Group items tagged

This National Aeronautics and Space Administration NRA "Solicitation of Proposals for Possible Inclusion in a Russian Bion-M2 Mission" is an Appendix to the NASA Omnibus Research Announcement ROSBio-2016 (NNH16ZTT001N NRA). NASA's Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division (SLPSRAD) has been invited to propose candidate experiments from U.S. investigators for possible inclusion in the Bion-M2 mission, which will occur in 2020 or 2021. The NASA Space Biology Program, therefore, requests proposals for flight investigations that fit within the Russian IBMP flight experiment designs as described in Appendix C (NNH16ZTT001N-BION) to the ROSBio-2016 Omnibus NRA. For this Appendix, NASA Space Biology will use a two-phase submission and review process. The first phase will require the submission of a preliminary proposal, hereafter referred to as a pre-proposal. Pre-proposals will be evaluated by NASA and possibly by the IBMP/RAS for their suitability for inclusion in mission planning. Investigators whose pre-proposals are found to satisfy the evaluation criteria described in Appendix C will be invited to submit complete full proposals during phase 2, which will occur at a later date, after more details about the Bion-M2 mission become available.

The Kyiv American Center Program will provide all staffing, resource materials, technology infrastructure, technical support and key program activities to administer the Kyiv American Center in Ukraine, which is one of approximately 700 American Spaces supported by the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) of the U.S. Department of State. American Spaces exemplify the U.S. commitment to a core tenet of democracy: the citizen's right to free access to information. The American Center in Kyiv will support the foundation of public diplomacy by creating a place for in-person engagement with Ukrainian audiences. The Center will be a technology-forward, welcoming, and engaging environment where Embassy personnel, official visitors, and implementing partners connect with Ukrainians, especially young leaders and young professionals, to inspire dialogue on issues that matter most to U.S.-Ukraine relations. The recipient organization will be responsible for staffing and operating a new stand-alone American Center in downtown Kyiv. Key program activities under this cooperative agreement will include hiring local Ukrainian staff with expertise in program and event management to staff the center; purchasing all necessary technology, materials, and supplies to provide a basis for engagement with Ukrainian audiences; and designing a flexible and dynamic program of activities each month to interact with Ukrainian visitors to the center and encourage visitors to return regularly. Decisions on staffing and program content will be made in consultation with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi (PAS New Delhi) seeks proposals for a project entitled "Gender Equity: Women's Equality, Empowerment and Leadership through Safe Higher Educational and Work Spaces." Through this grant project, the grantee will establish partnerships with five Indian universities/ colleges to organize five gender sensitization training workshops for 125 faculty of Higher Educational Institutions (HEI's) and conduct gender and safety audits at these institutions. Each workshop would be led by an eminent American feminist scholar or activist in addition to Indian experts. The workshops should predominantly be in Tier II Indian cities including one in North India and one each in the American Consulate districts (Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad). As part of the workshop, the grantee will organize and implement a creative exhibition/installation/performance showcasing narratives on safe and gender-just work places and campuses. (Please refer to the full announcement available under 'related documents' tab.)

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will provide Federal assistance to support innovative projects seeking to promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises. This Announcement is a mechanism to encourage new activities, education, outreach, innovative projects or sponsorships that are not addressed through other MBDA programs. MBDA has established key priorities designed to overcome the unique challenges faced by minority business enterprises (MBEs). MBDA is now initiating new approaches to serve MBEs that compliment Presidential priorities and U.S. Department of Commerce goals. These program priorities are separated according to the following 14 initiatives: Access to Capital American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Project Aquaculture Disaster Readiness Disaster Recovery Entrepreneurship Education Program for Formerly Incarcerated Persons Global Minority Women Economic Empowerment Initiative Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative Inclusive Infrastructure Initiative Research Space Commerce Sustainable Business Model Technology Transfer and Commercialization Virtual Business Center

T.R.I.B.E. - a new network of residency spaces in the Balkans and East Europe, dedicated to research and production of Transitory Art, launches its first open call for artistic and research residencies to take place between March 2013 and April 2014. TRIBE network aims to examine vital cultural, political and social questions in a way that will produce fresh perspectives via research and artistic outputs. WHAT IS A TRIBE RESIDENCY? A TRIBE residency is a production or research residency for artists and researchers taking place in Ljubljana, Prague, Istanbul, Nicosia & other locations. TRIBE is a network interested in forming a mobile group of artists and researchers to participate in discussions, interventions and innovations related to the first TRIBE theme: Transition & Utopia (more information on the TRIBE theme can be found below). Works produced will be exhibited in two exhibitions taking place in Istanbul and Ljubljana. Common events for TRIBE group, workshops and a symposium for researchers will take place in Nicosia.

The DAAD/AICGS Research Fellowship Program, funded by a generous grant from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), is designed to bring scholars and specialists working on Germany, Europe, and/or transatlantic relations to AICGS for research stays of two months each. Fellowships include a monthly stipend of up to $4,725, depending on the seniority of the applicant; transportation to and from Washington; and office space at the Institute. Please note that the DAAD/AICGS Research Fellowship supports fellows conducting research at AICGS in Washington DC. We are unable to support research in Germany/Europe. DAAD/AICGS Research Fellows will be expected to produce a short analytical essay that will be published on the AICGS website and distributed via the Institute's targeted analysis newsletter, The AICGS Advisor. For fellows producing research output of exceptional quality and interest, AICGS will provide opportunities for public presentations to the broader Washington policy community. Project proposals should address a topic closely related to one or more of the Institute's three research and programming areas: Business and Economics Foreign and Domestic Policy Society, Culture & Politics

The goal of the National Robotics Initiative is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside, or cooperatively with, people. Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots acting in direct support of and in a symbiotic relationship with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of this program is the development of this next generation of robotics, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas. It will address the entire life cycle from fundamental research and development to manufacturing and deployment. Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative. Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development, deployment and use.O

CAS Sofia provides in-residence fellowships of two- to five- month duration to post-doctoral non-Bulgarian researchers. Junior as well as Senior scholars are invited to apply. The selected Fellows are entitled to: A monthly stipend of 700 euro (liable to 10% income tax) to cover living expenses related to the stay in Sofia. Accommodation in Sofia, comprising living quarters and working space. The Fellows will also have free access to the CAS library and electronic resources/databases. Travel allowance (400 euro) Research expenses (100 euro p.m.)

The U.S. Consulate Fukuoka Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This annual notice of funding opportunities outlines our funding priorities and areas of interest, as well as procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please note that this notice supplements specific notices of funding opportunities that may be posted both here and on other relevant sites throughout the year. Any organization or individual interested in applying for funding should carefully follow all instructions. The U.S. Consulate Fukuoka is accepting applications for small grants to individuals or organizations to lead an English education program with American cultural content at the Fukuoka American Center, American Shelf partner institutions and/or a public space. The U.S. Consulate Fukuoka will award a grant of $500-$1,000 to fund a series of events to promote English language education, introduce American culture, and/or to encourage future travel to and study in the United States. To promote English language, we ask that at least one native-level English speaker is involved in the proposed activities. Proposed activities might follow the past English learning programs hosted by Fukuoka American Center (please contact the Fukuoka Grants Management to receive the sample session descriptions for English Club and Kids English Learning Program) or propose an alternative model. Sessions can be held monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly on or after November 15, 2018 for one year. Sessions must be open to the public and cannot be commercial, trade or charitable activities. No for-profit organizations can receive funding through these awards. If awarded, the Grantee will be responsible for coordinating the schedule with the Fukuoka American Center and/or American Shelf partner institutions.

Supporting civil society and creating a space for a diversity of people and ideas is a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy abroad. To that end, the U.S. Mission to China (Embassy Beijing and Consulates General Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan) seeks to support activities that promote civic engagement, human rights, good governance, rule of law, environmental protection, education, and multilateral and economic engagement. Such programming will enhance and broaden the outreach of the U.S. Mission in China.

The Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) program is a broad-based research program with the goal of understanding the behavior of atmospheric regions from the middle atmosphere upward through the thermosphere and ionosphere into the exosphere in terms of coupling, energetics, chemistry, and dynamics on regional and global scales. These processes are related to the sources of perturbations that propagate upward from the lower atmosphere as well as to solar radiation and particle inputs from above. The activities within this program combine observations from ground based and space based platforms, theory and modeling.

A principal goal of U.S. assistance in Cuba is to empower Cuban civil society to demand effective democracy and respect for human dignity. To promote a peaceful transition to self-determined democracy on the island, U.S. assistance programs focus on providing humanitarian assistance to victims of repression, strengthening civil society, weakening the information blockade, and helping Cubans to create space for dialogue about democratic change and reconciliation. To encourage civic participation in Cuba, the U.S. program focuses on strengthening independent Cuban civil society groups, including professional associations and labor groups. Efforts are aimed at increasing the capacity for community involvement in, and networks among, civil society groups. The United States supports information sharing to, from, and within Cuba, including among civil society groups on the island. In an effort to advocate for human rights, enable expression of political and religious beliefs, and address community needs, civil society leaders create and maintain organized groups that will support a range of their concerns and interests. These associations contribute to an expanding public sphere and discourse in Cuba that includes political and non-political advocacy, youth empowerment, human rights, free press, art, religion, gender and sexuality, among other local issues. However, the Cuban government's repression against civil society leaders and their organizations continues to intensify. I

The program includes five one-month residence grants for young researchers, working on their PhD thesis or preparing them for publishing, and five two-week residence grants for advanced researchers. The program also provides for three residences in digital urban history, jointly with the Lviv Interactive project, an online-encyclopedia representing the history of Lviv through places and spaces. The researchers are expected to have an interest in preparing materials for the project while placing their own research focus within the spatial aspect of Lviv and engaging digital methods to study the topic under analysis.

Topic 1: Sociopolitical (In)Stability, Resilience, and Recovery Topic 2: Economic Interdependence and Security Topic 3: Alliances and Burden Sharing Topic 4: Fundamental Dynamics of Scientific Discovery Topic 5: Adversarial Information Campaigns Topic 6: Automated Cyber Vulnerability Analysis Topic 7: Power, Deterrence, Influence, and Escalation Management for Shaping Operations Topic 8: Security Risks in Ungoverned & Semi-Governed Spaces

The residence grants are offered to researchers of various fields in the humanities from different countries. We especially encourage historians, culture studies scholars, and anthropologists. We welcome applications for research that offer broad interpretations of urban history as a discipline at the intersection of various approaches of humanities and social sciences. The chronological and geographical frames of the proposed research are limited to the 19th and 20th-century history of East and Central Europe. Preference will be given to topics related to the Center's research focuses like urbanization in multi-ethnic cities, individual experience of city residents during 20th-century radical changes and wars, planned cities, urban heritage, commemorative practices and city space, infrastructure and cultural practices in the cities, digital and public history.

The Global Innovation Initiative is a joint effort of the United States and the United Kingdom to strengthen global multilateral collaboration through grants to university consortia focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related issues of global significance that foster cutting-edge multinational research and strengthen institutional international partnerships.

NSF and selected foreign counterpart science and technology agencies sponsor international research institutes for U.S. graduate students in seven East Asia and Pacific locations at times set by the counterpart agencies between June and August each year. The Summer Institutes (EAPSI) operate similarly and the research visits to a particular location take place at the same time. Although applicants apply individually to participate in a Summer Institute, awardees become part of the cohort for each location. Applicants must propose a location, host scientist, and research project that is appropriate for the host site and duration of the international visit. An EAPSI award provides U.S. graduate students in science, engineering, and education: 1) first-hand research experiences in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) an orientation to the society, culture, and language. It is expected that EAPSI awards will help students initiate professional relationships to enable future collaboration with foreign counterparts. The NSF award includes participation in the Pre-Departure Orientation, summer stipend of $5,000, and roundtrip airplane ticket to the host location. EAPSI partner agencies pay in-country living expenses during the Summer Institutes.

The grantee will be responsible for managing and implementing all rounds of the 2nd Young Astronauts Program. The grantee should design an application process for the fall of 2019 or spring of 2020 that tests student interest in science and aerospace fields, critical thinking, English language, and leadership ability. Applications can be done online through written or video submissions, or through in-person competitions (make-a-thons etc.) Semi-finalists must be interviewed by a panel of English and science experts to gauge their motivation, maturity, and English language ability. The grantee, through this grant, should support secondary school students and chaperones to travel to the United States to participate in a week-long aerospace camp, visit prominent aerospace sites of historical interest, and engage in American cultural activities. The grantee convenes a selection committee that chooses participants for the program. The grantee must design the summer 2020 program in the United States and support all travel and lodging logistics. Participants on the tour learn about American history and capture their experiences through social media posts, and the grantee supports the production and editing of at least one video testimonial.