President and CEO of CRDF Global visits Uzbekistan

05/30/2012

During a Chai Chat, Cathy Campbell talks about CRDF Global and promoting science cooperation with Uzbekistan. (U.S. Embassy photo)

Cathy Campbell, the president and CEO of CRDF Global, visited Uzbekistan on May 18-23. In January, CRDF Global signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Uzbekistan in order to increase the activities of CRDF Global in Uzbekistan and build upon the bilateral Science and Technology agreement between the U.S. and Uzbekistan signed in December 2010.

CRDF Global runs a number of programs open to citizens to Uzbekistan, geared toward scientists and entrepreneurs. According to Ms. Campbell, who also led one of the U.S. Embassy’s Chai Chats: “Part of the reason I am here is to make sure there’s an understanding about the programs we have opened so we can work with our counterparts to encourage as many people as possible to apply to the programs… there is interest in collaboration and we strongly encourage people to keep an eye out for the opportunities and to apply wherever and whenever possible.”

One such opportunity is the Global Innovation through Science and Technology initiative, which focuses on countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The GIST initiative, which is opening a competition in July, has an entrepreneurial component as well. It aims to use scientific and technological innovation for economic advancement in the target countries.

Ms. Campbell also highlighted why international cooperation is important: “A lot of countries are investing in science and engineering and there are a lot of talented people around the world. To be successful in foreign markets, one needs to be able to tap local experts… Science is expensive – almost prohibitively for any single country – so the cost needs to be shared.” Additionally, many scientific issues are cross-border in nature, so it would be more effective for countries with mutual interests to work together.

Although citizens of Uzbekistan have attended CDRF Global events in the past, another goal for Ms. Campbell’s visit was to raise awareness of the company’s current programs and increase active participation of the country’s scientists and entrepreneurs.

CRDF Global’s grant programs address areas such as agriculture, health, energy and materials. And its focus areas include capacity building, innovation, nonproliferation, research partnerships and science diplomacy: “Science can work across political, cultural and language barriers in ways many other fields cannot. Science is one language,” said Ms. Campbell.