2019-2020 AL FALAH PROGRAM IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The Al Falah Program in Science and Engineering is accepting proposals for its seed funding project planning grants for 2019-2020.  Researchers should submit proposals for projects in resiliency and sustainability of infrastructure systems (including water, transportation, energy, and buildings) to work with counterparts in the Middle East or OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries.   This year, additional consideration will be made for proposals for projects in Saudi Arabia and the Jeddah/Medina area. Submissions are due December 1, 2019 and should be no more than 1,000 words.  Grant amounts will not exceed $7,500.

The Mission

The Al Falah Program in Science and Engineering at UC Berkeley aims at facilitating technical and academic exchange between UC Berkeley and counterparts in the Middle East or Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries on issues of science and technology that are of common interest to these countries and the United States. The program accomplishes this by funding research projects and field visits.

This year, as part of its program for 2019-20, the Al Falah Program will award Research Planning grants to support the preparation of collaborative research efforts between Berkeley researchers and counterparts in the OIC region.

Planning Grants

The main theme of the research this year is Infrastructure. The proposed research is expected to be related to the development or refinement of theoretical, analytical or experimental methodologies that evaluate and/or improve the infrastructure, including water, transportation, energy, and buildings. Planning Grants enable investigators to establish a collaborative program with researchers in, or to develop research proposals applied to, a country or a city within the OIC region. Planning meetings should lead to a proposed program of collaborative research between the Berkeley researchers and collaborators within the OIC region.

Three awards are expected to be funded and each grant shall not exceed $7,500.

In order to be considered for funding, please submit an application consisting of a short research pre-proposal (no more than 1000 words), describing the research topic and the intended use of the funds. Allowable uses include summer support, graduate student support and travel. Travel funds may be used for research-related travel to the OIC region for purposes of developing relations or working with collaborators towards developing future proposals. Description of such future plans will be viewed favorably during the review process.

Applications are due no later than December 1, 2019 and should be sent to: Al Falah Program Committee, c/o Professor Khalid Mosalam, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 723 Davis Hall, Berkeley 94720-1720. Applications are best sent via email at the following address: mosalam-at-berkeley.edu.