Networking and collaborative Research with European partners: participation in the Eurocores Scheme

Ass Fondation Europeenne Science, Strasbourg

Investigators

Abstract

This project will support the Networking costs of US-based researchers undertaking international collaborative research projects within the framework of the EUROpean COoperative RESearch (EUROCORES) scheme. The EUROCORES Programme, developed and coordinated by the European Science Foundation, is a mechanism designed to support bottom-up, investigator-driven international research collaborations. National funding agencies, located primarily in Europe, make a programmatic decision to provide funds to support a Joint Call on an investigator-proposed topical Theme. Individual investigators in each of the participating countries can propose to be part of a multinational Collaborative Research Project (CRP) that responds to the call. After an international Merit Review process, successful CRPs (and therefore the associated Individual Projects) are supported by the national funding agency in the country where the PI is employed. NSF has already supported the research costs of over 20 individual US-based investigators/projects within the EUROCORES framework. This award provides funding to network the US researchers with their counterparts overseas in a coordinated mechanism. The Broader Impacts of the activities supported through this award are significant, focusing on international research cooperation activities for US researchers that leverage the NSF investment. Networking activities within each EUROCORES programme include annual scientific committee meetings, biannual Topical Science Workshops, and programme-wide Conferences to disseminate results and foster new collaborations. For junior researchers, the project supports Summer Schools with European counterparts and travel grants that enable direct collaboration with European-based colleagues along with access to unique European research infrastructure. The success of EUROCORES in attracting both top-level researchers and multiple national funding agencies to a common Call demonstrates the quality of the research, and the importance of the international coordination and cooperation, within these programmes.