Communications - August 2009

NRF RESEARCH

FELLOWSHIP

The Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) invites brilliant, young researchers who are ready for their first independent research appointments to apply for the prestigious NRF Research Fellowship Awards.

✓ Are you among the best in your research field?

✓Are you ready to lead your first independent research team?

✓ Join the ranks of the elite NRF Research Fellows!

Apply now if you have a PhD from a top university and work at the forefront of research in your field. A prior post-doctoral stint at a world renowned university or research organisation would be a significant advantage.

The NRF Research Fellowship provides:

• Complete freedom and independence to pursue your research direction in Singapore

• A 3-year research grant of up to US$1.5 million

• A competitive salary

• The opportunity for joint appointments at the host university or research institution

• Freedom to select the host institution in Singapore

The NRF Research Fellowship is open to all talented scientists and researchers under the age of 40 years at the date of application, and within 10 years post-PhD. We welcome research in all disciplines of science and technology.

Please apply online at the following web-link before 6 September 2009: https://rita.nrf.gov.sg/NRF_RF_2009

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to Singapore to present their research work, meet local researchers and identify potential collaborators and host research organisations. Final selection for the awards will be made by the NRF Scientific Advisory Board co-chaired by Dr. Curtis Carlson (President & CEO of SRI International) and Prof. Ulrich Suter (Emeritus Professor, ETH Zurich).

For further queries, please email karen_tan@nrf.gov.sg

About the National Research Foundation

The NRF supports the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council chaired by the Prime Minister to provide a coherent strategic overview of R&D policies and direction in Singapore. It manages a S$5 billion National Research Fund to develop R&D as a key driver in transforming Singapore into a knowledge and innovation based economy.

Singapore National Research Foundation
100 High Street, #03-02, The Treasury
Singapore 179434
Tel: +65-63329010
Website: www.nrf.gov.sg

involving lengthy sessions on phrasing to clearly and properly capture the intended meaning succinctly, even for nuanced concepts.

By late 2008 we felt we had a reasonable draft (see the accompanying sidebar; note that in the draft sidebar content we have intentionally retained some minor structural flaws so that anyone actually considering adopting it would face at least minor edits, which could help trigger the deeper reflection we believe is needed by any organization considering adoption). Producing the draft drove home the point that the real value to all of us was the work in creating it, the forced reflection and reconsideration of beliefs, not the final text. We submit that the most effective ethics training will be achieved if officers engage in debating and arguing the points of the proposed code. Nevertheless, we think the text can be of great help to an employee trying to do the right thing in a specific intelligence circumstance; what would it demand of the employee? We did not try for precise wording that would cover all circumstances; instead, we strove to capture the intent and let it foster discussion, deliberation, and debate that would help people internalize the code.

The current draft is not perfect and certainly can be improved, but those of us who have wrestled with this think it is a good enough draft for the U.S. IC to seriously consider as a basis for further work that would lead to the adoption of such a code of mission ethics.

We invite the U.S. IC to undertake such an effort and hope that intelligence communities of other nations might consider it. Do not simply copy our words, but craft your own, suitable to you and created through concerted effort and discussion. Then develop training that will help you internalize them as a basis for action.