Force Multiplier Research Grants for Knowledge Security Training Alumni

CRDF Global is pleased to offer a research grant competition to alumni of previous trainings who are citizens of India, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam to enhance research security for dual-use research and intellectual property. Grants are a one-time, eight-month award of up to $8,000. Grantees will be expected to leverage past training content from any research or knowledge security trainings to inform their proposal.

Your research proposal will need to address at least one of the following goals:  

1. Enhance the capabilities of industrial and academic partners to recognize and apply a risk-based approach to strengthen institutional knowledge security practices;
2. Improve the capacities of individuals and institutions to apply data protection, security, and due diligence practices to secure sensitive materials;
3. Increase the adoption of international best practices in research in partnering countries.

The barriers to entry for developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) delivery systems are lowering, and the landscape of technologies and intellectual property that can contribute to and refine dual-use materials and delivery systems is widening. Emerging and advanced technologies and knowledge are becoming increasingly relevant to counter-WMD threat reduction efforts. State actors continue efforts to acquire these sensitive materials from vulnerable institutions and companies to advance their own WMD objectives. Preventing the transfer of technologies and knowledge of WMD applications requires building public awareness within those communities targeted by nefarious state actors for their expertise, knowledge, methodologies, and even nascent-stage research.

CRDF Global seeks applications for grants to fund innovative research that focuses on technology and knowledge transfer risks, vulnerabilities, and risk reduction measures in the aforementioned countries. Possible topics include:

• What institutions generate dual use content? How can institutions that have dual use technology, data, experiments, technology and the like identify and address the risks posed by dual use issues?
• Dual Use Research of Concern is a term normally applied to biology – what approaches can be used to mitigate DURC particularly when two areas of technology are converging to form a new, dual use application? (e.g. Biology and artificial intelligence.)   Once identified, how is this information protected?
• How are National Research Centers at Risk of Illicit Technology and/or Knowledge Transfer?  In what areas of research?
• Can emerging technologies be employed to protect sensitive technologies and data from illicit acquisition?
• Other relevant topics are welcome.

• Research grant applicants must be nationals of India, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam and alumni of previous trainings on knowledge security, intellectual property, or related topics. A list of knowledge security related trainings will be requested.
• Applicants from India must either have the FCRA Registration and account or provide documentation proving exemption.
• Applicants may apply individually or as a team but may only apply once.
• Institutional and/or managerial approval is required for applications to be considered for this competition.

• A completed application and supporting documents with all application sections filled out, including all grant-relevant documents in the announcement, linked below.
• Application materials and research products must be submitted in English.
• Application materials and supporting documents should be submitted in PDF format.