NSF Director Panchanathan’s Weekly Update

NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan recently traveled to Interlaken, Switzerland, to participate in the Global Research Council’s annual meeting. The GRC’s mission is to foster long-term international research collaborations across continents. At the meeting, Director Panchanathan led Session 1, which focused on sustainable research practices. He also presented the NSF-led Global Centers multilateral program model alongside other international research funding agency leaders.

During his time at the meeting, Director Panchanathan engaged with leaders from over a dozen funding agencies worldwide to discuss potential collaborations and share information about NSF programs, policies, and processes. Among the countries represented were Argentina, Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland, and the Republic of Korea. Additionally, he met with Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, who heads the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research, to discuss mutual goals in advancing science, technology, and innovation.

Director Panchanathan also had the opportunity to visit CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, where he was hosted by the Director General. During the visit, he toured the ATLAS facility, one of the world’s largest and most advanced particle detectors. The collaboration between NSF and CERN has led to significant scientific breakthroughs and innovations in cutting-edge fields, showcasing the impact of global research partnerships.