On December 5, 2012, NSF Director Subra Suresh announced Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW), a new and coordinated effort that will expand and enhance international collaborative research opportunities for NSF Graduate Research Fellows, with initial agreements with science agencies in eight countries.
“Today’s graduate students being trained as scientists and engineers in the U.S. will increasingly collaborate and compete with their peers from around the globe throughout their career,” said Suresh. “GROW will prepare NSF Graduate Research Fellows (GRFs) to engage successfully in the global research enterprise by connecting them to leading scientists and research infrastructure around the world.”
The Fellows, selected through the normal process through the NSF GRF Program and invited to participate in GROW, will be hosted by a science agency in a partner country for three to 12 months. While overseas, they receive a living allowance from the host country as they pursue their research in a host institution. They will also be eligible to receive an international travel allowance from NSF.
In addition to the four Nordic countries, GROW plans to include inaugural co-funding partner agencies from Japan, South Korea, Singapore and France. It is anticipated that additional partners from NSF counterpart agencies from other countries will join GROW in the months ahead.
- More information about GROW is available on the GROW website.
- More information about NSF international opportunities is available on the Office of International Science and Engineering website.