"Materials World Network": German-American Collaboration in Materials Research
The National Science Foundation (NSF) of the USA, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and other European funding organisations have been cooperating for many years within the framework of the "Materials World Network" to strengthen collaboration between the USA and Europe in the area of materials research. The DFG stabilised this initiative in 2008 by permanently facilitating joint projects in materials research with the aid of coordinated funding by the national funding organisations until further notice.
Within the scope of the "Materials World Network", German-American joint proposals can be submitted as can intra-European cooperative projects with American participation. Here, the term "materials research" includes the manufacture, characterisation or processing of materials. Thus, cross-disciplinary proposals from physics, chemistry and the engineering sciences are possible. They may be submitted both by individual researchers as well as by research groups.
In addition to the scientific quality of the project, the anticipated level of transatlantic collaboration, in particular, is evaluated during project selection. One precondition is that all contributions must be closely coordinated and the links between the work packages clearly specified. The mutual scientific benefits and the balance of scientific challenges must be clearly stated. Plans for exchanges and long-term visits by students or doctoral researchers are expressly expected. Continuations of already ongoing, unilateral projects from DFG funding cannot be covered by this initiative. The review process and decision making is coordinated by the NSF and the DFG and, if applicable, affected European funding organisations. Funding is provided separately on a national level. Because these projects compete with unilateral projects of the NSF and DFG, only truly outstanding projects receive funding. Proposals for projects involving cooperations with only a limited degree of integration between the work packages or limited exchange of researchers, or projects for which funding is only available from the German partner, can be submitted as part of the DFG's Individual Grants Programme at any time, irrespective of this initiative. The eligibility requirements for individual grants/research grants (Individual Grants Programme) also apply.
Note the following points when submitting a proposal:
- Proposals should be submitted in English.
- Duration of the projects should be three years.
- Precondition is that all parts of the joint project be presented by a joint project description in the NSF proposal. No provision is made for a separate project description of the German part of the project in the appendix of the NSF proposal or a separate DFG proposal.
- The guidelines listed in the relevant NSF announcement apply for the structure of the NSF proposal.
Proposals in the "Materials World Network" are to be submitted to the NSF by the deadline in the late autumn of a given year as specified in the NSF announcement. Applicants are to also send the following information to the DFG by the same deadline, quoting reference "Materials World Network":
- the complete proposal submitted to the NSF as a single PDF document,
- information specified in DFG guideline 1.02e, sections 5 (prerequisites for carrying out the project), 6 (declarations) and 7 (signatures) as separate PDF documents.
The documents are to be submitted only in electronic form as PDF files on CD-ROM.
Prospective applicants are requested to contact the DFG's Head Office prior to submitting a proposal.
