24 April 2008
U.S.-Italy 9th Biennial Review Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, April 24, 2008
Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
April 24, 2008
The United States of America and the Republic of Italy concluded the 9th Biennial Review Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation held in Washington on April 22-23, 2008. The U.S. delegation was headed by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science Reno A. Harnish. The Italian delegation was headed by Deputy Chief of Mission Sebastiano Cardi. The two sides reviewed progress made in a wide range of scientific and technological areas over the last two years. Since the last Joint Commission Meeting held in Rome in 2005, the U.S. and Italy have cooperated in many scientific and technological areas, including health, space technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, energy, marine research, the environment, astronomy and physics.
The two delegations reconfirmed that the topics of highest priority for the two countries are: basic science, life science, space, energy, information and communication technologies, robotics, nanosciences, technology applied to cultural heritage, and environment science, earth science and climate change.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently solicited proposals for bilateral scientific cooperation and received hundreds of proposals from U.S. and Italian scientists seeking funds to collaborate. Forty-six projects were designated to be granted financial support for the exchange of researchers under the new program of cooperation adopted during this meeting.
The United States and Italy intend to facilitate scientific cooperation between universities, research institutions, and agencies in the priority areas listed above. This strong response to the Ministry’s call for proposals affirms that both the U.S. and Italian research communities are eager to engage in bilateral scientific cooperation to advance the state of scientific knowledge and address global challenges.
The two delegations agreed that the next session of the Joint U.S.-Italy Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation will take place in Rome no later than the end of 2010.
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Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Miotke, U.S. Department of State and
First Counselor Stefano Beltrame, Italian Embassy to the U.S., signing the Joint Declaration.
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Participants in the 9th Biennial Review Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation at the U.S. Department of State.
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