Description

T he National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) is an Asia policy think tank  based in Seattle and with an office in Washington, DC.  We have supported past efforts of this organization, including a policy research fellowship for junior scholars.  With a small staff and a modest endowment, NBR differs from many of its peers. Rather than relying on in-house expertise for research and programming, it contracts with specialists throughout the world, about 200 people annually, on specific research projects that are published in the Bureau’s books, reports and journals and disseminated to decision-makers in government, business and academia.  
NBR launched “The New Normal in Asia” initiative in April, i nviting experts from its network to explore ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic may be reshaping the international order.   https://www.nbr.org/program/the-new-normal-in-asia/
While many are focusing on the immediate challenges presented by COVID-19, this effort is oriented toward the medium to long-term implications of the pandemic for Asia and U.S.-Asia relations.  
The requested support would enable NBR to extend and diversify the series by inviting emerging scholars and analysts from the U.S., Asia and elsewhere to participate, thereby introducing new voices and fresh perspectives into policy debates and policy formulation.  An NBR selection committee would identify candidates and solicit essays through its networks of next generation leaders and more senior experts.  The Bureau’s research and communications staff would mentor the six selected scholars in writing for policy audiences.  Four of the authors would be featured on NBR’s podcast  Asia Insight .     
The emphasis in this project is on urgent rather than emergency in the sense that it anticipates how the U.S. should plan for a future Indo-Pacific region shaped by COVID-19.  NBR expects that many in the invited cohort will have  recently completed their PhDs, a group for whom the additional compensation offered by this assignment would be welcome at this time.   However, if your sense is that this project is not appropriate as a COVID-19 emergency grant, we would still like to recommend it for a special grant.  We look forward to your guidance.  
I attach the e-mail request and budget provided by NBR.  The $25,000 grant recommended would be drawn from the Asia Program’s 2020 allocation.