This proposal seeks funds to provide travel grant awards to U.S. speakers, authors of papers, and young academic participants to the China/USA/Japan Joint Chemical Engineering Conference, to be held in Beijing, China, on October 11-13, 2005. This conference is a combination of the Fourth USA/China Chemical Engineering Conference and the Third China/Japan Chemical Engineering Symposium. The conference is sponsored by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and its Chinese and Japanese counterparts, the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China (CIESC) and the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ). The theme of the conference is: Chemical Engineering in Sustainable Development and Emerging Technologies. The purpose of the Conference is to provide a forum for U.S. Chemical Engineers to meet their counterparts in China and Japan to discuss the latest advancements, exchange research ideas and discuss opportunities for collaboration. Global issues such as new energy sources and clean fuels will be among the focal points of discussion that will be beneficial to the U.S. participants. The direct communication will facilitate development and expansion of the potentially vast markets in China for U.S. chemical products. The proposed budget of $35,000 will provide for approximately 35 partial travel grant awards to U.S. speakers, authors of papers, and young academic participants at the Conference. Travel awards will be made based on the following considerations: (1) scientific or technological merit of the speaker/participant; (2) professional qualifications relative to age and position; (3) institutional and geographical distribution. All awards will be made in full compliance with the Civil Rights Acts of 1964. NSF travel policies with respect to U.S. air carriers will be followed.
