About SCAR Fellowships
Eligibility:
- Current PhD researcher or within 5 years of finishing PhD;
- Visiting a facility in or run by a SCAR member country, which is different from applicant's (a) country of origin and (b) current country of residence;
- Should contribute to the objectives of one or more of SCAR’s science groups, including the Humanities and Social Sciences groups, and/or the Scientific Research Programmes.
Award: 4 to 5 awards for 2017; up to USD $15,000 per award; Home institute to bear in-home country costs (e.g. visa costs, domestic travel).
Application package contents: Research Proposal (with relevant appendices); Home Institute reference; Host institute agreement.
Last Date: 1st July 2017
Any doubts/queries, contact: info@scar.org
The SCAR Fellowship Scheme
SCAR is a body of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and is the leading independent organisation for facilitating and coordinating Antarctic research, and for identifying issues emerging from greater scientific understanding of the region that should be brought to the attention of policy makers. Its major objective is to initiate, develop, and co-ordinate high-quality international scientific research in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region, and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system. It works closely with other organisations with a polar interest.
The SCAR Fellowship Programme is designed to encourage the active involvement of early-career scientists and engineers, social scientists and humanities researchers in Antarctic research, and to build new connections and further strengthen international capacity and cooperation in Antarctic research.
The SCAR Fellowships are intended to allow researchers to undertake short-term visits to major international laboratories, field facilities, and/or institutes in or operated by SCAR member countries, so as to become acquainted with recent advances in research and/or to develop long-term links and partnerships. The work must be carried out in a research group of a SCAR member country different from that of the (i) applicant's origin and (ii) current residence.
Awards will be up to USD $15,000, providing, as needed, economy-class round-trip travel and a modest subsistence allowance for the fellowship period. The Fellow's home institute will bear all expenses incurred in his or her home country (domestic travel, visa costs, etc.), and the host institute will waive any bench fees that they might normally charge trainees. In addition to the original SCAR Fellowships, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Fellowship, is a biodiversity award - the recipient will be chosen by the Selection Committee from among the SCAR Fellowship applications. Four to five SCAR Fellowship awards will be made in total, depending on the quality of the applications and the budget available.
Eligibility
The SCAR Fellowship programme is for PhD students, or those within five years of having completed a PhD on the day of the deadline for applications, to undertake research at an institute in one of the 43 SCAR Member countries (for a full list of countries, please visit the SCAR National Committees page). In special cases (e.g. maternity/paternity leave), this five-year period may be extended. Please contact the SCAR Secretariat (email info(at)scar.org) if you believe this to be the case.
Fellowships are awarded purely on the selection criteria for competitive selection, which are clearly stated in the Evaluation section below.
Application
The last date for submitting an application is 1st July 2017.
The proposal texts should make it absolutely clear what activities will be carried out, what will be achieved, what deliverables will ensue (e.g. papers, technologies), at what cost, and in what time frame. Guidelines for preparing the proposal are given on the Research Proposal sheet in the Application Pack. There is also a webinar on “Writing for Success” (English and soon Spanish).
In order to apply for a fellowship, candidates will be required to first contact and liaise with appropriate host Antarctic projects or programmes in order to secure the support and mentorship of an active team capable of including them in their own research programme or project group.
Evaluation for SCAR scheme
SCAR will coordinate volunteers from the Antarctic research community with specific expertise in the indicated discipline areas to evaluate applications. This will be based on a series of 5 categories, with the following guidance included for potential applicants:
Quality of the proposal: (35%)
This section will evaluate the overall quality of the proposal with respect to the proposed research and methodology. This will be based primarily on your research proposal and the evidence you provide for its importance, timeliness and how well both your own background and the expertise of the host institute contribute to the proposal.
Relevance to SCAR and COMNAP activities and/or Groups: (25%)
How does the research you are proposing fit in with the existing research activities of SCAR Groups and Programmes and COMNAP science support efforts? How will you follow up with these activities after the Fellowship ends?
Does the proposal help build capacity in a country that would most benefit?: (20%)
What specific benefits will you as a Fellow, and your home institute, gain from the Fellowship? Do you plan to have specific Outreach activities at your home institute or elsewhere in your home country to communicate the results and experience of your Fellowship?
Is the study largely self contained?: (10%)
Has the proposal made it clear that the planned research is well thought through and has a data plan in place agreed with the host institute?
Is the study feasible in the time estimated and will it likely lead to publication?: (10%)
Your proposal needs to make clear that you have considered the practicalities involved in undertaking the research and that there are clear deliverables that can be achieved.
We expect to make a decision and inform awardees in early to mid-August. Fellowships run for one year so must be completed by the end of July 2018.
For more information click "Further official information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.scar.org/fellowship/information