Brandeis-Israel Collaborative Research Initiative proposals sought

Funding to help foster lasting collaborations between institutions

Brandeis University has recently received funding from Bronfman Philanthropies for the Brandeis-Israel Collaborative Research Initiative. Proposals for spring semester grants are currently being accepted.

Bronfman Philanthropies oversees a family of charitable foundations in Israel, Canada and the United States.

This initiative will enable the university to provide a number of seed grants to support the initiation of collaborative research projects between Brandeis faculty and faculty at Israeli universities. The ultimate aim is to develop endeavors that result in long-term joint projects of scholarly merit that can attract external funding. Such projects might involve a faculty member, graduate students or post-docs spending a semester or an academic year as visitors at the other institution.

The grants seek to seed not only specific research projects, but enduring institutional partnerships as well. These seed grants are meant to cover research costs for the initial stage of the project, plus travel funds to allow face-to-face meetings of the research teams, in addition to virtual meetings and other forms of communication.

The university plans to award grants this spring and again in the fall semesters of 2012 and 2013. If you are interested in applying for support this spring, please send a proposal outlining:

• Which individuals and institutions would participate

• What activities would be funded by the seed grant

• What you envision as the long-term outcome

• How much funding you are requesting

Please send the proposals to Rick Silberman by Monday, March 12.