Funding- NSF Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE); deadline Jan. 15, 2009

The Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) program seeks to catalyze a higher level of international engagement in the U.S. science and engineering community by supporting innovative, international research and education collaborations. The program will enable U.S. scientists and engineers to establish collaborative relationships with international colleagues in order to advance new knowledge and discoveries at the frontiers of science and engineering and to promote the development of a diverse, globally-engaged U.S. scientific and engineering workforce. The PIRE program will support bold, forward-looking research whose successful outcome results from all partners—U.S. and foreign—providing unique contributions to the research endeavor. It is also intended to facilitate greater student preparation for and participation in international research collaboration, and to contribute to the development of a diverse, globally-engaged U.S. science and engineering workforce. The program aims to support partnerships that will strengthen the capacity of institutions, multi-institutional consortia, and networks to engage in and benefit from international research and education collaborations

Details on this solicitation, previous recipients, and a webcast video and transcript are available at the following websites:  http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09505/nsf09505.htm and http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12819

NSF requires a pre-proposal from all applicants and will accept no more than three preliminary-proposals from an institution; therefore, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process and a deadline for receipt of applications. Researchers interested in submitting a proposal to this program are to submit the following information electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Thursday, January 15, 2009:

• Names and Departments of Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators
• Names of the foreign partners and foreign project activities sites
• Project Description (5 page maximum) to include: 

a. the research focus;

b. the objectives;

c. the nature of the international research experiences to be provided to U.S. students and early-career researchers, plans for the provision of effective mentoring in both U.S. and international institutions, and the career development to be provided;

d. the intellectual merit of the project; and

e. the broader impacts of the proposed project

f. a brief budget

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).

The Vice President for Research will appoint a committee to review this information and make recommendations as to the University’s submissions.  The individuals selected to be UK's applicants will be notified in sufficient time to prepare the proposal for electronic submission via FastLane or Grants.gov for the February 26, 2009 preliminary proposal deadline. 

NSF will review these applications and invite a select number to submit a full proposal which will be due August 4, 2009.