Developing Global Scientists and Engineers (International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) and Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Projects (DDEP)) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity titled Developing Global Scientists and Engineers is designed to strengthen the United States science and engineering talent pipeline by giving U.S. students serious, high-quality research experience in international settings. The underlying idea is straightforward: if the U.S. wants to stay competitive in world science and technology, it needs researchers who can collaborate across borders, work effectively in different research cultures, and contribute in global teams. This program, administered through NSF and closely tied to the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), funds structured overseas research experiences that connect U.S. students with foreign investigators and research institutions.

The solicitation has two main funding tracks. The first is International Research Experiences for Students (IRES), which supports groups of U.S. undergraduate and/or graduate students who conduct research abroad in collaboration with foreign partners. IRES projects are typically organized by a U.S. institution or organization and are meant to create a coherent international research experience for multiple participants, not just an individual trip. The emphasis is on building a strong training and research environment where students gain hands-on research experience overseas while working directly with international collaborators. The second track is Doctoral Dissertation Enhancement Projects (DDEP), which supports a single doctoral student who needs to conduct part of their dissertation research abroad, again in collaboration with a foreign investigator. DDEP is specifically aimed at enhancing dissertation work through access to international facilities, field sites, expertise, data, or unique collaborative opportunities that cannot be fully replicated in the United States.

In terms of scope, NSF positions this opportunity within its broader science and engineering mission. The program aligns with a wide range of NSF disciplines and directorates, as reflected by the CFDA listings associated with Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Geosciences, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Biological Sciences, Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, Education and Human Resources, Polar Programs, and the Office of Cyberinfrastructure, among others. In practice, that means the program is not limited to one field; it is intended to support international research training experiences wherever NSF-supported science and engineering can benefit from global collaboration.

Key administrative details from the archived notice include an estimated total funding level of about $2.1 million and an expected number of around 24 awards. Individual awards ranged from a floor of $1,000 up to a ceiling of $150,000, and the opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development, which signals that the core expectation is research engagement rather than, for example, purely instructional programming without a research component.

Eligibility is structured around institutional submission rather than individuals applying directly. Proposals must be submitted by a U.S. institution, organization, or professional society on behalf of the project leadership. For DDEP specifically, there is an important constraint: the proposal must be submitted by the faculty advisor of the doctoral student whose dissertation is being enhanced, rather than by the student independently. This setup reinforces NSF norms around institutional responsibility for grants management and ensures that dissertation enhancement requests are anchored in a faculty-supervised research plan with appropriate oversight.

The timeline in the source reflects how submissions were handled when the solicitation was active. For IRES, proposals were generally due on target dates of September 15 and February 15 each year, and the program guidance indicated that IRES activities should begin at least six months after the target date to allow time for review and planning. DDEP proposals, by contrast, were accepted anytime, which fits the reality that dissertation research schedules and overseas access windows can be difficult to align with fixed annual deadlines. The specific listing provided is archived, with an original closing date of September 15, 2009, and an archive date of April 5, 2011, meaning it is presented as a historical solicitation rather than an active competition.

NSF also uses this solicitation to point applicants to related international training pathways supported through OISE and other NSF mechanisms. These include the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students, the Pan American Advanced Studies Institutes for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and the International Research Fellowship Program for postdoctoral fellows or new faculty. The inclusion of these programs is essentially a signpost: if an applicant is seeking an international research experience but does not fit IRES group-based projects or DDEP dissertation enhancements, NSF offers other routes tailored to different career stages and formats.

Finally, the opportunity provides practical contact information for access and technical assistance, including NSF grants.gov support via grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov for issues accessing the announcement or submission systems. The solicitation is referenced as NSF Publication 04-036, which is the document identifier applicants would use to locate the full program requirements, proposal preparation instructions, and review criteria that governed awards under this archived opportunity.

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