Bolstering National Research Centers in Brazil to Catalyze Norms that Prevent the Transfer of Biological, Chemical, and Nuclear-Applicable Technologies

CRDF will award grants to researchers in Brazil, individuals or teams, that are affiliated with an accredited academic institution or professional scientific and/or research association to support the responsible conduct of research, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, genetic/genomic data, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors/quantum computing. Topics will be chosen by the grantees and examples are listed below.  

Grants are a one-time, eight-month award of up to $10,000. 

Grantees will be expected to publish a research paper and present their research findings to an audience, either through the support of an online site for posting research findings, attending key national and international conferences to further disseminate their work, or the use of a “launch party” intended to share the research information with a broad audience. 

Research security requires building public awareness within those scientific communities most targeted by nefarious actors for their scientific and technological expertise, knowledge, methodologies, and even nascent-stage research. This effort seeks to advance international norms and best practices of free, fair, and transparent scientific exchange while increasing the awareness of dual-use research concerns for scientists from a broad array of disciplines, such as biology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and advanced computing. To facilitate this, CRDF Global will pair grant recipients with international experts on research security who will guide grant recipients through their research projects. 

CRDF Global seeks applications for grants to fund innovative research that examines and proposes policy-oriented solutions to risks and challenges associated with promoting research integrity best practices around sensitive technologies and data proliferation in Southeast Asia and Brazil. Possible topics include:  

• Risk assessments to identify and categorize dual-use research and technologies, mechanisms of technology transfer, and a mitigation plan to prevent the transfer of these technologies in Brazil. 

• Strategies, plans, procedures, and administrative controls to protect against theft, forced transfer, or predatory acquisition of critical information or technologies. 
• Strategies, plans, or mechanisms to enhance research security best-practices, information and knowledge security best-practices, data governance, and/or identifying and securing dual-use applicable research. 
• International best-practices on responsible science and research ethics, science integrity, information security and data governance, and results from plans or programs to apply these to home institutions (e.g., training, guidance documents, standard operating procedures). 

• Applicants may apply individually or as a team.  
• Members of a research team must be nationals of Brazil who are affiliated with an academic institution or professional association of scientists and researchers.
• Institutional and/or managerial approval is required for applications to be considered for this competition 

A completed application form with all sections filled out and supporting documents, including:

• A proposed detailed budget
  • • Please note, the Primary tab should be used for all project-related expenses to be covered under the grant. The “Cost-Share” tab should be used for expenses that will be covered by the institution as their contribution to the project.
• The curriculum vitae (CV) and passport or state-issued ID card, for each individual on the research team
• Application materials and research products must be submitted in English