Congressional Affairs | Newsroom | Speeches | Priority Areas | What's Cool | Publications | Partners | History | About Us

   You are in: NSF Home > OLPA Home > Newsroom > Archives > Press Releases: Previous Years > NSF PR 95-60

NSF PR 95-60 - September 14, 1995

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

New Foundation to Support Research Collaborations between U.S. and States of Former Soviet Union

A unique public-private partnership to strengthen scientific and technological collaboration between the U.S. and the states of the former Soviet Union has begun its work with a first meeting to set priorities and policies. The board of directors of the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (CRDF) held its first meeting September 13-14 at the National Science Foundation.

The CRDF was announced by President Clinton May 10 in Moscow, and established by the National Science Foundation under a congressional authorization. The CRDF is funded by a $5 million gift to NSF from philanthropist George Soros and a $5 million matching contribution from the Department of Defense. This initial $10 million fund will support basic and applied research efforts, and promote defense conversion and development of market economies in the countries of the Former Soviet Union. All research proposals funded by CRDF will be selected competitively through merit review.

"The scientific community of the Former Soviet Union is one of the world's great scientific resources, but it is a community in crisis," said Gerson Sher of NSF's division of international programs. "Its resources are vastly inadequate. By continuing to identify and support collaborations with the leading researchers, we will help preserve this resource for the benefit of the American and worldwide scientific communities." At its September meeting, the CRDF Board of Directors agreed to commit the majority of the $10 million during the first year of operations (1995- 96) through competitive grants for cooperative research proposals between U.S. scientists and engineers and their counterparts in the Former Soviet Union. The board expects to announce specific plans and guidelines for a basic research competition within the next month.

Despite being congressionally authorized and partially publicly funded, the CRDF is not an agency of the U.S. government. Authorizing legislation enables the foundation to accept donations from public and private sources, both foreign and domestic.

Attachment

Fact Sheet (including list of board members)

Press releases and other information are now available electronically on NSFnews, a free service available via the Internet. To subscribe to NSFnews send an e-mail message to listmanager@nsf.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type the words "subscribe nsfnews" and then type your name (not an e-mail address). For example: Subscribe nsfnews James Smith. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail. For additional information about NSFnews send another e- mail message to listmanager@nsf.gov and in the body of the message type the word "help".

For information on NSF PR 95-60, contact Tom Owens, International Division at (703) 306-1709.

FACT SHEET U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation for theIndependent States of the Former Soviet Union

contact: Mary Hanson, Public Affairs (703) 306-1070/e-mail: mhanson@nsf.gov

• The U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (CRDF) is a unique public-private partnership to support cooperative research between U.S. scientists and engineers and their counterparts in the former Soviet Union.
  
  The creation of the CRDF was announced by President Clinton at the May 1995 summit meeting in Moscow, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen scientific and technological collaboration between the U.S. and the countries of the former Soviet Union.
  
  
• The CRDF has an initial budget of $10 million, including a $5 million gift to the National Science Foundation (NSF) from philanthropist George Soros and a $5 million matching contribution from the Department of Defense's (DOD) Nunn-Lugar funds.
  
  
• The mission of the CRDF is to fund basic and applied research conducted in the countries of the former Soviet Union, and to promote defense conversion and development of market economies in the region.
  
  
• Despite being congressionally authorized and publicly funded, the CRDF is not an agency of the U.S. Government. Authorizing legislation enables the foundation to accept donations from public and private sources, both foreign and domestic. The same legislation specified that the NSF director should establish the foundation.
  
  
• The National Science Board -- NSF's policy- making arm -- approved the plans for the CRDF in June 1995. The CRDF Board of Directors held its first meeting to set priorities and policies September 13 -14, 1995 at the National Science Foundation.
  
  
• The CRDF expects to begin accepting research proposals in October/November for basic research collaborations. A program to support applied research proposals will be announced soon. All research proposals will be subjected to competitive merit review. · Soros is head of the New York City-based Soros Foundation, which has previously provided millions of dollars in research support to similar ventures in the former Soviet Union.
  
  
• The authorizing legislation for the CRDF was initially proposed by Rep. George Brown, then- chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. ThenSen. Albert Gore co- sponsored the bill.
  
  
• Conceptualization of the initial charter for the CRDF began more than two years ago as a joint effort between NSF and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Since then, the DOD, the Department of State, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Soros Foundation have joined in the effort to make the CRDF a reality.
  
  Members of the CRDF Board of Directors are:
• Dr. Peter Raven - Missouri Botanical Garden (chair)
• Dr. Gloria C. Duffy - Stanford University
• Dr. Roald Hoffmann - Cornell University
• Dr. Evelyn L. Hu - University of California at Santa Barbara
• Mr. John W. Kiser - Kiser Research, Inc.
• Dr. Donald Langenberg - University of Maryland
• Dr. John Moore - George Mason University
• COL John F. O'Neil, U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.
• Dr. Marjorie Senechal - Smith College
• Dr. Albert R.C. Westwood - Sandia National Laboratories

Revised: September 14, 1995

 
National Science Foundation
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22230, USA
Tel: 703-292-8070
FIRS: 800-877-8339 | TDD: 703-292-5090