The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The IRES grant program has broad goals of providing active research participation by undergraduate and/or graduate students in high-quality international research, education, and professional development experiences in NSF-funded research areas. It aims at the development of a world-class U.S. STEM workforce through international research experiences. It supports these experiences for cohorts of U.S. students who are citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States. The program encourages projects that are organized around a coherent intellectual theme, potentially involving multiple disciplines funded by NSF, and expects these projects to engage students in collaborative research at an international site with mentorship from international researchers. Additionally, IRES proposals are encouraged to include virtual, hybrid, or other alternative approaches to international collaboration, aiming to extend collaboration beyond the travel component and strengthen the overall proposal.