Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program
MERC Program History
Despite the turbulent history of the Middle East, the MERC Program has proved that collaborative science can override practically any border or constraint. MERC has made headway despite difficult political times.
MERC saw it´s greatest increase in number of projects from 2000-2004, despite added turmoil in the region during those years.
1978 the Camp David Accords were signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat. This move toward peace ushered in opportunities for Arab-Israeli cooperation.
1979 the MERC Program is initiated to facilitate research collaboration between Egyptian and Israeli scientists.
1981 MERC issues its first grant to Dr. Robert Abel on marine resources. For many years thereafter, MERC projects were trilateral collaborations between Egyptian, Israeli and American researchers.
1993 MERC expands beyond Egypt and Israel to include other Arab countries in the region.
1998 MERC introduces peer-review panels to assess the technical merit and approach of full proposals.
2006 MERC reaches 40 active projects in one year for the first time in the Program’s history.
2007 MERC receives more than 100 pre-proposals in a single annual cycle for the first time. No proposed work is led by an American partner; another first for the program.
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