Dr Ciarán Seoighe and Dr Sethuraman Panchanathan. Image: John Harrington Photography
Ireland-US collaboration in research, development and innovation ‘greatly valued’, said Research Ireland deputy CEO.
Research Ireland and the US National Science Foundation (NSF) are entering into a new five-year bilateral partnership to enhance collaboration between the two nations’ governments, academia and enterprise.
The partnership follows an “intensive” series of workshops involving academics from US universities and Irish research institutions last October, Research Ireland said.
As part of the new collaborative relationship, Research Ireland and the NSF said that they will facilitate research and training activities while avoiding additional burden on proposers, research reviewers and funders, as well as carry out transparent proposal and review processes.
“NSF is delighted to sign a partnership with Research Ireland, formalising and fortifying a research bond that stretches back over two decades,” said NSF’s director Dr Sethuraman Panchanathan.
“We look forward to the partnership promoting knowledge transfer, innovation and research and enterprise opportunities for both our countries across a range of priority sectors.”
The announcement comes today (13 March) as Taoiseach Micheál Martin is on a week-long official trip to the US to commemorate St Patrick’s Day.
“Ireland and the US have a long-standing and deep collaboration in research, development and innovation – one that is greatly valued,” said Research Ireland’s deputy CEO, Dr Ciarán Seoighe.
“This new partnership signed here today builds upon that, and paves the way for the development of specific funding opportunities, coordinated peer review processes, joint conferences and workshops, staff exchanges to facilitate shared learning and develop dialogues, and alignment of larger investments, including collaboration on facilities.”
Alongside the new bi-lateral partnership, Research Ireland has awarded this year’s annual St Patrick’s Day medals to Richard Kearney, a philosophy professor and Micheal Dowling, the president and CEO of Northwell Health. The medals recognises the awardees’ work in developing the research and links between Ireland and the US.
Irish and US researchers often collaborate. Last year, more than 40 researchers based in the US and island of Ireland were awarded a total of €7m to carry out academic study under the US-Ireland Research programme.
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