Research and Innovation
Fellowships Program
Accelerating development
through science innovation and
partnership
Courtney Matson and Jamie Leidelmeyer
Research and Innovation Fellowships Program
Informational Meeting Agenda
I. Introductions
I. Presentation by RI Fellowships
Representatives
Fellow Presentation
I. General Q & A
USAID
The United States Agency for International Development is an independent
U.S. government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable
resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential
USAID works in over 100 countries to:
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Promote broadly shared economic prosperity;
Strengthen democracy and good governance;
Protect human rights;
Improve global health;
Advance food security and agriculture;
Improve environmental sustainability;
Further education;
Help societies prevent and recover from conflicts; and
Provide humanitarian assistance in the wake of natural and man-made
disasters.
The U.S. Global Development Lab
USAID is spearheading a bold, new approach
to discover, test, and scale solutions to help
people lift themselves out of poverty.
The U.S. Global Development Lab
(The Lab) will accelerate the application of
science, technology, innovation, and
partnerships to solve some of the most
complex development problems more costefficiently and effectively.
The Approach
Collaborate with host-country counterparts, entrepreneurs, world-class experts
from corporations, NGOs, universities, and science and research institutions to
solve development challenges more cost-efficiently and effectively
The Lab will:
 Source, discover, and scale new technologies and innovations;
 Build partnerships to co-design new solutions and take them from pilots to
global impact;
 Inspire, strengthen, and link the brightest young minds in America with those
in our partner countries; and
 Improve USAID’s development impact by supporting scientific and
innovative approaches to strategic decision making, procurement, and
program design
Why is USAID Invested in Science, Technology,
and Innovation Expertise?
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Solutions to 21st century development challenges are
increasingly technical
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International scientific and technological collaboration is a
source of innovation and growth
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To attract the best scientific and technological
expertise to developing countries
Who’s doing science?
Developing
World
Developed
World
75%
Peer-reviewed scientific papers
PEER:
Catalyzing Research Partnerships Beyond Traditional
Research Collaborations
PEER and Traditional Scientific Collaborations
PEER Research Organizations
PEER Collaborations
Scientific Collaborations by Publication
Source: Olivier H Beauchsene @ Science-Metric Inc.
What are USAID’s Research and
Innovation Fellowships?
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An interconnected global network, not only a fellowship program:
○ International students
○ Scientists
○ Researchers who are interested in research
and innovation projects for development
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Builds relationships between institutions
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Provides an easy way to access opportunities to use science and
technology to tackle development challenges
Research and Innovation Fellowships Program
Connects U.S. and international students, scientists, and
researchers to focus on research and innovation in-country
Builds relationships between institutions
Creates global network for sustainable partnership
Fellowship Basics
Pilot Countries
• Brazil
• Colombia
• India
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2-12 month Fellowships
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USAID funds the student
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Host provides in-kind support as
possible
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Host can be NGO, private sector
organizations, research centers,
universities, and even
Government ministries
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Senegal
• South Africa
Snapshot of Eligible Fellows
Graduate students – PhD and Masters
In good standing within respective university
Meet university specific requirements
National Science Foundation (NSF) grant recipients (8,000
students who receive GRF grant of $135,000 for 3 years)
OR
Eligible Fellows through university partnerships
Process Map
Visit www.usaid.gov/RIFellowships or find
us on Twitter at @USAIDscitech,
#RIFellowhips
Example of a Host Opportunity
Creating mobile apps to harness the tourism industry in
Colombia
Developing apps for
marketplace
exchange, cultural
event promotion,
and local business
recommendations
Example of a Host Opportunity
Developing sustainable agriculture practices in
Senegal
Engineering hardier
crops through seed
breeding and soil
chemistry
Engineering hardier
crops through seed
breeding and soil
chemistry
Example of a Host Opportunity
Helping fight human
trafficking in India
Developing socioeconomic profiles of
targeted households to
quantify the risks
associated with early
marriage and child labor,
including linkages to
trafficking
Example of a Host Opportunity
Map Coral Reefs in
Indonesia
Help conservation efforts
in Indonesia by mapping
coral reefs and
developing sustainable
environmental strategies
Current Fellow EXAMPLE #1
Anthony Dest
Anthony is researching the impacts of violence and development on Black
communities in Colombia. Prior to joining the MA/PhD program in Latin
American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, he founded the
Colombia Land Rights Monitor (www.colombialand.org) and worked at the
Washington Office on Latin America. Anthony received his bachelor's degree
in Political Science and Latin American Studies from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a National Science Foundation Graduate
Research Fellow and former Fulbright Scholar.
Current Fellow EXAMPLE #2
Christian Guzman
• Christian grew up in sunny Kissimmee, Florida and is a graduate of the
University of Florida where he received a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural
and Biological Engineering. He received his Master's degree in
Environmental Engineering at Cornell University in 2011 and is working on
his doctorate in the same field at Cornell. Christian is currently working on
integrating tropical watershed hydrology and ecosystem services research
for improved nutrient and water use efficiency in the Colombian Andes with
CIAT in Cali, Colombia.
The Catalog
Connects you to opportunities from universities, research
centers, government ministries, non-governmental
organizations, private sector
Host submissions are reviewed for:
• Scientific merit,
• Development impact,
• Safety, security, and legitimacy of organization incountry
• Once verified, all opportunities will be placed in the
Catalog of Opportunities.
Snapshot of the Catalog of Opportunities
How does the Research and Innovation Fellowship
advance your career?
Gives you applicable foreign experience to emerging
markets, expanding studies, and companies that are
growing and expanding.
Gain new connections.
Enhances your reputation with U.S. science, technology
and innovation communities.
Gain additional skills such as applied research, field
experience, mentoring/teaching, cultural contexts, and
project management.
To become involved...
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Visit our website for more information
www.usaid.gov/RIFellowships
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Davis RIFA website: ip.ucdavis.edu/what/rifa
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Search the catalog!!! www.rifellowships.org/
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Questions and comments can be directed to
RIFellowships@usaid.gov
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On Twitter: @USAIDscitech, #RIFellowships