US-Nigeria Workshop: Innovative Design Approaches to Sustainable Buildings, November, 2010

该奖项为宾夕法尼亚州立大学的PI Anumba Chimay组织了一个为期四天的国际研讨会，主题是使用计算和信息技术（IT）作为可持续建筑领域创新的驱动力。该研讨会将于2010年11月29日至12月2日在尼日利亚阿布贾举行。研讨会的目标是创建一个合作框架，使美国和尼日利亚的研究人员能够在新的项目上合作，利用尼日利亚的环境作为研究和实验的自然实验室来处理可持续建筑。讲习班的目的还在于使人们更好地了解在发展中国家建立创新和可持续文化所涉及的技术挑战。尼日利亚大学教授、尼日利亚大学委员会创新与研究主任Valentine Ekechukwu博士将与Chimay博士密切合作，组织本次研讨会。美国土木工程师协会（ASCE）全球卓越计算中心也提供了一些支持，并将在其网站上发布研讨会成果。知识价值。讲习班的主要目标是在利用计算和信息技术的基础上，通过对创新和可持续性这两个相互关联领域的综合，推进基础研究。这个过程的第一步是建立一个合作框架，这将使美国的研究人员能够与他们的尼日利亚伙伴合作，利用尼日利亚的环境作为一个完美的自然实验室进行研究和实验，特别是与太阳能有关的研究和实验。下一步将涉及发展研究伙伴关系（在研讨会期间和之后），从而提交一份NSF PIRE联合提案。项目主管部门期望讲习班的结果将是一些联合研究项目，解决可持续性领域的理论和实验基础研究问题，这些问题如果没有尼日利亚的研究人才和环境就无法回答。更广泛的影响。宾夕法尼亚州立大学有一个完善的全球参与节点（GENs）项目，该项目提供了一个服务学习组件，该模型将在研讨会上用于制定美国-尼日利亚合作讨论。研究生和初级科学家将获得参加研讨会的支持。由于国家科学基金会在尼日利亚与国家大学委员会合作举办了第一次讲习班，它对尼日利亚研究人员的影响将是重大的，并将重新引起与美国学者和机构合作的兴趣。研讨会材料将由美国土木工程师协会（ASCE）分发，特别是由ASCE全球卓越计算中心分发，该中心正在帮助组织研讨会。这些材料将在中心网站（www.asceglobalcenter.org）上提供，并由中心推广。由于该中心在各大洲都有成员，因此PI预计将产生全球性影响。该奖项由国际科学与工程办公室的非洲、近东和南亚项目支持。

Anumba 1032164This award provides support for PI Anumba Chimay from Pennsylvania State University to organize a 4-day international workshop on the use of computing and information technology (IT) as driver of new innovations in the area of sustainable buildings. The workshop will be held in Abuja, Nigeria from Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2010. The goal of the workshop is to create a cooperative framework which will allow US and Nigerian researchers to partner on new projects dealing with sustainable buildings using the Nigerian environment as a natural laboratory for studies and experiments. The workshop is also intended to result in improved understanding of the technical challenges involved in engendering a culture of innovation and sustainability in a developing country. Dr. Valentine Ekechukwu, professor at the University of Nigeria and Director for Innovation and Research at the Nigerian Universities Commission will work closely with Dr. Chimay in the organization of this workshop. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Global Center of Excellence in Computing is also providing some support and will post the workshop outcomes on its website.Intellectual Merit. The primary goal of the workshop is to advance fundamental research in the interrelated areas of innovation and sustainability through their integration based on the use of computing and Information Technology (IT). The first step in this process is the creation of a cooperative framework, which will allow US researchers to work with their Nigerian partners on sustainability using the Nigerian environment as a perfect natural laboratory for studies and experiments, particularly those related to solar power. The next step will involve developing research partnerships (during the workshop and immediately after it), resulting in the submission of a joint NSF PIRE proposal. The PIs expect that the outcome of the workshop will be a number of joint research projects addressing fundamental research questions, both theoretical and experimental, in the area of sustainability, questions which could not be answered without access to the Nigerian research talents and environment.Broader Impacts. Pennsylvania State University has a well-developed Global Engagement Nodes (GENs) program that has provision for a service learning component, a model that will be used formulate the US-Nigeria collaboration discussions at the workshop. Graduate students and junior scientists will receive support to participate in the workshop. As the first NSF workshop in Nigeria being organized in cooperation with the National Universities Commission, its impact on the Nigerian researchers will be significant and will lead to a renewed interest in cooperation with the American scholars and institutions. The workshop materials will be distributed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and specifically by the ASCE Global Center of Excellence in Computing, which is helping with the organization of the workshop. The materials will be made available on the Center's website (www.asceglobalcenter.org) and will be promoted by the Center. Since the Center has members on all continents, the PI expects a global impact.This award is supported by the Office of International Science and Engineering's Africa, Near East and South Asia Program.