PGSB program has received several research cluster proposals involved from scientists from more than one Palestinian university, and multiple partners in FZJ and Germany University affiliated with FZJ, in the following topics:
- Structural biology
- Intelligent pedestrian dynamics
- Hydrogen economy and integrated sustainability research (pending for more partners)
- Nanoscience
- Closing nutrient cycles for agricultural sustainability wastewater to algae to soil to plant
- The Neuroscience Research Cluster for the investigation of psychiatric disorders
The Advisory Committee accepted 6 research clusters proposal, and asked each group to make a plan of any activities that they would like to plan for their research cluster in 2020 and the first half of 2021 (as long as the health and safety situation allows), including:
- Faculty visits
- Student projects
- Postdoc applications within the cluster
- A topical meeting (online or not)
- Any other ideas (Trainings, etc) that they would like to have funding for
To follow up for implementing the action plan of these research clusters, and to maintain and build on that success as the Science Bridge Project by ensuring that the research cooperation continue to develop into sustainable two-way collaborations driven by a growing network of participants and alumni.
These research clusters are an important step in the continuation of the science bridge project that will expanding partnerships from the individual level to long-term, multifaceted partnerships between researchers working on similar topics. In several of the more longstanding cooperation projects, clusters of scientists with various affiliations but within similar research fields are combining their expertise to develop joint research platforms. In pooling their resources, these clusters are able to look at the bigger picture of research interests and needs within Palestine and can therefore better focus on meeting those needs. This is not limited to research, and extends to the dissemination of knowledge.
