BISO Activities and Reports

Teaching Climate Change using Large Lakes
The 2012 teaching climate workshop was held June 19-20 in conjunction with the AMQUA Biennial Meeting. Co-sponsored by the USNC/INQUA, this workshop introduced participants to an array of data that was gathered from large lakes and used to study past climates and predict future climate changes. The workshop provided hands-on opportunities to examine cores and historic images and use public-domain databases to develop classroom teaching exercises. It also included an optional field trip that combined a tour of working core and research labs with a cruise on Lake Superior on the research vessel Blue Heron. Read the workshop overview | View the workshop program.

Workshop Conveners Workshop 2012

Steve Colman, University of Minnesota Duluth
Karin Kirk, Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College
Rolfe Mandel, University of Kansas
USNC/INQUA Chair
Alison Smith, Kent State University
USNC/INQUA Vice Chair
Ester Sztein, Board on International Scientific Organizations, National Academy of Sciences
Katryn Wiese, Department of Earth Sciences, City College of San Francisco
Greg Wiles, The College of Wooster
USNC/INQUA member

2012 AAAS Symposium - “Toward Stabilization of Net Global Carbon Dioxide Levels”
Sponsored by the four USNCs for the Earth Sciences and spearheaded by the U.S. National Committees for Soils and for Geodesy and Geophysics, this session provided a clear understanding and comparison of the attributes of the various sequestration strategies, including their capacity, economics, risks, application time-scales, and long-term stability. The symposium was held February 17, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Speakers included:

Isabel Montañez (University of California): Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Climate Sensitivity in a Warmer World
Sally Benson (Stanford University): Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Deep Sedimentary Formations
Peter Brewer (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute): Impacts of Stabilizing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levels: The Role of the Oceans
Keith Paustian (Colorado State University): Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture: Living Up to Potential?
Karen Haugen-Kozyra (KHK Consulting Ltd.): Carbon Pricing Policies in North America: Past, Present, and Future
Ben Yamagata (Coal Utilization Research Council): Managing Carbon Dioxide Emissions Today: An Industry Perspective

Organizer: Paul M. Bertsch, University of Kentucky
Co-Organizer: Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Discussants: James E. Hansen, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Cesar Izaurralde, Joint Global Change Research Institute

2012 AAAS Symposium - “Causes and Effects of Relative Sea-Level Changes in the Northeast Pacific"
This session, spearheaded by the U.S. National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics, first reviewed the various contributing factors to relative sea-level changes in the Northeast Pacific and then examined likely adaptations with an emphasis on shores in British Columbia. The symposium was held February 19, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada.Speakers included:

John J. Clague (Simon Fraser University): Impacts of Rising Seas on the British Columbia Coast in the 21st Century
Denise J. Reed (University of New Orleans): Surviving Sea-Level Rise: What Can Be Done To Maintain Viable Coastal Wetlands?
David Flanders (University of British Columbia): Flood Adaptation Near Vancouver: A Regional Adaptation Collaborative

Organizer: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Co-organizers: C.K. Shum, Ohio State University and Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Moderator: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Discussant: Margaret Davidson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center

TRAVEL GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
Many of the U.S. National Committees provide travel fellowships and grants to General Assemblies, Congresses and meetings, such as:

Many other national committees organize travel fellowships for their respective general assemblies and congresses, as well as support various summer schools and other conferences. Please visit the website of the national committee for the discipline in which you are interested.

PAST WORKSHOPS, SYMPOSIA, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
The U.S. National Committees managed by BISO organize a variety of workshops that address concerns within the their respective fields. Additionally, BISO organizes an annual symposium that focuses on an issue relevant to the global community.

Bringing the Chairs Together
Every 18-24 months, BISO convenes a meeting of the chairs of these committees to foster interaction and increase communication among the committees and across disciplinary boundaries. These meetings also provide a venue to introduce the chairs to key issues in international science that might be of interest to their committees, discuss the relevance of these issues to their committees, and encourage chairs to bring ideas and issues of concern to the attention of other chairs and to BISO. The latest USNC Chairs meeting was held on June 3. Topics included effectively using new technologies, working with union leadership, developing globally-engaged early career scientists, improving connections with scientists in Latin America, maintaining strong linkages with professional societies, broadening support for the USNCs, and participating in international science diplomacy.

The Case for International Sharing of Scientific Data: A Focus on Developing Countries
The Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO), and the U.S. Committee on Data for Science and Technology (US CODATA) under the Board on Research Data and Information (BRDI), in consultation with the Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the Conduct of Science (CFRS) of the International Council for Science ICSU), organized a 2-day international symposium. The meeting was held on Monday-Tuesday, 18-19 April 2011, at the National Academy of Sciences’ Keck Center, 500 Fifth Street NW, Washington, DC. View the Agenda. View the Statement of Task.

1. Why is the international sharing of publicly funded scientific data important, especially for development? What are some examples of past successes and what are the types of global research and applications problems that can be addressed with more complete access to government data collections and government-funded data sources?
2. What is the status of public data access internationally, particularly in developing countries?
3. What are the principal barriers and limits to sharing public data across borders?
4. What are the rights and responsibilities of scientists and research organizations with regard to providing and getting access to publicly funded scientific data? How can international scientific organizations, government agencies, and scientists improve sharing of publicly funded data to address global challenges, particularly in less economically developed countries, more successfully?

A proceedings from the symposium will be published by the National Academies Press.

Session at 2011 AAAS: "The Practice of Science Diplomacy in the Earth Sciences"
This session, organized by the four U.S. national committees for the Earth sciences, and spearheaded by the USNC/Geological Sciences, was held February 20, 2011 at the AAAS meeting in Washington, DC. Speaker presentations and the audio of the full session are posted on our website. This symposium focused on the practice of science diplomacy in the Earth sciences. Speakers presented several case studies of successful international science program activities and pointed out how those activities have contributed to improved international cooperation and interaction. The panel examined key lessons learned during these successful scientific activities and drew a suggested set of best practices for those wishing to engage in the practice of science diplomacy. The scientists in this panel came from academia, government, and non-governmental organizations. Speakers included:

Eric Calais (Purdue University): The January 12, 2010, Haiti Earthquake: a Science Diplomacy Opportunity
Julie Kunen (USAID): Science Diplomacy for Development at USAID
Jeff Doebrich (USGS): Science in Support of Economic Development and Stabilization in Iraq and Afghanistan
Pedro Sánchez (The Earth Institute at Columbia University): Soil Science-Based Policies Reducing World Hunger in Tune with the Environment
John Pallister (USGS): Volcano Science Diplomacy
Jonathan Overpeck (University of Arizona): The IPCC, International Science Diplomacy, and the Challenge of Climate Change

Social Network Created for Volunteer Lecturer Program in Mathematics
This year, the Volunteer Lecturer Program (VLP) of the USNC/M launched a social network to establish a sustainable platform for the advancement of mathematics capacity building in the developing world. The website serves as a repository to store all classroom materials, includes a blog for lecturers, and provides student opportunities and a fund raising subpage for VLP scholarships. The USNC/M has also further expanded its mathematics capacity building program by supporting lecturers in Cambodia and Algeria; and another one is currently lecturing in Tanzania:

Helene Tyler (Manhattan College, New York), "Ordinary Differential Equations," December 20, 2010 - January 12, 2011 at Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
William Murray (California State University), "Linear Algebra," January 3 - February 4 at University of Médéa, Algeria
Jan Hannig (University of North Carolina), "Statistics I," May 7 - 28 at Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Padmanabhan Seshaiyer (George Mason University), "Applied Mathematics," August 10 - September 5 at Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Tanzania

Imaging Sciences Focus of 2011 Winter College on Optics
Optical imaging science has seen enormous advances during the past two decades. The 2011 Winter College on Optics, organized by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), brought together a group of outstanding researchers who lectured on this and other important areas of development in imaging science. The Winter College was held at ICTP, Trieste, Italy, from January 31 to February 11. This year, the committee supported 2 U.S. lecturers and 3 U.S. students.

USNC/MI Organized Sessions at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference
The USNC/MI organized the following sessions at the April 2011 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) annual conference:

The ICME: Travel to Seoul. An overview of the International Congress on Math Education (ICME) to be held in Seoul, South Korea, July 5-8, 2012, and information on applying to receive a travel grant to attend this exciting event.
Mathematics Curriculum Implementation and Teaching in the U.S. and China. Members of the USNC/MI shared pivotal findings from an international exchange meeting among U.S. and Chinese mathematics educators held in Shanghai in 2010. The speakers compared approaches to curriculum reform and teaching in both countries. This presentation focused on important differences and overlaps and possible points of collaboration and shared learning. Complimentary copies of the NRC report, "The Teacher Development Continuum in the United States and China" were provided to all session attendees. Over 3,000 copies of the report have been widely disseminated in conferences such as AAAS and NCTM. To watch the video with the highlights of the workshop or download a free PDF copy of the report, please visit http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12874.

International Collaborations among Graduate Students in Physics
The 2011 Canadian-American-Mexican Physics Graduate Student Conference (CAM 2011) will be hosted by the American Physical Society in Washington D.C in September. This conference promotes international collaborations among graduate students from across North America. Along with the scientific presentations, 2 additional panel discussions will help the graduate students from the three nations to better understand the important contributions of scientists beyond laboratory research. The USLC/IUPAP is sponsoring this activity by providing travel grants to Mexican graduate students. For more information, please visit http://cam2011.princeton.edu/.

Mathematics in Latin America
The Inter-American Committee on Mathematical Education (IACME) celebrated 50 years with the XIIIth Inter-American Conference of Mathematics Education in Recife, Brazil, June 26-30, 2011. IACME provides a bridge between North and South America in mathematics education which was also sponsored by the USNC/MI. Rick Scott, chair of the USNC/MI, has been reelected as Vice-President of IACME. For more information, please visit http://www.cimm.ucr.ac.cr/ocs/index.php/xiii_ciaem/xiii_ciaem.

Pacific Science Association (PSA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Pacific Science Association (PSA) met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 14-17, 2011. Nancy Davis Lewis, from the East-West Center, was elected President. The theme of the Congress was "Meeting the Challenges of Global Change," and programs of the PSA, the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and the Academy of Sciences of Malaysia were featured. Global climate change, hazard reduction, and health and wellbeing were highlighted. The official delegation to the PSA Congress included: David Schindel, Smithsonian Institution; Curtis Daehler, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden; Nancy Lewis, East-West Center; and Burke Burnett, Pacific Science Association at the Bishop Museum.

International Union on Geophysics and Geodesy (IUGG) in Melbourne, Australia
IUGG XXV General Assembly - "Earth on the Edge: Science for a Sustainable Planet" - was held June 28 - July 7, 2011 at the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center in Melbourne, Australia, bringing together the eight Earth science associations that comprise the IUGG. Scientists from around the world worked on issues of sustainability, exchanged information, and discussed issues affecting our climate and atmosphere, water resources and oceans, volcanoes and polar regions, earthquakes and tsunamis. The U.S. delegates to the IUGG General Assembly were: Priscilla Grew, Nebraska State Museum; Laurie Brown, University of Massachusetts; Danny Marks, United States Department of Agriculture; Jeffrey Freymueller, University of Alaska, Fairbanks; Mary C. Hill, United States Geological Survey; Joyce Penner, University of Michigan; William Boicourt, University of Maryland; Lisa Grant Ludwig, University of California, Irvine; and Stephen McNutt, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. For more information about the General Assembly in Melbourne please visit the official website: http://www.iugg2011.com/.

International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) in Bern, Switzerland
Once every four years, Quaternary researchers from around the world meet at the INQUA Congress to present their work, discuss the latest research results, and develop the scientific agenda for the years to come. In 2011, the Congress took place in Bern, Switzerland, July 21-27. The Congress program addressed the themes of the Commissions during 6 days of oral and poster sessions, plenary presentations, and side meetings. The official delegate was Cathy Whitlock (chair), Montana State University; and the alternate delegate was Eric C. Grimm, Illinois State Museum.
USNC/INQUA organized a travel fellowship grant for U.S. early career scientists involved in Quaternary science research to present their work at the Congress. 13 full fellowships and 5 partial fellowships were granted. The funding for the program was generously provided not only by the National Science Foundation, but also by AMQUA. In conjunction with the Congress, the USNC/INQUA organized a mentoring dinner for the awardees where the early career scientists were able to network and meet members of the U.S. National Committee.

International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in San Juan, Puerto Rico
The USNC/Chemistry and the American Chemical Society (ACS) worked with scientists in Puerto Rico to organize the IUPAC Congress and General Assembly. This meeting was especially important as 2011 is the UN-designated International Year of Chemistry (IYC), and IUPAC and UNESCO are the two lead organizations for this international activity. The main objectives of the IYC were to increase the public appreciation and understanding of chemistry in meeting world needs; encourage the interest of young people in chemistry; generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry; and celebrate the role of women in chemistry and major historical events in chemistry. The U.S. delegates (pictured right to left) were: Angela Wilson, University of North Texas; Elsa Reichmanis, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jody Kocsis, The Lubrizol Corporation; Mark Cesa, INEOS Nitriles; Guang Cao, Exxon Mobil Engineering Co.; and Carolyn Ribes (chair), Dow Benelux B.V. Christopher Ober (Cornell University) also attended the GA on behalf of the U.S.
In addition, the USNC sends U.S. Young Observers (citizens or permanent residents) under the age of 45 from industry, academia, and national laboratories to the IUPAC Congress and General Assembly. This year, the USNC supported 10 Young Observers. To date, the U.S. Young Observer program has supported over 200 scientists, many of whom have continued to serve on IUPAC activities and contribute at the international level.

International Union for Radio Science (URSI) in Istanbul, Turkey
Over 1,500 radio scientists from more than 50 countries converged on Istanbul, Turkey in August for the 30th URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (GASS). Both the union and the USNC/URSI put high priority on the involvement of students and young scientists. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. supported the travel of 25 young scientists from the United States to the GASS. The union supported an additional 43 young scientists from 12 different countries. The U.S. delegates were: Yahya Rahmat-Samii (chair), University of California at Los Angeles; Piergiorgio L. E. Uslenghi, University of Chicago at Illinois; Steven Reising, Colorado State University; and David Jackson, University of Houston.
The USNC/URSI also organized a Student Paper Competition at the URSI GASS. Nine finalists were chosen based on quality, originality and scientific merit. They presented their papers during a special session, and attended a banquet where they were recognized and the prizes were presented. The winners of first through fifth place were awarded a check in the amounts of $1500, $1250, $1000, $750 and $500 respectively. The USNC/URSI provided the financial prizes using its private funds.

Finally, URSI awards five major prizes, and U.S. radio scientists received four of them.
Appleton Prize: Bodo Reinisch - "For revolutionizing radio sounding from ground and space with development of the Digisonde and the IMAGE/RPI satellite instrument, both essential data providers for space weather monitoring and ionospheric modeling."
Booker Gold Medal: Ingrid C. Daubechies - "For her outstanding contributions to mathematics, and in particular to wavelet theory, and for the remarkable impact of her work in a wide range of applied science disciplines."
Issac Koga Gold Medal: Andrea Alu - "For contributions to the theory and application of electromagnetic metamaterials, in particular the conception of plasmonic-based cloaking, optical nanocircuits, and anomalous propagation and radiation in metamaterials."
John Howard Dellinger Medal: David H. Staelin - "For seminal contributions to the passive microwave remote sensing of planetary atmospheres and the development of remote sensing of the atmosphere and environment of the Earth from space."

International Union for Crystallography (IUCr) in Madrid, Spain
The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) was held in Madrid, Spain, August 22-30, 2011. The members of the U.S. delegation were: Katherine A. Kantardjieff (Chair) from California State University, San Marcos, Christopher Cahill from George Washington University, Joseph Ng from University of Alabama, Huntsville, Brian H. Toby from Argonne National Laboratory, and Victor G. Young Jr. from University Minnesota. Also, two alternates attended the General Assembly: Bernhard Rupp from Q.E.D. Life Sciences Discoveries, Inc., and Angus P. Wilkinson from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Fourteen graduate students and early career scientists received travel grants to attend the crystallography Congress in Madrid, Spain. As part of the experience, a mentoring dinner was held for the young scientists and their respective mentors. Travel awardees selected current or past USNC/Cr members prior to the Congress. A one-on-one mentoring experience was fostered before, during, and after the Congress. The U.S. awardees were the first early career cohort to attend the General Assembly as observers. The funding for the program was generously provided by the National Science Foundation.
In addition, the USNC/Crystallography demonstrated out of the box thinking in organizing a "speed networking" event at a U.S.-Spain reception at the Congress in Madrid. Organized with the the Spanish crystallography community, the speed networking event clustered the 140 crystallographers from the U.S., Spain, and Latin-America by six areas of specialization, and then gave them a chance to meet during timed interactions.

International Commission on Optics (ICO) in Puebla, Mexico
ICO-22, the 22nd General Congress of the International Commission for Optics (ICO), was held in Puebla, Mexico on August 15-19, 2011. During the event, top level specialists delivered keynote speeches and exhibitors of prestigious commercial companies were present. The U.S. delegation consisted of Duncan Moore (chair), The University of Rochester; Carmina Londono, National Science Foundation; and James Harrington, Rutgers University.

International Union for Microbiological Societies (IUMS) in Sapporo, Japan
The 2011 IUMS Congresses were held in Sapporo, Japan from September 6 - 16, 2011. Three congresses are held during the event: the XIII International Congress of Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology (September 6-10, 2011), the XIII International Congress of Mycology (September 6-10, 2011) and the XV Congress of Virology (September 11-16, 2011). Two outreach activities (available to the general public) were also held in order to publicize the importance of microbial science and technologies and their relationship to everyday life. Members of the U.S. delegation were: Joan W. Bennett (chair), Rutgers University; Scott E. Baker, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Arnold Demain, Drew University; Stephen Lerner, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Kevin McCluskey, University of Missouri; and Jason Rao, American Society for Microbiology.

International Council for Science (ICSU) in Rome, Italy
Eyes were on the future at the ICSU General Assembly held from September 26-30 in Rome, Italy. Delegates approved a number of key documents and initiatives, including a new Strategic plan, 2012-2017; the Earth System Sustainability Initiative; and the Urban Health and Well-Being Initiative. Reports were received on the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) program, a science education report, the ICSU regional offices, and the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). ICSU Statute 5, which deals with the freedoms and responsibilities of science, was revised to include more responsibilities, and weighted voting on financial matters was approved. Members of the U.S. delegation were: Tilahun Yilma (chair), University of California, Davis; Michael Clegg, University of California; John Rumble, R&R Data Services; and Maria Uhle, National Science Foundation.

International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) in Beijing China
The 17th International Biophysics Congress, sponsored by the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB), was held in Beijing at the China National Convention Centre from Sunday October 30 until Thursday, November 3, 2011. The 17th IBC maximized the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss new advances with fellow scientists from all over the world. U.S. delegation members were: Wilma K. Olson, Rutgers University; Clara Franzini-Armstrong, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine;and Paul Allen, Brigham and Women's Hospital.

International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) in London, United Kingdom
The General Assembly (GA) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) took place in London, November 2-4, 2011. The U.S. delegation consisted of Samuel D. Bader, Chair, Argonne National Laboratory; Amy K. Flatten, American Physical Society; Vansudevan Lakshiminarayanan, University of Waterloo; Patricia McBride, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; Peter Mohr, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Jose N. Onuchic, Rice University.
The U.S. delegation presented several resolutions, and all were approved. One of the U.S. resolutions proposed was to form a Working Group on Energy. In response to another U.S. resolution, additional wording was introduced to the IUPAP statement on Free Circulation of Scientists.

"Teaching Climate Change from the Geologic Record" (USNC/INQUA, August 10-12, 2010)
Part of a series of workshops sponsored by the USNC/INQUA, the American Quaternary Association, and On the Cutting Edge, a professional development program for current and future geoscience faculty.

"Dust in the Earth System" (AAAS symposium, February 19, 2010)
A symposium at the 2010 AAAS meeting, jointly organized by the four Earth science national committees, spearheaded by the USNCs for Quaternary.

USNC/Mathematics Visiting Lecturer Program (ongoing)
Over the last few years, lecturers have been sent to Mexico, Turkey, Benin, and Cambodia, and workshops sponsored in Senegal and Colombia. The program is expanding to support ten lecturers per year for the next three years.

The Case for International Sharing of Scientific Data: A Focus on Developing Countries
The Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO), and the U.S. Committee on Data for Science and Technology (US CODATA) under the Board on Research Data and Information (BRDI), in consultation with the Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), organized a 2-day international symposium in Washington, DC on April 18-19, 2011. We are pleased to announce the release of the proceedings of the speaker presentations from that meeting, The Case for International Sharing of Scientific Data: A Focus on Developing Countries. It is available electronically at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=17019. The main objective of the symposium was to gain better understanding of the data access and sharing situation in the developing world, with a focus on barriers, opportunities, and future actions. There are various hurdles to the access and sharing of scientific data collected by governments or by researchers using public funding. Such obstacles include scientific and technical; institutional and management; economic and financial; legal and policy; and normative and socio-cultural barriers. Some of these difficulties are possible to diminish or remove, whereas others seek to balance competing values that impose legitimate limitations on openness.

Twenty-First Century Ecosystems: Managing the Living World Two Centuries After Darwin
Managing the Living World Two Centuries After Darwin is available for download at the NAP Website. Prepared by the Workshop Organizing Committee, the report summarizes the views expressed by symposium participants; however, it does not provide a session-by-session synopsis of the presentations at the symposium. Instead, the committee identified eight key themes that emerged from the lectures, which were addressed in different contexts by different speakers. The focus in the report is on general principles rather than specifics. These eight themes provide a sharp focus on a few concepts that enable scientists, environmental NGOs, and policy makers to engage more effectively around issues of central importance for biodiversity and ecosystem management.

The Teacher Development Continuum in the United States and China: Summary of a Workshop
Released in 2010, this report summarizes an August 2009 workshop on the career ladder of mathematics teachers and the structures in place to support teachers of mathematics within the Chinese and U.S. educational systems. Organized by the U.S. National Committee for Mathematics Instruction (USNC/MI), the workshop originated from a collaborative meeting at the China Math Education Conference at the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. Visit the National Academies Press homepage and read or download this report for free. Watch the related video. Learn more about the workshop.

The 2nd International Forum on Biosecurity:
Summary of an International Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, March 30 to April 2, 2008
Released in 2009, this report summarizes discussions from an international workshop that considered roles and responsibilities of the life sciences community in addressing dual-use biosecurity risks. The workshop was co-convened by the InterAcademy Panel on International Issues, International Union of Microbiological Societies, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, International Union of Biological Sciences, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and is part of ongoing, collaborative efforts on this topic. Visit the National Academies Press homepage and read or download this report for free.

Frontiers in Soil Science Research: Report of a Workshop
Released August 26, 2009 in response to a 2005 U.S. National Committee for Soil Science (USNC/SS) Frontiers in Soil Science Research Workshop, the report centers on seven key questions addressing research fields for soil science disciplines, as well as the need for integration across soil science with other disciplines. Download the Report in Brief (58KB PDF). Visit the National Academies Press homepage and read or download this report for free.

International Collaborations in Behavioral Sciences Report

International Collaborations in Behavioral and Social Sciences
Based on the outcomes of a workshop convened by the U.S. National Committee for Psychological Science (USNC/IUPsyS) and informed by a survey of social scientists who have led cross-national projects, this National Science Foundation-funded report addresses the multiple benefits of research extending across national boundaries and describes factors common among successful collaborations. Several dimensions of collaborative processes, such as research planning, methodological issues, organizational concerns, varied training approaches, and funding needs receive critical attention to this report. Visit the National Academies Press homepage and read or download this report for free.