Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF)

Provost Rafael Reif led an MIT team of deans, department heads, center directors and senior faculty members to Singapore in January 2006 to learn about the new activities initiated under the auspices of Singapore's NRF. Following this visit, MIT faculty members were invited to submit brief concept papers with preliminary ideas around a few research themes. Part of the objective was to try to identify MIT teams that could participate in a possible NRF-sponsored program involving collaborators from institutions in Singapore. By the end of March, 82 concept papers involving 212 faculty members from all five schools of the Institute had been received.

An MIT Steering Committee, comprising Professors Tom Magnanti, Bob Silbey, Alice Gast, Subra Suresh, Eric Grimson, Patrick Jaillet, Chris Kaiser and Provost Reif, has completed a preliminary review of these concept papers. The next step is to consult with the NRF on the scope and prospects of potential research interactions related to these papers, and on the overall scope of MIT's program with the NRF, so as to formulate the next steps.

Also being explored is the possible establishment of an MIT research presence in Singapore that may lead to broader strategic interactions with partners in Singapore, other Asian countries, Europe and elsewhere. It is anticipated that this exploration phase will continue in the coming months.