CMIC is offering research grants as part of the mission to promote a collaborative culture of research and innovation in the Middle East and Africa. The grants are open to researchers worldwide working on areas of interest to CMIC. Through the grants researchers will have a chance to work with local talent on existing or emerging problems of mutual interest.

This is a request for research proposals for the year 2008. This year Cairo Microsoft Innovation Center (CMIC) will focus on bringing research scholars from North America and Western Europe closer to the Egyptian research community. Proposals submitted MUST involve the presence of the research scholar applicant in Egypt and preferably coordinate with local Egyptian researchers. Through this program CMIC will sponsor up to 3 proposals for the year 2008.

SECTION I. COVER PAGE

• Cover Page from applicant

The narrative section of the proposal must not exceed 15 single-spaced typed pages.

• Table of Contents (maximum 1 page)
• Abstract (maximum 1page)
• Statement of Scientific or Technical Problem (maximum 1 page) in one of the following computer science fields
  1. Ubiquitous Computing
  2. Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
  3. High Performance Computing Applications
  4. Distributed Sensors Applications
  5. Information Retrieval and Language Analysis
• Project Description and Detailed Plan of Work (4 pages)
• Statement of the Role of Applicant and Graduate Students (maximum 1 page)
• List of Facilities Involved/Available

7.  Summary Budget and Detailed Budgets, calculated in U.S. dollars.

8.  Curricula Vitae of applicant and graduate students.
9.  Bibliography/References

Qualifying proposals will demonstrate the value of the scoped research to enable applied user scenarios. We will select proposals which:

• have high chance of completion during the proposed visiting research duration
• show clear value to applied scenarios
• identifies interest from local (Middle East & Africa) research community

The winning proposals will receive:

• A visiting scholar package for the principle investigator (roundtrip airline ticket, local accommodation, local transportation, and $2000 monthly stipend)
• Funding for hardware and tools required and specified in the proposal
• Sponsorship (monthly Stipends) for the local research team (maximum three members of the team to be selected by the principle investigator)
• Temporary office and shared lab space at the CMIC facility during the research duration

Proposals should be submitted to cmiccont@microsoft.com by March 28th, 2008. Researchers from the winning proposals will be notified by April 11th.

All proposed research should be completed by December 31th 2008.

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