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，科学家和学者必须面对一个日益联系在一起的世界，它影响着知识生产企业的活动。这一事实促使大学、研发企业和联邦机构等以研究为导向的组织推动国际研究合作，将其作为建设智力和提高竞争力等目标的一种手段。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)对美国地理学家通过国际地理学联合会(IGU)的正式活动参与国际合作的长期支持。该项目将支持七十二(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主要国际地理会议。它将部分资助四十五(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；以及二十七(27)名美国学者参加2010年夏季在以色列特拉维夫举行的IGU区域会议。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，使个人研究人员和更广泛的地理社区受益，包括促进学术出版物、促进合作、多国研究和改善地理教育；对人力资源发展的贡献，包括国际科学领导地位；对广泛丰富美国科学和其他学科的贡献；以及提案叙述中所述的科学和工程以外的其他贡献。美国地理学家广泛参与即将在中东举行的国际地理联盟主办的会议，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产生了不同的影响，刺激了美国参与率比没有这种支持的年份高出五分之一到四分之一。特别是初级学者通过参加国际活动获得早期专业发展机会。对中东地区的关注尤其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协作技术知识库，将研究和开发转化为解决社会经济问题的有用应用。通过在该地区的这些合作伙伴关系，美国学者也获得了拓展、积极参与和改进研究计划的独特机会。

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.