Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US Investigators and their Counterparts Abroad

Continued progress in fundamental materials and condensed matter research is increasingly dependent upon collaborative efforts among different disciplines, as well as closer coordination among funding agencies and effective partnerships involving universities, industry, and national laboratories. In addition, because of the growing interdependence of the world's economies, partnerships are important not only at the national level but from an international point of view as well. The National Science Foundation is working jointly with counterpart national, regional and multinational funding organizations worldwide to enhance opportunities for collaborative activities in materials research and education between US investigators and their colleagues abroad. This solicitation describes an activity to foster opportunities for such collaborations. It includes joint activities between NSF and funding organizations in Africa; the Americas, through the Inter-American Materials Collaboration (CIAM); Asia and Europe.Proposals submitted to NSF in response to this solicitation must have clear relevance to research supported by the NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR), as they will be evaluated within the context of programmatic areas within DMR: condensed matter physics, solid state and materials chemistry, polymers, biomaterials, metallic materials and nanostructures, ceramics, electronic and photonic materials, and condensed matter and materials theory. Proposals not appropriate for DMR consideration will be returned without review. NSF will accept proposals from US academic institutions addressing collaborations between researchers from the US and participating countries or regions. Concurrently, investigators at non-US research institutions should submit to the counterpart funding organization in their country or region a request for support of their side of the collaboration. NSF will consider support of all appropriate research costs for the US side of such collaborations, with the expectation that funding or research organizations from the appropriate countries or regions will consider supporting the costs of the non-US participants. Projects proposed to NSF are expected to offer students and junior researchers the opportunity to participate in international research and education experiences and, more generally, to integrate research and education in an international environment, and to clearly demonstrate the value added by the international collaboration. Projects are also expected to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities and persons with disabilities.