NSF announces 14 new PIRE awards to support scientific collaboration in 24 countries

News Release 17-085 

September 12, 2017

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pleased to announce 14 new Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) awards, totaling more than $66 million over the next five years.

The awards will fund 14 lead U.S. institutions and U.S. partner institutions for collaborative projects involving international partners in 24 countries: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

"By linking together researchers from around the world, PIRE allows us to leverage U.S. dollars and improve scientific outcomes," said Rebecca Keiser, head of NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), which manages PIRE. "These rich partnerships tackle some of today's most pressing research questions, from new materials to marine sciences."

NSF has a long history of fostering and supporting international relationships to address critical science and engineering (S&E) questions. Since its inception in 2005, the PIRE program has accelerated scientific discovery and enhanced the U.S. science and technology workforce by leveraging investments from foreign governments that also provide funding to these collaborative projects.

PIRE supports fundamental, international research and education in physical, living, human and engineered systems. As the focal point for international collaboration across NSF, OISE, which funds the U.S. portion of the international collaboration, catalyzes global S&E activities and builds effective partnership throughout the international S&E research and education community.

Read brief descriptions of the PIRE awards at https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=243068&org=NSF