announced by President Obama at the National
  Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, April 27,
  2009
• More information expected later in the year

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Thank You!
www.nsf.gov/oise hstolber_at_nsf.gov
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International Activities at NSF
Motivated by

• The globalization of science
• Research questions with international
  implications
• New technologies that eliminate communication
  barriers and allow for the sharing of data

• The need to create a globally competitive
  scientific workforce

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Regional Groups at OISE

• Africa, Near East, South Asia (ANESA)
• The Americas
• East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)
• Europe and Eurasia (EE)
• Global Initiatives
• However, proposals are becoming more global all
  the time . . .

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Planning Visits

• Fund short-term travel by small teams of U.S.
  investigators to plan new collaborations with
  international counterparts
• One or two weeks in duration
• Allows visits to laboratories, field sites, etc.
• Should result in submission by U.S. investigators
  of a new research proposal to NSF
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04035/nsf04035.htm

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Workshops

• Co-organized by U.S. and international
  investigators may take place either in the U.S.
  or abroad
• NSF supports the U.S. investigators
• Serve to identify areas of common interest and
  plan new collaborations
• Should result in submission by U.S. investigators
  of a new research proposal to NSF
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2004/nsf04035/nsf04035.htm

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International Research Fellowship Program (IRFP)

• Introduces U.S. posdoctoral researchers to
  research opportunities abroad
• Funding for up to two years
• Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• May do research in any part of the world
• www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf06582/nsf06582.htm

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PASIs
Argentina 14 Mexico 11 Chile 10 Brazil
9 Costa Rica 5 Other C.A. 2 Caribbean
1 Peru 1 Uruguay 1 US 4 Venezuela 1
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Co-funding with NSF Research Directorates

• OISE provides joint funding for projects with
  international components
• Requires international collaboration and mutual
  benefits
• Researchers should consult with NSF disciplinary
  program officers as well as the relevant regional
  group in OISE
• Example Institutional Analysis and Effective
  Conservation of Biodiversity in Central America
• Dissertation Enhancement project involving
  Indiana University and the Universidad del Valle
  de Guatemala
• Supported by OISE and SBE