The Grant Application Form and the Proposed Budget Form for the
Women's International Science Collaboration (WISC) Program 2001-2002 can
be downloaded from the AAAS web site at:
http://www.aaas.org/international/eca/wisc.shtml. If you are unable to
download these forms, please contact:
Karen Grill
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
International Directorate, Program on Europe and Central Asia
1200 New York Avenue, NW, 7th floor
Washington, DC 20005
For questions or hard copies of the forms, please contact (preferably by
e-mail):
Karen Grill
Tel: 202/326-7027
Fax: 202/289-4958
E-mail: kgrill [at] aaas.org
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Program on
Europe and Central Asia, International Division
announces
WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE COLLABORATION (WISC) PROGRAM 2001-2002
OVERVIEW
The Women's International Science Collaboration (WISC) Program is funded
by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and administered by the Program
on Europe and Central Asia of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS). Because the application rate of women
scientists and engineers to the Central and Eastern Europe Program of
the Division of International Programs has been disproportionately low,
the goal of this Program is to increase the participation of women as
PIs and co-PIs in international research projects. This program provides
grants to individual U.S. scientists who plan to establish new research
partnerships with their colleagues in Central/Eastern Europe (CEE) and
the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS).
The grant, up to $4,000, will provide travel and living support for the
U.S. woman scientist and, when appropriate, an additional grant of
$4,000 to her American male or female co-PI. Each scientist will be
responsible for arranging accommodations. The grant does not cover
salary or institutional expenses (e.g., overhead). U.S. scientists can
spend up to four weeks in the partner country to develop a research
program and design. Expenses can also be used to cover material and
supplies needed during the stay. Where excess funds exist and with the
approval of AAAS administrators, grants funds can also be used to
support a second visit to the partner country or for a foreign partner
to travel to the U.S. when such a visit is deemed necessary. The grants
are not to be used for the sole purpose of attending conferences or
workshops or teaching or training. The program will be administered by
AAAS. The grantee's home institution will be responsible for overseeing
the grantee's adherence to NSF and federal guidelines regarding
administration of the grant.
ELIGIBILITY
Men and women scientists who have their Ph.D. or equivalent research
experience are eligible to apply. Applications from male co-PIs must be
accompanied by an application from a female co-PI as part of a U.S.
research team. They must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the
U.S. Male and female graduate students (Ph.D. candidates) are also
eligible to apply, if they will be conducting research in an established
Ph.D. program in the U.S. and will be traveling with their Ph.D. advisor
and will serve as co-PI on future proposals. Government employees can
only apply if they also are affiliated with another institution eligible
to receive NSF grants (e.g., an adjunct professorship at a university).
Specialists who have received their doctoral degrees within the past six
years will receive special consideration, as will specialists applying
to work with colleagues in less frequently represented countries and
regions.
Scientists and engineers who have an existing NSF grant and are eligible
for a NSF international supplement should not apply to this program.
Please contact NSF's Eastern Europe Program staff who can advise
regarding applications for NSF international supplements
(cdudka [at] nsf.gov).
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
Foreign partnerships from the following countries will be considered:
Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Georgia, Hungary, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia,
Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajkistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT
Important information for applicants in grants programs involving
Russian partners.
As a result of recent determinations made by the U.S. Government, we are
not permitted to award grants to support visits to or the hosting of
researchers from the Russian institutions listed below. For further
information, please contact: kgrill [at] aaas.org
Baltic State Technical University
Europalace 2000
Glavkosmos
Grafit Research Institute (NIIGrafit)
MOSO
Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia
Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI)
The Scientific Research and Design Institute of Power Technology
(NIKIET, Research and Development)
Institute of Power Engineering (RDIPE) and (ENTEK)
Tula Instrument and Design Bureau
TZNII Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Machine
Building (Tzniitomash)
Volsk Mechanical Plant
(updated December 2000)
ELIGIBLE RESEARCH FIELDS
Only fields funded by the National Science Foundation and
interdisciplinary research cutting across these fields are eligible,
including archaeology and anthropology; astronomy; biochemistry,
biophysics and genetics; biological sciences; chemistry; computer
science; earth sciences; economics; engineering; environmental sciences;
geography; history and philosophy of science; linguistics; mathematics;
physics; political science; non-clinically oriented psychology; science
and technology policy; and sociology. For further information on fields
and interdisciplinary research, please visit NSF's web site at
http://www.nsf.gov
No proposals involving agricultural production; drug testing or
development; research on the diagnosis, etiology or treatment of
physical or mental diseases or disorders; or the use of animal models of
human diseases or conditions will be accepted. Proposals outside the
scope of the program will not be considered.
SELECTION
The AAAS will then collect and review the initial applications for
completeness. They will then send them to the members of a five-person
review panel who will read and rank their appropriateness, keeping in
mind NSF review requirements - scientific relevance and impact.
The evaluation of each proposal will take into account:
(1) applicant's technical abilities (scientific accomplishments to date,
including significance of publications in peer-reviewed journals and
independent research);
(2) quality of the proposed project (specificity and significance of the
project's objectives, including expected contributions to the specific
discipline and to the greater scientific community);
(3) feasibility of carrying out the proposed project (capabilities of
proposed hosts in the research area, including availability of required
facilities; ability of visitor to work in a Western environment; and
ability of visitor to communicate effectively with colleagues); and
(4) prospects for long-term collaboration following the completion of
the current project.
These issues should be addressed in the five-page description of the
project.
GRANT CONDITIONS
All grants will be administered by and disbursed through the grant
recipient's institution. This includes visa, travel, and other
arrangements in compliance with NSF and other federal regulations.
AAAS grants will not cover any overhead or other indirect charges
assessed by universities (or by other institutional organizations). The
American specialist who is applying through her institution must certify
in writing that such changes will be waived. AAAS grants do not provide
for salary replacement.
The AAAS shall have no responsibility for costs incurred beyond those
covered in the grant as itemized in fellowship application and which are
reasonable, allowable, and allocatable to the effort undertaken.
Expenses are not to exceed $4,000.
Any unspent funds remaining at the conclusion of the visit shall be
returned to AAAS. In addition, should the actual duration of the
visit(s) be less than the proposed duration, the grant recipient will
return to the AAAS any unspent funds.
If trans-oceanic airfare costs are to be covered by the grant, AAAS
policy and the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive
Practices Act of 1974 (49 U.S.C. 1517) (Fly America Act) require the use
of U.S. Flag carriers for international air travel to the extent these
carriers are available. Business or First Class travel is not permitted.
In preparing their application budgets, grantees should obtain fare
quotations so as to ensure that their requests are reasonable. AAAS
staff will review air travel expense requests to ensure reasonableness.
Proof of these arrangements (ticket stub or receipt coupon) must be
submitted. If other funds are used for travel, documentation supporting
this action must be provided.
The budget will also be evaluated by AAAS staff and may be cut back if
they exceed reasonable costs.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Within three months of the trip, the grantee will be required to submit
a trip report (according to the WISC trip report guidelines), which
includes an evaluation of the trip, and a progress report on submitting
a formal research proposal.
The grantee's institution will also be responsible for submitting an
expense report of travel funds (form provided) with copies of original
receipts within 60 days. Any excess funds will be returned to AAAS or
plans to expend the excess funds (i.e., a second visit by the American
to the foreign partners, a first visit by the partner to the U.S.;
equipment or supply purchases to enhance communications, etc.) will be
outlined in the final report. Upon approval from AAAS, the grantee can
use the excess funds. In this case, another report will be due within
three months of the initial report.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
The application will include the following:
1) Grant application form (which would include a space to identify
possible NSF grant programs);
2) Short (maximum of five pages) description of the project;
3) Curriculum Vitae including a list of publications or other relevant
activities;
4) Description of the foreign institution that will be collaborating;
5) CV of the collaborating foreign partner;
6) Correspondence from foreign colleague indicating a willingness to
cooperate, to assist with obtaining a visa and housing, and to assure a
safe and secure working environment; and
7) Proposed Budget Form.
Both the Grant Application Form and the Proposed Budget Form can be
downloaded from our web site at:
http://www.aaas.org/international/eca/wisc.shtml. If you are unable to
download these forms, please contact: kgrill [at] aaas.org.
Please mail original plus seven copies of the entire application package
to:
Karen Grill
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
International Directorate, Program on Europe and Central Asia
1200 New York Avenue, NW, 7th floor
Washington, DC 20005
For questions or hard copies of the forms, please contact (preferably by
e-mail):
Karen Grill
Tel: 202/326-7027
Fax: 202/289-4958
E-mail: kgrill [at] aaas.org
DEADLINES
March 15, 2001 (notification by May 1)
July 15, 2001 (notification by October 15)
January 15, 2002 (notification by April 15)