The MIT Global Seed Funds (GSF) program enhances global research collaborations, connecting MIT faculty with partners worldwide to tackle pressing issues such as climate change and healthcare. Managed by the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS), the GSF has allocated over $26 million to more than 1,200 faculty-led research initiatives since its launch in 2008. Through a flexible funding model that includes a general fund for broader geographic use and specific funds tied to particular countries, regions, and institutions, the GSF backs a diverse array of projects. Currently, MIT faculty and researchers with principal investigator status can submit proposals until December 10.
Recently, representatives from CIS engaged in a dialogue with faculty members Josephine Carstensen and David McGee to explore the impact of GSF on their research endeavors. Carstensen, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, focuses on creating computational designs for large-scale structures aimed at developing innovative low-carbon solutions. In parallel, McGee, a Professor in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), investigates historical hydro-climate changes in order to understand how past climates have shaped rainfall patterns.
Q: How has the Global Seed Funds program facilitated your international partnerships related to your research?
Carstensen: One significant project in my lab involves harnessing the potential of complex cast-glass structures. Our collaboration with researchers at TUDelft in the Netherlands has allowed us to merge our skills in generative design algorithms with their expertise in the physical casting of glass. Interestingly, our initial contact with TUDelft stemmed from a conference where one of my graduate students met their researchers and recognized a potential synergy. This inspired us to pursue a connection, leading us to the GSF program.
McGee: Our research heavily relies on fieldwork conducted in partnership with local experts who understand their environment. We’ve worked in various locations, including lake basins in Chile and Argentina and caves in northern Mexico, Vietnam, and Madagascar. The GSF has been crucial in building these partnerships, enabling us to initiate pilot projects and foster relationships that pave the way for sustained, externally funded efforts.
Q: Can you share details about your GSF-funded projects?
Carstensen: My research primarily operates within a computational framework, as we lack the facilities for large-scale experimental testing. The GSF has bridged this gap by connecting us with the hands-on researchers at TUDelft, who possess the experimental capabilities we lack. This collaboration has opened our eyes to different problem-solving approaches and enriched our research in ways we hadn’t anticipated at MIT.
McGee: Through GSF-supported work, we focus on reconstructing past climate events and their effects on global rainfall patterns, using natural records like lake sediments and cave formations. A highlight has been our studies in northeastern Mexico, in collaboration with researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and local caving groups. This work has involved numerous MIT students and led to a research symposium in Mexico City, in addition to securing funding from the National Science Foundation for a more extensive project.
Q: How has GSF enhanced the research experience for your graduate students?
Carstensen: The collaboration has particularly enriched the experience of graduate students at both MIT and TUDelft. Engaging in research alongside international peers has been invaluable for their academic progress, enabling them to gain skills in complementary technical areas and connect with leading experts. For instance, one graduate student was inspired to seek postdoctoral opportunities in Europe following this project.
McGee: MIT students have had the chance to travel to various sites in Mexico and Chile for fieldwork, building crucial connections with local collaborators. Samples obtained through GSF-related endeavors have been foundational for multiple PhD theses, undergraduate projects, and research initiatives.
Q: Have there been any unforeseen advantages arising from the GSF-funded projects?
Carstensen: The project’s success is largely attributed to the specific international collaboration facilitated by GSF. The diverse expertise of both the Delft and MIT teams was critical to the project’s achievements, fostering an in-depth understanding of each other’s resources and methodologies. This partnership has sparked discussions about future projects and yielded outcomes like two upcoming journal publications.
McGee: One of the key achievements of GSF is its commitment to reciprocal collaborations, allowing external partners to visit MIT and share their work. Unlike other funding avenues that typically focus on sending MIT researchers abroad, GSF has equalized this dynamic by enabling our collaborators to come here, enriching exchanges and engagement across EAPS.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
