The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) is an international grants program that funds scientists and engineers in developing countries who partner with U.S. government-funded researchers to address global development challenges. PEER partnerships leverage major investments made by U.S. government science agencies in research to improve development outcomes in USAID-presence countries.
PEER not only catalyzes collaborative research and elevates the use of science and technology to further USAID’s development objectives, but also establishes long-lasting research relationships that build scientific research capacity, strengthen the research ecosystem in developing countries, and enable collaborators to become better partners in development. Since PEER’s launch in 2011, it has supported more than 160 projects in over 40 countries with an investment of about $28 million.
The PEER program is designed to leverage federal science agency funding from NASA, NIH, NSF, Smithsonian Institution, USDA, and USGS by directly supporting developing country scientists who work in partnership with current or new colleagues supported by these U.S. government agencies. Technical areas include water resource management, climate change, biodiversity, agriculture, energy, disaster mitigation, nutrition, maternal and child health, and infectious diseases.
One notable example of PEER’s success is a multi-country team of researchers in Southeast Asia who are examining the interactions between pollutants and ground-level climate to develop emissions models for predicting air quality scenarios. Using climate and air quality data, the researchers have successfully engaged with lawmakers from Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia to inform policies that reduce emissions and promote a strong regional climate research network.
Another example is a team of researchers in Morocco who have developed a novel computer-based instructional tool that translates Modern Standard Arabic into Moroccan Sign Language in real time. This research has empowered the hearing-impaired community and caught the attention of the Moroccan government, with schools throughout Morocco adopting the translation tool.
PEER’s impact extends to various regions, including Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Eligible countries include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and many others, with specific focus areas and eligibility requirements for certain countries.
The PEER program has demonstrated its effectiveness in addressing global development challenges through collaborative research and capacity building. By leveraging federal science agency funding and supporting developing country scientists, PEER has made significant contributions to improving development outcomes in USAID-presence countries.