Earlier this week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) announcing a new international collaboration in computational neuroscience. Together with France’s Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), NSF is seeking U.S.-French collaborative research projects that will advance the state of the art in computational neuroscience. The submission deadline is Nov. 2nd.
Per the DCL:
Rapid advances in empirical methods, together with powerful mathematical and computational techniques, and an unprecedented ability to store and analyze large quantities of data, place computational neuroscience at the threshold of paradigm-shifting discoveries. Computational neuroscience thrives from integrating expertise across multiple disciplines and, therefore, is well suited for funding mechanisms specifically designed to foster integrative research and collaboration between different investigators, institutions, and countries. Both France and the United States are strongly interested in fostering collaboration in emerging interdisciplinary topics, and realizing the opportunities posed specifically by computational neuroscience [more following the link…].
A binational workshop on Opportunities for U.S.-French Collaboration in Computational Neuroscience addressed key challenges as the field moves forward into the next decade, and characterized the need for a joint process to support collaboration between the United States and France. Therefore, under the terms of this Dear Colleague Letter, both countries announce their support for French-U.S. joint research projects in computational neuroscience…
NSF and ANR will accept proposals for U.S.-French collaborative research projects in computational neuroscience in November 2012. Collaborating investigators at French and US institutions may submit proposals for joint research projects in computational neuroscience. Computational neuroscience is inclusively defined, encompassing a broad range of computational and biological goals and approaches. Collaborations are expected to exploit complementary expertise, enabling the collaborating investigators to pursue innovative research approaches and make significant advances on important and challenging problems. Proposals will be evaluated according to their intellectual merit, broader impacts, and the quality and value of the international collaboration. NSF and ANR will implement a joint evaluation process, with reviewers identified by both organizations.
Proposal budgets should include travel funds for the PI to attend an annual meeting, in either the United States or France, to exchange views about the ongoing research activities and their results, and to ensure close links and sharing of ideas among research groups. The U.S. components of joint research projects selected for funding will be funded under the Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience program; the French components will be funded by ANR.
To learn more, including how to submit proposals, check out the complete DCL.
(Contributed by Erwin Gianchandani, CCC Director)
