Office of Naval Research Expands International Science and Technology Partnership
Arlington, Va. — The Office of Naval Research (ONR) reached an agreement to establish an ONR Global liaison office in Prague, Czech Republic, on Feb. 26.
"The Czech Republic is rich with academic and research institutions, and a very capable pool of innovative, highly educated scientists," said Capt. David Maynard, ONR Global commanding officer. "ONR Global has had a relationship with the Czech Republic since 1999 with some promising outcomes. We began exploring the possibility of a regional S&T engagement office located in Prague about three years ago. Now that all parties are in agreement, we look forward to growing this partnership with a couple of our scientists in country as a conduit to the region."
The office will consist of two scientists and two support staff members located within the U.S. Embassy. Over the past 10 years, Czech researchers have produced quality independent and university research. Prague also offers the optimal geographic location for a more consistent liaison with researchers in the Czech Republic and the central and eastern European region.
ONR Global currently has offices in Washington, London, Tokyo, Singapore and Santiago, Chile. The Prague office will promote collaboration at an open source, unclassified level with scientists in the Czech Republic and Central-Eastern Europe to identify defense-related needs and implement technology solutions. It will be the second Navy international technology office to open in Europe in 64 years.
As part of its mission, ONR Global pursues international collaborative partnerships and builds partnership capacity with organizations conducting basic and early applied research. These partnerships enhance ONR’s ability to identify and provide the science and technology necessary to maintain the technological edge for Navy and Marine Corps, as well as U.S. allies and partners.
ONR Global engages the international science and technology community across academic, defense, commercial and government organizations in a range of technical areas of naval interest. The highly regarded Czech institutions of higher education with a history of cutting-edge research in fields of mutual interest make the U.S.-Czech Republic partnership a perfect fit.
Historically, U.S.-Czech research partnerships have been mutually beneficial, as it was with Dr. Antonin Svoboda, a Czech scientist and graduate of Ceske Vysoke Uceni Technicke. Svoboda is the inventor of the world’s first fault tolerant computer and a pioneering researcher in Cybernetics. During World War II, he immigrated to the United States and developed advanced anti-air artillery systems, which were used by the U.S. Navy. For his contribution, the Navy presented Svoboda the Naval Ordnance Development Award in 1948.