Geographic research has been extremely dynamic in recent decades, making the quadrennial congresses sponsored by the International Geographical Union (IGU) extremely important settings at which geographers and scholars in related disciplines meet to exchange the most recent results of their research and to plan future collaborative activities. The 27th Congress of the IGU will be held in Washington, D.C., in August 1992, providing an excellent opportunity for American geographers to meet directly with colleagues from other parts of the world. This award provides support for the 27th International Geographical Congress (IGC) in two ways. First, it provides financial assistance from NSF to offset costs of planning and operating the congress. Second, it provides a means through which other federal governmental agencies may provide financial support through interagency agreements that will fund supplements to the initial award. This award is effectively a renewal of NSF Award SES-9000186, but it is made as a new award because financial responsibility for administration of the award now will be handled directly by the Organizing Committee of the 27th IGC. This award will provide valuable financial assistance for the planning and operation of the largest and most significant gathering of geographers from throughout the world. As has been true with past IGU activities, enhanced scholarship and increased involvement in international collaborative activities by American geographers will result. Further positive consequences of this grant will be realized if NSF can assist in channelling contributions from other federal agencies to this important activity.
