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

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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.