Covering an astonishing range of topics, from cement nanopores and predator-prey bacteria to continental shelves and quantum computing, 43 international faculty research projects received $664,793 in funding from the 2009-2010 MISTI Global Seed Funds competition.
Now in its second year, the MISTI (MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives) Global Seed Funds began with funding from Office of the Provost to enhance the internationalization of MIT research and education. The program is composed of a general pool for projects in any country and country-specific funds for France, India, Italy, Japan and Spain. A new fund for projects in Brazil will soon be added.
This growing initiative received 132 proposals, up from the 104 received for the inaugural 2008-2009 MISTI Global Seed Funds, when 27 were awarded funding. In the current round, faculty and research scientists from 29 departments across the Institute submitted proposals for projects in 40 countries. All awardees include undergraduate, graduate or post-doctoral student participation.
Teams will use the grant money to jump-start international research projects and collaboration with faculty and student counterparts abroad. Funds will be used to cover international travel, meeting and workshop costs. MISTI will provide cultural preparation for participating students before their departure.
MIT's largest international program, MISTI is a pioneer in applied international studies. Each year, the program places more than 400 MIT students in professional internships and research positions with its network of leading companies, universities, research institutes and NGOs around the world. MISTI currently operates in 10 countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain. The program is a part of the Center for International Studies.
The next MISTI Global Seed Funds call for proposals will be announced in May with a proposal deadline in early fall. More details are available on the MISTI web site: http://web.mit.edu/misti/faculty/seed.html
2009-2010 MISTI Global Seed Funds recipients:
MISTI GLOBAL SEED FUNDS GENERAL POOL
Seeds of reform: analysis of recent North Korean civilian economic activity and its implications for North Korean integration into the global community (North Korea)
Annette Kim
Architecture and Planning; Urban Studies and Planning
Empower the teachers (Hong Kong)
Charles Sodini
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Fundamental growth studies of carbon nanotubes from revolutionary non-metallic catalysts (Germany, United Kingdom)
Brian Wardle
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Biophysical analyses of fibronectin isoforms relevant to vascular development (Switzerland)
Richard Hynes
Science; Biology
From the lab to the ocean: assessing the impact of continental shelves on internal tides (Australia)
Thomas Peacock
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Mechanobiology of blood vessel cells after stent implantation by using microparticles (Spain)
Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli
Engineering; Biological Engineering
Users as designers: rapid prototyping of alternative prostheses in Jaipur, India (India)
Neil Gershenfeld, Amy Smith
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences; Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
MIT-FRANCE SEED FUND
Predictive modeling of the emergence and development of scientific fields
David Kaiser
SHASS; Science, Technology, and Society
Numerical simulation and quantum adiabatic algorithms
Edward Farhi
Science; Physics
Do interactions between turbulence and motility generate phytoplankton patchiness?
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Eukaryotic life in the aftermath of the first Neoproterozoic global freeze
Tanja Bosak
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Unlocking the secret of water confined in cementitious materials: computational simulation of water in cement nanopores
Krystyn Van Vliet
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Realistic laboratory modeling of three-dimensional internal tide generation
Thomas Peacock
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
The Comédie-Française registers project
Jeffrey Ravel, Kurt Fendt
SHASS: History, Foreign Languages and Literatures
Flexible objects in granular media
Anette Hosoi
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
MIT-SPAIN/LA CAMBRA DE BARCELONA SEED FUND
Quantum entanglement and entanglement entropy
Daniel Freedman
Science; Physics
Anomalous transport in random networks
Ruben Juanes
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Photonic crystals for enhanced thermophotovoltaics
Clifton G. Fonstad
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Graphene NEMS for quantum electronics and nanosensing
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero
Science; Physics
Vessel-like structures: in vitro models to predict outcome of vascular interventions
Elazer Edelman
Science; Biology; Whitaker; Health Sciences and Technology
MISTI HAYASHI SEED FUND
MIT and TITech collaboration on isotopomer ratio monitoring of atmospheric nitrous oxide
Shuhei Ono, Ron Prinn
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Re-production of water-community symbiosis
Shun Kanda, James Wescoat
Architecture and Planning; Architecture
The Hayashi Ocean Microscale meeting: “Microenvironments modulating biological interactions”
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
MIT-INDIA/IFMR TRUST SEED FUND
Establishment of a D-Lab field site in Calcutta, India
Amy Smith
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Technology for combating milk adulteration
Richard Fletcher
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences
Enhancing educational opportunities for blind children in the developing world
Pawan Sinha
Science; Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Audio wiki and ODK voice: how mobile phones will change the developing world
Saman Amarasinghe
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
MITOR PROJECT
International cooperation to build small satellites for earth observation
David Miller, Alvar Saenz-Otero
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Design and characterization of SWCNTS-polymer photopolymerizable nanostructured coating with near infrared fluorescence for biosensor applications
Michael Strano
Engineering; Chemical Engineering
Reflections on distance. A point of view on globalization in architecture and urban design
Yung Ho Chang, Ana Miljacki
Architecture and Planning; Architecture
Macromodeling techniques for complex interconnects in next-generation Mixed-Signal systems
Luca Daniel
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Mechanics and collapse of "microscopic framed buildings": from nanoscopic processes to microstructural failure of colloidal and CSH gels
Franz-Josef Ulm
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Surface wave tomography for multi-scale exploration of Earth's crust
Robert D. van der Hilst
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Long term interaction in flow systems
Rodolfo Ruben Rosales
Science; Mathematics
Graphical models and distributed inference techniques for cognitive radio and localization
Moe Win
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Green design of communication networks
Eytan Modiano
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Kinetic structures for cultural heritage
John Ochsendorf
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Superstrong and supertough bioinspired hierarchical nanomaterials
Markus J. Buehler
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
LINGERCAST - The persistence of user-created information
Federico Casalegno
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences
PROGETTO ROBERTO ROCCA
Mathematical modeling and signal processing for integrative patient monitoring
George Verghese, Thomas Heldt
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Movement ecology at the microscale: experiments and models with predator-prey bacteria
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computational modeling of controlled drug release and arterial uptake from biodegradable material implants
Elazer Edelman
Whitaker; Health Sciences and Technology
Chalcogenide glass micro-resonators for advanced low-power nonlinear optics
Lionel Kimmerling
Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering
Now in its second year, the MISTI (MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives) Global Seed Funds began with funding from Office of the Provost to enhance the internationalization of MIT research and education. The program is composed of a general pool for projects in any country and country-specific funds for France, India, Italy, Japan and Spain. A new fund for projects in Brazil will soon be added.
This growing initiative received 132 proposals, up from the 104 received for the inaugural 2008-2009 MISTI Global Seed Funds, when 27 were awarded funding. In the current round, faculty and research scientists from 29 departments across the Institute submitted proposals for projects in 40 countries. All awardees include undergraduate, graduate or post-doctoral student participation.
Teams will use the grant money to jump-start international research projects and collaboration with faculty and student counterparts abroad. Funds will be used to cover international travel, meeting and workshop costs. MISTI will provide cultural preparation for participating students before their departure.
MIT's largest international program, MISTI is a pioneer in applied international studies. Each year, the program places more than 400 MIT students in professional internships and research positions with its network of leading companies, universities, research institutes and NGOs around the world. MISTI currently operates in 10 countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain. The program is a part of the Center for International Studies.
The next MISTI Global Seed Funds call for proposals will be announced in May with a proposal deadline in early fall. More details are available on the MISTI web site: http://web.mit.edu/misti/faculty/seed.html
2009-2010 MISTI Global Seed Funds recipients:
MISTI GLOBAL SEED FUNDS GENERAL POOL
Seeds of reform: analysis of recent North Korean civilian economic activity and its implications for North Korean integration into the global community (North Korea)
Annette Kim
Architecture and Planning; Urban Studies and Planning
Empower the teachers (Hong Kong)
Charles Sodini
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Fundamental growth studies of carbon nanotubes from revolutionary non-metallic catalysts (Germany, United Kingdom)
Brian Wardle
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Biophysical analyses of fibronectin isoforms relevant to vascular development (Switzerland)
Richard Hynes
Science; Biology
From the lab to the ocean: assessing the impact of continental shelves on internal tides (Australia)
Thomas Peacock
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Mechanobiology of blood vessel cells after stent implantation by using microparticles (Spain)
Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli
Engineering; Biological Engineering
Users as designers: rapid prototyping of alternative prostheses in Jaipur, India (India)
Neil Gershenfeld, Amy Smith
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences; Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
MIT-FRANCE SEED FUND
Predictive modeling of the emergence and development of scientific fields
David Kaiser
SHASS; Science, Technology, and Society
Numerical simulation and quantum adiabatic algorithms
Edward Farhi
Science; Physics
Do interactions between turbulence and motility generate phytoplankton patchiness?
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Eukaryotic life in the aftermath of the first Neoproterozoic global freeze
Tanja Bosak
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Unlocking the secret of water confined in cementitious materials: computational simulation of water in cement nanopores
Krystyn Van Vliet
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Realistic laboratory modeling of three-dimensional internal tide generation
Thomas Peacock
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
The Comédie-Française registers project
Jeffrey Ravel, Kurt Fendt
SHASS: History, Foreign Languages and Literatures
Flexible objects in granular media
Anette Hosoi
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
MIT-SPAIN/LA CAMBRA DE BARCELONA SEED FUND
Quantum entanglement and entanglement entropy
Daniel Freedman
Science; Physics
Anomalous transport in random networks
Ruben Juanes
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Photonic crystals for enhanced thermophotovoltaics
Clifton G. Fonstad
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Graphene NEMS for quantum electronics and nanosensing
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero
Science; Physics
Vessel-like structures: in vitro models to predict outcome of vascular interventions
Elazer Edelman
Science; Biology; Whitaker; Health Sciences and Technology
MISTI HAYASHI SEED FUND
MIT and TITech collaboration on isotopomer ratio monitoring of atmospheric nitrous oxide
Shuhei Ono, Ron Prinn
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Re-production of water-community symbiosis
Shun Kanda, James Wescoat
Architecture and Planning; Architecture
The Hayashi Ocean Microscale meeting: “Microenvironments modulating biological interactions”
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
MIT-INDIA/IFMR TRUST SEED FUND
Establishment of a D-Lab field site in Calcutta, India
Amy Smith
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Technology for combating milk adulteration
Richard Fletcher
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences
Enhancing educational opportunities for blind children in the developing world
Pawan Sinha
Science; Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Audio wiki and ODK voice: how mobile phones will change the developing world
Saman Amarasinghe
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
MITOR PROJECT
International cooperation to build small satellites for earth observation
David Miller, Alvar Saenz-Otero
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Design and characterization of SWCNTS-polymer photopolymerizable nanostructured coating with near infrared fluorescence for biosensor applications
Michael Strano
Engineering; Chemical Engineering
Reflections on distance. A point of view on globalization in architecture and urban design
Yung Ho Chang, Ana Miljacki
Architecture and Planning; Architecture
Macromodeling techniques for complex interconnects in next-generation Mixed-Signal systems
Luca Daniel
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Mechanics and collapse of "microscopic framed buildings": from nanoscopic processes to microstructural failure of colloidal and CSH gels
Franz-Josef Ulm
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Surface wave tomography for multi-scale exploration of Earth's crust
Robert D. van der Hilst
Science; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Long term interaction in flow systems
Rodolfo Ruben Rosales
Science; Mathematics
Graphical models and distributed inference techniques for cognitive radio and localization
Moe Win
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Green design of communication networks
Eytan Modiano
Engineering; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Kinetic structures for cultural heritage
John Ochsendorf
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Superstrong and supertough bioinspired hierarchical nanomaterials
Markus J. Buehler
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
LINGERCAST - The persistence of user-created information
Federico Casalegno
Architecture and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences
PROGETTO ROBERTO ROCCA
Mathematical modeling and signal processing for integrative patient monitoring
George Verghese, Thomas Heldt
Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Movement ecology at the microscale: experiments and models with predator-prey bacteria
Roman Stocker
Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computational modeling of controlled drug release and arterial uptake from biodegradable material implants
Elazer Edelman
Whitaker; Health Sciences and Technology
Chalcogenide glass micro-resonators for advanced low-power nonlinear optics
Lionel Kimmerling
Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering
