US Embassy Policy Specialist Program

1. US Embassy Policy Specialist Program Title VIII program funded by the US Department of State and administered by IREX

2. Title VIII Program Administered by the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, US Department of State Provides funding for research and language training to American scholars and students for the study of Eastern Europe and Eurasia Maintains U.S. expertise in the regions and brings open source, policy-relevant research to the service of the U.S. Government

3. What is IREX? • Founded 1968 • Annual portfolio of over $60 million • Field offices in 27 countries • Activities in more than 100 countries • More than 500 staff worldwide

4. US Embassy Policy Specialist Program (EPS) Launched in 2005 Gives US scholars the opportunity to serve as researchers-in-residence at US Embassies/Consulates and USAID missions in the countries of Eurasia Eligible countries include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine

5. EPS Program Provides Visa assistance International roundtrip transportation Housing in the country of service Monthly allowance for living expenses Local transportation and research materials allowance Emergency evacuation insurance

6. EPS Program Eligibility Requirements Applicants must have a graduate degree (PhD, MA, MD, MBA, MFA, MPA, MPH, MLIS, MS, JD) at the time of application Be US citizens

7. EPS Program Selection US Embassies/Consulates and USAID missions identify research topics

8. Example 2010-2011 Example 2010-2011 Kyrgyzstan (US Embassy, Bishkek) * Foreign Investment and Trade Labor Migration Moldova (US Embassy, Chisinau) * Democracy Building/Civil Society * Transnistria Russia * History of US-Russia Relations (US Consulate, St. Petersburg) * Environment (US Embassy, Moscow) Tajikistan (US Embassy, Dushanbe) * Politics * Energy Economics * History Turkmenistan (US Embassy, Ashgabat) * Agriculture * Alternative Energy Armenia (US Embassy, Yerevan) * Economics * Anti-Corruption/Economics Azerbaijan (US Embassy, Baku) * Economic Development * Alternative/Renewable Energy * History Georgia (US Embassy, Tbilisi) * Higher Education/Public Policy * Civic Engagement * Higher Education Kazakhstan (US Embassy, Astana) * Civil Society * Foreign Relations * Politics

9. Previously funded EPS research projects “Opportunities for American Business in the Russian Far East” “Can Oil Pave the Way for Renewables? The Potential for Alternative Energy in Azerbaijan” “Party Competition in Tajikistan” “Inter-Ethnic Relations Between Kazakhs and Russians” “The Georgian Civil Society: Contemporary Problems and Dynamics” “Azeri Women’s Voices: Narratives of Refugees and IDP’s from the Nagorno-Karabakh War” “Anti-Corruption in Armenia”

10. EPS Program Selection US Embassies/Consulates and USAID missions identify research topics Applicants submit their application by March 15 US-based selection committee read and evaluates all the applications and makes recommendations US Embassies/Consulates and USAID missions select finalists

11. Tajikistan

12. Other Title VIII Programs administered by IREX IARO - The Individual Advanced Research Opportunities Program provides graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and professionals with funding to conduct field research in up to three of the Title VIII sponsored countries for up to nine months. STG - The Short-Term Travel Grant Program is a program designed for scholars who currently possess an applicable graduate degree. STG grants provide funding for up to two months of research in up to two countries in the region. Regional Policy Symposium - The Regional Policy Symposium Program provides scholars and policy-makers with a forum to examine and discuss current policy research on the countries of Eurasia and Central and East Europe from multi-disciplinary and multi-regional approaches.

13. For more information on Title VIII programs and scholars’ research reportsplease visit www.irex.org