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The Woskob New Century Fund Allocates Seed Money for Agricultural Research and Education Center in Ukraine, in Collaboration with Penn State University and CRDF Global
CRDF Global, Arlington, VAWed, May 13, 2015
Arlington,VA – OnMarch 2015, CRDF Global announced that the Woskob New Century Fund has allocated $20,000 in seed funding for the establishmentof a Research and Education Center for AgriculturalTechnologies in Ukraine,in collaboration with the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. CRDFGlobal, anindependent nonprofit that promotes international scientific and technicalcollaboration, will be the implementing organization for this center, inpartnership with the Ministry of Education and Scienceof Ukraine(MESU).
“TheWoskob New Century Fund is pleased to help catalyze this new cooperationbetween Penn Stateand CRDF Global. This is an importantstep toward the integration of research and education in Ukraine that will enable its agricultural scientists to make enduringcontributions to the nation’s recovery,” said George Woskob, Woskobfamily spokesman.
“The Woskob family is committed to supporting Ukrainian researchers andinnovators – and by extension the Ukrainian people – at this extremelychallenging time. Agriculture has always been an important pillar of theeconomy, and developingand adopting new agricultural technologies and practices will be critical to Ukraine’s restoration,” said Woskob.
Theannouncement of this contribution follows a visit by Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science Serhiy Kvit to California in February, facilitated by CRDFGlobal. Minister Kvit spoke at the AAAS annual meeting, Stanford University and the SanFrancisco World Affairs Council. His visit drew attention to the difficultyfacing Ukrainian scientists and technology innovators, including a dire economicsituation, greatly diminished funding, separatist military activity that hasdisplaced universities and research institutes from the eastern part of thecountry, and the need for widespread reform of the Ukrainian higher educationsystem. It also enabled the minister to learn more about successful highereducation models in the U.S.
CRDF Global, through itsKyiv, Ukraine and Arlington, Virginia,offices, will manage a competition to select the host university and enable thecenter’s development. Enhancing research capabilities in universities is a toppriority for MESU. With the ministry, CRDF Global will help ensure thatthe center incorporates these reforms. The partnership with Penn Statewill help provide curriculum improvement and agricultural extensioncapabilities for Ukrainian researchers at the center and support exchanges offaculty and students with the center in Ukraine.
With nearly 20 yearsof experience promoting scientific and technical collaboration with Ukraine, CRDF Global has previously successfullypartnered with MESU to establish two university-based research and educationcenters. The Research and EducationCenter for GeotechnicalSystems Stability at the National Mining University,located in Dnipropetrovsk, was established in 2007. The Research and Education Centerfor Nanomaterials in Energy Generation and Accumulation Devices at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University inIvano-Frankivsk was established in 2009 with support from the U.S. Agency forInternational Development (USAID). Both centers are still operating well beyondthe conclusion of CRDF Global funding.
Penn Statebegan collaborating with Ukrainein 1992 when the Woskob family, with roots in Ukraine,helped open the door for an educational exchange program. Since then, the College of Agricultural Sciences has developed relationships with eight otheragricultural universities in Ukraine.In 2006, the Woskob family established the Woskob New Century Fund for Ukraine, an endowment that bolsters theUniversity's commitment to fostering connections between Pennsylvania and Ukraine.The endowment promotes partnerships, builds institutions and creates networksof support for agricultural entrepreneurs and industries as the foundation fordemocratic and market-oriented Ukraine.It supports faculty development programs, joint research, graduateassistantships, conferences and exchanges with universities and businesses in Ukraine.
“CRDF Global isgrateful for the generous support of the Woskob New Century Fund and itsongoing support of Ukrainian science. We also commend Penn State for its enduringcommitment to Ukrainian agricultural scientists and its willingness to engagein cross-border collaboration with these highly talented and accomplishedresearchers,” said Cathy Campbell, CRDF Global president and chief executive officer.
Deanna Behring,director of international programs at PennState’s College of Agricultural Sciences, added, “The support of the Woskob family hasfor years created strong bonds between PennState and Ukraine. We are excited that they have chosen tohelp us embark on this new phase of activity that will create a lastinginstitutional capability in Ukraine.”
To learn more aboutcontributing to the creation of the Researchand Education Center for Agricultural Technologies in Ukraine, contact Dr. Marilyn Pifer: mpifer@crdfglobal.org.
AboutCRDF Global
CRDFGlobal is anindependent, nonprofit organization established in 1995 to promoteinternational scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technicalresources, training, and services. CRDF Global has nearly 20 years ofexperience managing international research funding programs and supportingemerging science and technology infrastructure in more than 40 countries inEurasia, the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
Media Contact:
(USA) BeckySheetz-Runkle bsheetz@beckysheetz.com 703-501-0533
(Ukraine) Tetyana Narchynska Ukraine@crdfglobal.org (038)-044-253-7223
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