Promoting S&T Collaboration with Ukraine

promoting Nonproliferation science & technology Programs collaboration with ukraine Since 1996, CRDF has awarded more than 600 grants involving over 2,400 Ukrainian researchers—nearly a third of which are former weapons scientists. CRDF has implemented projects totaling over $12 million in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian government has also committed more than $2.3 million to further support these projects.

Solving Global Challenges Through Cooperative Research

“I applaud CRDF’s vision and leadership in engaging Ukraine’s talented scientific community. By engaging scientists with weapons experience and those in civilian sectors we are making an important investment in the future of a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Ukraine.”

—Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

The U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF) is a nonprofit organization that is actively engaged in sustaining science and building prosperity in Ukraine. For nearly 15 years, CRDF’s presence in Ukraine has forged lasting bonds with the U.S. scientific community and triggered institutional changes that will facilitate scientific and technological advancement in Ukraine for years to come.

CRDF promotes international science and technology collaboration with Ukraine by: • Facilitating bilateral research • Strengthening science education and infrastructure • Contributing solutions to public health and other science and technology challenges • Building S&T entrepreneurship opportunities

With funding from several U.S. government agencies, CRDF‘s Cooperative Grants Program (CGP) has been sponsoring cooperative research projects in Ukraine since 1996, with a total of nearly 200 grants to date. The grants average $60,000 and are awarded on a highly competitive basis. Projects have involved all areas of basic and applied research in natural sciences. The 2008 and 2009 competitions have emphasized research related to climate change. The Ministry of Ukraine for Education and Science (MESU) has provided costsharing on this program since inception.

CGP also promotes targeted, subject-specific initiatives that allow Ukrainian scientists to engage with foreign colleagues on such pressing public health issues as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. With funding provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CRDF administered an international workshop in Kyiv, Ukraine in April 2008 addressing drug abuse and HIV/AIDS research in Eurasia and a follow-on grant competition.

Creating World-Class Research Centers in Ukraine The Cooperation in Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) program was established by CRDF and MESU to promote the integration of research and education in Ukrainian universities. Two Research and Education Centers have been established to date.

The first—“Geotechnical Systems Stability”—was established in 2007 at the National Mining University in Dnipropetrovsk and is focused on mining safety and environmentally sound mining techniques. The second—“Nanomaterials in Energy Generation and Accumulation Devices”—was recently established at

1530 Wilson Blvd, 3rd Fl | Arlington, VA 22209 | info@crdf.org | www.crdf.org | Tel.: 703-526-9720

October | 2009

the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in Ivano-Frankivsk with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It will carry out fundamental and applied research in nanotechnologies for energy efficiency. CRDF envisions establishing additional centers focused on areas of importance to Ukraine’s future, including public health, information technologies and agricultural technologies.

Building Technology Entrepreneurship Capacity and Awareness in Ukraine CRDF helps to increase the competitiveness of entrepreneurs in Ukraine by providing education and connections to sources of financing. The Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Program (STEP)— launched in 2008—sets out to nurture the creation of innovative, science-business communities by helping scientists understand demand-driven innovation and connecting them with companies that already have paying customers. STEP is funded by the U.S. Department of State and cost-shared by MESU, which has enthusiastically supported the program.

CRDF technology entrepreneurship services include: • Individual mentoring sessions to help establish clear business strategies and increase the competitiveness of start-up companies.

• Workshops to bolster local capacity in entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and intellectual property protection.

• Business Partnership grant competitions to build linkages between the science and business worlds.

Providing Crucial Project Support CRDF’s GAP services assist organizations seeking to engage the Ukrainian science, technology and engineering community. The CRDF welcomes applications from any organization that is funding an R&D collaboration or other qualifying activity in Ukraine, and is seeking project management support. CRDF’s network of banking relationships, travel agencies, preferred vendors and other resources are available to support project needs. Since 2000, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Bogomoletz Institute have worked toward developing treatments for Diabetic Neuropathy—one of the devastating consequences of long-term diabetes. GAP is proud to facilitate this collaborative work between researchers in New York and in Kyiv. GAP’s proven track record of success makes it an ideal service for research collaborations with partners in Ukraine.

Meeting Evolving Nonproliferation Challenges CRDF has engaged Ukrainian scientists to address research issues of international importance and to provide meaningful civilian work alternatives to former weapon scientists. With support from the U.S. Department of State’s Prevention of Nuclear Smuggling Program, CRDF provided services for a workshop held by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Terrorism Prevention Branch, in March 2008 in Kyiv.

The workshop focused on strengthening national legislation and international legal cooperation against nuclear terrorism. In another project, Ukrainian scientists who once developed technologies to cool aeroengines and laser power systems teamed with Optimized Turbine Solutions of San Diego, California to develop recuperators that recycle thermal energy from exhaust steam. The systems, designed for use in microturbine generators, are more efficient, significantly cheaper and lighter weight than other such products on the market.

CRDF Ukraine/Eastern Europe 4 Bogomoltsa Street, Room 133 01024 Kyiv, Ukraine Telephone: 380–44–253–7223 Fax: 380–44–253–4577 science@ln.ua 1530 Wilson Blvd, 3rd Fl | Arlington, VA 22209 | info@crdf.org | www.crdf.org | Tel.: 703-526-9720

October | 2009