Czech Scientists to Receive U.S. Funds for Projects

_{CTK (09/17) reported that it will be clear next week which of the Czech research and scientific projects the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will support, the Czech Technical University’s (CVUT) Vladimir Marik said yesterday. He said he expected the grants to reach thousands of dollars per project annually. The U.S. has pledged to financially support Czech science in exchange for hosting a missile defense radar on Czech soil. “Nine projects have been selected for consideration,” Marik said, adding that after September´s decision on the first grants the next round would follow in November. The projects proposed for U.S. financial support focus on nano-materials, robotics, laser technologies, radiolocation equipment and medicine. Thehe Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech universities and private companies submitted the proposals. However, apart from the selected projects, other proposals may receive U.S. financial support, Marik said. “U.S. experts…will visit some scientific institutions which will enable us to negotiate about further cooperation and projects,” Czech First Deputy Foreign Minister Tomas Pojar said previously.}