Date: July 18, 2014

Dear Colleagues:

This letter from the NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR) is to provide additional guidance to the community regarding international research and education. This communication follows a Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 13-115) concerning the “Temporary Suspension of Division of Materials Research (DMR) Computational and Data-Driven Materials Research (CDMR) Program and Materials World Network (MWN) Program in Fiscal Year 2014; Sunset of the DMR International Materials Institutes (IMI) Program.”

Since announcing the temporary suspension of the Materials World Network (MWN) Program and the sunset of the International Materials Institutes (IMI) Program, DMR has been soliciting internal input from NSF program officers and external input from counterpart funding agencies and the DMR awardee community regarding international research and education. Based on this consultative process and data analysis, DMR plans to suspend the Materials World Network (MWN) Program and instead pilot alternative mechanisms for supporting the international objectives of the materials research community.

In the interim, DMR has established a website (https://www.nsf.gov/mps/dmr/international.jsp) to provide the community with additional information about priorities and opportunities for funding of international research and education. DMR recognizes and supports the importance of global engagement for the U.S. materials research community, as well as the significance of such engagement to the advancement of science and to the education of the next generation of materials researchers.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Galvin
Division Director
Division of Materials Research