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 the NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR)and funding organizations in Africa, Asia and Europe. Funding organizations in the Americas participate in this joint activity with DMR every other year on even years, and therefore are not listed as participating organizations in this solicitation for 2011. NSF also partners with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in this activity and encourages projects for materials research and education collaborations with investigators from developing countries where the work of the developing country participants is supported by USAID, either through the USAID Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program or other appropriate USAID program. A list of developing countries where USAID operates may be found at http://www.usaid.gov/locations/ .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, metals and metallic nanostructures, ceramics, electronic and photonic materials, and condensed matter and materials theory. Investigators are strongly advised to contact NSF staff in advance to ascertain that the research planned fits within the scope of the solicitation. 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. In the case of collaborations with participants from developing countries where the developing country participants currently have or are in the process of seeking USAID support, US investigators are encouraged to contact DMR staff listed in this solicitation for additional up-to-date guidance. Projects proposed to NSF are expected to offer students and junior researchers the opportunity to participate in international research and education experiences, including appropriate resource allocation in the budget request for this purpose, 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.