Call for Proposals:

Urgent funding for international collaborative research that arises from earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear accidents (J-RAPID)

Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), in cooperation with National Science Foundation (NSF) of USA etc., calls for proposals on immediate research needs that arise from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
This funding corresponds to NSF's "Dear Colleague Letter for New Zealand and Japan" (DCL) dated March 29, 2011. With this letter NSF reminds that NSF has mechanisms in place to respond to immediate research and education needs that arise from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear accidents.
The Rapid Response Research (RAPID) program is dedicated to support activities having a severe urgency with regard to quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events.
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11045/nsf11045.jsp?org=NSF

JST will support researchers in Japan who have mutual agreement with US researchers on joint research or research collaboration related to above mentioned DCL.
JST may also support researchers in Japan who have similar cooperation with foreign researchers who have funding from other funding agencies in US and other countries.

1. Purpose:

The aim of this program is to support immediate research and/or investigation:

- which has urgency in its implementation; and

- of the effects of the March 11 earthquake occurred off the coast of east Japan and subsequent tsunami and nuclear accidents.

The areas of the research/investigation to be supported by JST will include, but are not limited to the following:

- Prevention of disaster caused by earthquake and tsunami

- Nuclear and radiation safety

2. Eligibility:

A Japanese researcher must belong to university, research institute, or private company within Japan. In addition, a Japanese researcher must have established a basic agreement with an investigator in counterpart countries to conduct a collaborative research or investigation. The collaborating foreign investigator must:

(1) have submitted his/her proposal to NSF's RAPID program;

(2) have an NSF active award and have a plan to conduct a research and/or investigation of the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster; or

(3) have an active award funded by or have submitted a proposal to other funding agency in US or other foreign countries.

Questions regarding (1) or (2) above, please contact NSF Program Director Dr. R. Clive Woods (E-mail: )

Questions regarding (3) above, please contact JST Tokyo
(Mr.M.Oi / Dr.H.Nakajima; E-mail: ; TEL: 03-5214-7375)

Questions regarding NSF in general, please contact NSF Tokyo.
(E-mail: ; TEL: 03-3224-5504)

If the collaborating US researcher will not be supported by NSF's RAPID or active award with/without supplemental budget, the proposal from the Japanese researcher will not be adopted by JST. (In case that a Japanese researcher would collaborate with a foreign collaborator funded by other funding agency than NSF, "NSF" and "US" in this solicitation should be read as that agency and its country respectively.)

3. Estimated number of awards:

It will depend on the quality of the proposals received and availability of budget.

4. Intellectual properties / Publications

JST strongly recommends that, prior to the commencement of the collaborative research/investigation, the researchers from the both countries have discussed on the publication of the data and the intellectual property rights.

5. Funding amount per project:

Up to JPY 3 million (approx. USD 35K) as a guide. JST would, however, accept and review proposals with budgets exceeding that amount. Actual amount to be funded for the adopted project will be decided by JST with the consideration of its research/investigation plan, available budget, and the number of the awarded projects.

6. Supporting term:

6 to 12 months in principle. JST may adjust the term depending on that of the collaborating US team supported by NSF.

7. Allowable costs:

(1) Direct costs including the costs of equipment, salaries, consumables, domestic travel (for field survey or presentation of the results from the project at an academic conference), overseas travel (for conducting collaborative research or making presentations of the results from the project at an academic conference), and symposium/seminar/workshop.

(2) Indirect costs: 10% of the total direct costs at maximum

8. Forms to submit

(1) Outline of the Project including the title of the project, the name of principal researchers of Japan and US, and the term of the project

(2) Project Description

(3) Biographical Sketch of the principal researcher of both sides

(4) List of Participants including researchers from both sides

(5) Plan for Collaborative Research/Investigation

- Should include the information of the US project funded by NSF

- If possible, attach a copy of the application of US researcher submitted to NSF

(6) Budget Plan

9. Proposal Deadline

While there will be no fixed deadline, JST will close the call depending on the number of the proposals received and its available budget. The closing date will be announced on the website in due course. It is therefore recommended that a Japanese researcher submit his/her application at his/her earliest convenience.

A Japanese researcher will be notified of the adoption or declination by JST in a month or so after JST receive his/her proposal.