The People’s Republic of China has made a major commitment to support ecological research through programs such as the Chinese Ecological Research Network (CERN) and through the funding of major projects by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC). In a recent visit to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), representatives of NSFC reported on opportunities for collaborative research and encouraged U.S. participation in high-priority life sciences projects in China. Many of these have already received significant funding from Chinese sources, including through World Bank loans.
Through its International Division and the Division of Environmental Biology, NSF encourages exploration of these opportunities with China and has funding to support research planning visits, workshops, and collaborative research. The U.S-China Cooperative Research Program can also assist in identifying possible projects of interest and/or contacts in China among the scientific community. A list of key projects in the life sciences, including basic biology and basic research in agriculture, is available both from the LTER Network Office and International Programs.
Alice Hogan, Division of International Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 935, Arlington, Virginia 22230, 703-306-1704, 703-306-0476 (FAX), ahogan@nsf.gov