WASHINGTON, D.C. /eNewsChannels/ — The Governments of the United States and Pakistan announced on September 1 the awarding of science and technology cooperative research grants to 27 joint teams of U.S. and Pakistani researchers, funded by contributions from both governments. The joint research resulting from these grants will strengthen scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries in ways that will help advance human and economic development in Pakistan, including health, water, agriculture, and energy.
This is the fourth round of science and technology cooperative research grants between the United States and Pakistan made through the program, with more awards than in any previous round, bringing the total number to 73. Expanding this program has been an important focus of the Science and Technology Working Group, one of thirteen working groups of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. This expansion also furthers the Administration’s global engagement initiative announced by President Obama in Cairo in June 2009.
Since 2005, the Pakistan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Program has provided research grants to joint Pakistan-U.S. teams through a transparent, merit-based, joint decision-making process. One new project is a collaboration between Pakistan’s National University of Science and Technology and the University of Oklahoma to build capacity in disaster risk assessment and management, including strategies for reducing risks from floods.
The Pakistan-U.S. S&T Cooperation Program is one of several activities through which Pakistan and the U.S. are collaborating on important social and economic issues related to science and technology. Numerous agencies on both the U.S. and Pakistan side are engaged in some of the most pressing environment, science, technology and health issues facing Pakistan, including collaboration on water resources assessment and management; promoting linkages between scientists and institutions in both countries; and supporting Pakistani women and youth in science, technology and engineering fields.
A list of grant recipients can be found at: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/pakistan/index.htm.
