Enhancing U.S. Scientific Leadership and Geographic Research: International Collaboration in the Middle East

作为全球化社会中的知识生产者，科学家和学者必须考虑到一个日益联系的世界，它影响着知识生产企业的活动。 这一事实促使大学、研究开发企业和联邦机构等研究型组织促进国际研究合作，以此作为建立智力能力和提高竞争力的手段。 该项目延续了美国地理学家协会（AAG）和美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的长期支持，通过国际地理学联合会（IGU）的正式活动，使美国地理学家参与国际合作。 该项目将支持72名美国地理学者参加2008年4月至2010年11月在中东举行的两次重大国际地理会议。 它将部分资助45名美国学者参加2008年8月12日至15日与突尼斯地理学家协会协调在突尼斯突尼斯举行的第31届国际地理学大会;和二十七（27）名美国学者在特拉维夫的IGU区域会议，2010年夏季，以色列与以色列国家地理委员会协调。 大约60%的参与者将是初级学者。 该项目将通过对研究和教育资源的贡献，包括刺激学术出版物，促进合作，多国研究和改善地理教育，为个人研究人员和更广泛的地理社区提供好处;对人力资源开发的贡献，包括国际科学领导力;对美国科学和其他学科的广泛丰富的贡献;以及提案叙述中所描述的科学和工程以外的其他贡献。美国地理学家广泛参与这些即将到来的国际地理学联合会在中东主办的会议，将加强美国与国际学者的联系。 过去NSF资助的旅行补助计划已经产生了影响，刺激美国的参与率比没有这种支持的年份高出五分之一到四分之一。 特别是年轻学者通过参加国际活动提供早期专业发展机会。 特别是对中东地区的关注，有可能改善该地区美国学者和地理学家之间的科学合作，他们的联合研究最终将帮助穆斯林国家进一步发展合作技术知识库，将研究和开发转化为解决社会经济问题的有用应用。 美国学者还提供了独特的机会，通过这些合作伙伴关系在该地区的推广，积极参与和改进的研究计划。

As producers of knowledge in a globalized society, scientists and scholars must reckon with an increasingly connected world that impacts the activities of knowledge producing enterprises. This fact has prompted research-oriented organizations such as universities, R&D business, and federal agencies to promote international research collaboration as a means to build intellectual capacity and increase competitiveness, among other goals. This project continues the long-standing support by both the Association of American Geographers (AAG) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for US geographers to engage in international collaboration through formal activities of the International Geographical Union (IGU). This project will support the participation of seventy-two (72) United States geographic scholars in two major international geographic conferences to be held in the Middle East from April 2008 through November 2010. It will partially underwrite the participation of forty-five (45) US scholars in the 31st International Geographical Congress in Tunis, Tunisia to be held in coordination with the Association of Tunisian Geographers from August 12-15, 2008; and twenty-seven (27) US scholars in the IGU Regional Conference in Tel-Aviv, Israel in coordination with the Israeli National Commission for Geography during the Summer of 2010. Approximately 60 percent of participants will be junior scholars. This project will provide benefits to individual researchers and the broader geographic community through contributions to resources for research and education, including stimulating scholarly publications, fostering collaborative, multi-national research, and improving geographic education; contributions to human resource development, including international scientific leadership; contributions to broad enrichment of US science and of other disciplines; and other contributions beyond science and engineering as described in the proposal narrative.Widespread participation of US geographers in these upcoming International Geographical Union sponsored conferences in the Middle East will strengthen US ties with international scholars. Past NSF-funded travel grant programs have made a difference, stimulating one-fifth to one-quarter greater US participation rates than in years when such support was not available. Junior scholars in particular are provided early professional development opportunities through participation in international events. The focus on the Middle East region in particular holds potential for improved scientific collaborations between US scholars and geographers in the region, whose joint research ultimately will help Muslim countries further develop collaborate technical knowledge base that can translate research and development into useful applications for solving socio-economic problems. American scholars are also provided with unique opportunities for outreach, positive engagement, and improved research programs through these partnerships in the region.