History
In 1998, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) initiated a program designed
to provide opportunities for scientific cooperation between ARS scientists
and scientists in research institutes of the Former Soviet Union (FSU)
countries. The objectives are:
·
To advance agricultural science by establishing new expertise in FSU countries.
·
To enhance the effectiveness and productivity of ARS research programs.
·
To improve the economy of FSU countries through advances in agricultural
technology.
·
To reduce the threat of biological weapon (BW) development and usage in
the world.
Program Philosophy
·
Establish collaborative, mutually beneficial research projects.
·
Develop proposals jointly (principal investigators from FSU & ARS).
·
Maintain substantial contact between ARS & FSU scientists.
Program Model
The program endeavors to foster close cooperation between ARS and FSU
scientists. Project ideas may come from either side, but the final project
is developed jointly. There are several steps in this process:
·
Identify candidate institutes and project areas through site visits and
written proposals initiated by individual FSU or ARS scientists.
·
Identify potential partnerships based on proposals received and prioritize
and select projects for further development.
·
Coordinate projects with the ARS National Research Program.
·
Arrange a short term visit of the FSU scientist to the ARS partner scientist
to develop the full project proposal following International Science and
Technology Center (ISTC) format for proposals with
Russiaand Kazakhstanand Science and Technology Center (STCU) format for proposals with Uzbekistan.
·
Submit fully developed projects for review by the appropriate administrative
authorities in the FSU country and by a U.S. Department of State-led
interagency group.
·
Review and implement approved projects through the ISTC or STCU (whichever
is appropriate).
·
Evaluate project performance through reports and yearly exchange visits
between the ARS and FSU collaborators.
·
Consider extensions of existing projects in competition with new projects.
·
Approve projects contingent upon availability of funds.
ARS Selection Criteria
The major considerations used by ARS to select projects for preliminary
and final funding are as follows:
·
The project will engage scientists from a former BW institute in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistanor Ukraine.
·
The project will advance ARS mission and program (importance of topic,
quality of proposal).
·
The project has the potential to be truly interactive.
·
The project has a good probability of success and sustainability (publications,
products).
·
The principal investigators are effective, committed, and willing to participate
in exchange visits.
·
The facilities (including animal welfare) are adequate and appropriate
to accomplish the objectives of the project.
Questions and Answers
How does the FSU scientist communicate interest to ARS?
FSU scientists and laboratory administrators may send preliminary proposals
(2 pages) listing the title, principal investigators, objectives, and a
brief description of the approach including any special technology that
will be employed. A budget may be included, but is not necessary at this
stage. These proposals should be forwarded to the ARS, Office of International
Research Programs.
Alternatively, FSU scientists may make informal contacts with counterpart
scientists in ARS to explore mutual interests on a particular research
problem. Such discussions may lead to the development of a preliminary
proposal, which should be submitted as described above.
What happens after the proposal is submitted?
Proposals are reviewed periodically by ARS depending on the availability
of funds. Proposals that complement ARS programs are sent to appropriate
ARS scientists. Proposals of interest to ARS scientists are then subjected
to an internal review process. If a proposal is selected for further development,
the ARS scientist will contact the FSU counterpart to discuss the work.
If there is mutual interest, the ARS scientist will arrange for the FSU
scientist to visit so that the final proposal can be jointly developed.
How is the program administered? Whom should I contact?
Program administration is provided by ARS’ Office of International Research
Programs, located in Beltsville, MD.
Program Managers
:
Ms. Melanie Peterson
Ms. Deborah Yeadon
Scientific Advisor:
Dr. Richard Witter, email:
witterR@msu.edu
Proposal Templates:
FSU
Pre-Proposal Template (English version)
FSU
Pre-Proposal Template (Russian version)
Companion Proposal Format for ARS Scientists
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