A new UC Davis agreement with a Brazilian research foundation is offering faculty members rare seed money for collaborative research in the humanities and social sciences.

UC Davis and the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) are seeking proposals by May 15.

This is the first of UC Davis' more than 150 working agreements with international institutions in 40 countries to offer seed money for collaboration in the humanities and social sciences.

"This agreement will bring together scholars from two important parts of the world," said William Lacy, vice provost for University Outreach and International Programs, whose office led the establishment of the agreement and discussed this initiative with the Brazilian FAPESP director.

Lacy said Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi travelled to Brazil last June, and just eight months later a request for proposals was released.

UC Davis and FAPESP are each committing $150,000 over five years to fund joint proposals that will foster new initiatives and activities related to international research, education and academic outreach.

Projects must involve at least one faculty member from UC Davis as the principal investigator and a researcher from a public and/or private institution of higher education in the state of São Paulo.

Adrienne Martín, associate vice provost for international programs, said the seed money could be used for a range of activities including collaborative research, organizing an academic conference or funding travel for researchers to meet.

A project could receive a maximum of $20,000 per year ($10,000 from UC Davis and $10,000 from FAPESP).

Why Brazil? Martín said Brazil — the largest country in Latin America — is looking to expand and improve its system of higher education and build on the strengths of its economy.

São Paulo state is the economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Its capital city of the same name is among the most populated cities in South America.

The São Paulo Research Foundation, independent and public, works to foster research and the scientific and technological development of the state of São Paulo.

Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, the scientific director of the foundation, said it has agreements with six other universities in the United States, but that the UC Davis agreement is singular for its focus on the humanities and social sciences. He spoke at UC Davis on April 17 about the challenges and opportunities for public research universities in Brazil. His talk was part of the Provost's Forums on the Public University and the Social Good.

For more information on the São Paulo seed grant program, see uoip.ucdavis.edu/fapesp. Successful proposals will be announced by July 15.

Lacy said UC Davis' flagship program with Brazil is Science Without Borders, through which the country pays for undergraduates and graduate students from Brazil to study at UC Davis.

UC Davis has a total of 13 agreements with institutions in Brazil; it also offers a Summer Abroad program in the country. Three additional study abroad programs are offered through the systemwide UC Education Abroad Program.