JSPS–UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
-
- LOCATION:
- Tokyo, Japan
- TIMEZONE:
- UTC +9
- CLOSING DATE:
- 2016•02•29
Jointly organized by the United Nations University and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the JSPS–UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is designed to provide promising, highly qualified, young researchers with the opportunity to conduct advanced research relevant to the main thematic focus areas of the UNU Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS, Tokyo) and UNU Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR, Tokyo), in co-operation with host researchers at Japanese universities and research institutions. UNU acts as the nominating authority for the JSPS–UNU Programme.
This fellowship is aimed at candidates who have completed their PhD degrees in the past six years and also have professional and/or research experience. UNU will assist in securing acceptance from host researchers for short-listed candidates.
Fellowships are awarded for a period of 24 months. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree (received on or after 2 April 2010) when the fellowship begins, or be scheduled to receive a doctoral degree before the fellowship begins. (Japanese nationals are not eligible.)
Terms of the Award
- A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
- A monthly maintenance allowance of JPY362,000
- A settling-in allowance of JPY200,000
- Overseas travel insurance coverage, etc.
[Note]
- The amounts of the Awards indicated above are subject to change by JSPS.
- If the fellow is already residing in Japan before his/her fellowship started or had resident status before or after the date his/her award letter was issued, the above-mentioned air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided.
- A research grant, “Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research”, of up to JPY1,500,000 per year (total of JPY3,000,000 for two years – the amount varying depending on the areas/disciplines of research) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through his/her institution.
JSPS–UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 2016
Research proposals for JSPS–UNU Postdoctoral Fellowships should relate clearly to one of the research areas of UNU-IAS or UNU-CPR listed below, and also aim to be policy-relevant.
The following research projects at UNU-IAS and UNU-CPR are accepting applications for JSPS–UNU Postdoctoral Fellows:
- Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services Assessment (UNU-IAS)
- Governance for Sustainable Development (UNU-IAS)
- Water and Urban Initiative (UNU-IAS)
- Low Carbon Technology (UNU-IAS)
- The Changing Nature of Violence (UNU-CPR)
- Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNU-CPR)
Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services Assessment (UNU-IAS)
The selected fellow in Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services Assessment will work at the forefront of applied research relevant to ecosystem assessments and governance in the area of biodiversity and ecosystem services. One focus of the project is sub-global and regional assessments undertaken by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This includes accounting systems of natural capital and ecosystem services, synergies and tradeoff analysis across ecosystem services and scales, future scenario building, and policy and institutions designed to promote sustainable ecosystem governance such as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and green growth, especially in developing countries.
Required qualifications:
- PhD degree from a range of disciplines including but not limited to agriculture, landscape ecology, and natural resources management
- Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
- Ability to design and implement research involving fieldwork
- Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable
Governance for Sustainable Development (UNU-IAS)
The selected fellow will work at the forefront of applied research relevant to Governance for Sustainable Development. One focus of the project is governance related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes implementation mechanisms and governance of the SDGs at national or regional levels, comparison of implementation, science–policy interface, interlinkages between the SDGs and other international agreements, and follow up and review of the SDGs. In terms of issues, our primary focus is on Goal 12 and its linkage with other relevant goals, but not limited to it.
Required qualifications:
- PhD degree (no ABDs) from a range of disciplines including but not limited to political science, sociology, economics, legal and other social sciences, and civil engineering (socio-economic modelling)
- Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
- Ability to design and implement research involving fieldwork
- Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable
Water and Urban Initiative (UNU-IAS)
The selected fellow will work at the forefront of applied research relevant to water issues for sustainable development in developing cities. The objectives of the project are to develop models and evidence-based policy tools which can be used elsewhere. Major research topics will be selected from the following:
- Economic evaluation of urban ecosystem servicesThis topic includes a non-market evaluation of ecosystem services in urban areas in Asian countries and evaluates the willingness of individuals to pay to protect and improve the quality of urban water bodies. Demonstrated knowledge and skills in non-market valuation, statistics/econometrics with ability to perform critical quantitative analysis of water resources as specified above are essential.
- Health risk assessment of waterborne infectious diseases in urbanized areasThis topic includes developing simulation models to assess human health risks caused by waterborne infectious diseases in urbanized areas in developing countries. Demonstrated skills and experience in some of the following topics are essential: quantitative microbial risk assessment, environmental microbiology, GIS-based computer simulation, water quality modelling.
Required qualifications:
- PhD (no ABDs) in the following areas: environmental and resource economics, ecological economics, environmental sciences, environmental engineering or related fields
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are essential, as well as the ability to work independently and with the project team
- Demonstrated research skills and a sound record of publications
Low Carbon Technology (UNU-IAS)
The selected fellow will work at the forefront of applied research relevant to social and international aspects of Low Carbon Technology in the context of realizing a low carbon society. The primary focus of the project is technology transfer policy and institutions at the global level, including multilateral mechanisms and partnerships, as well as in OECD countries such as France, Germany, the UK and the US. The successful candidate is expected to have research interests aligned in this direction and contribute to the project. Familiarity with issues such as low carbon development pathways, international cooperation and policies in OECD countries, project implementation in developing countries, the UNFCCC process and the SDGs is an asset.
Required qualifications:
- PhD degree (no ABDs) from a range of disciplines including but not limited to political science, sociology, economics, legal and other social sciences, and civil engineering (socio-economic modelling)
- Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
- Ability to design and implement research involving fieldwork
- Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable
The Changing Nature of Violence (UNU-CPR)
This research area explores the implications of the rise in organized crime and violent extremism for the UN’s conflict management efforts.
Required qualifications:
- PhD degree (no ABDs) in the social sciences or humanities generally, or in international law, international relations, conflict and peace studies in particular
- Fluency in English is essential
- Superior writing skills
- Equally qualified candidates from developing countries as well as female candidates will receive preference
Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNU-CPR)
This research area explores the challenges the UN faces in better supporting its Member States to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected states.
Required qualifications:
- PhD degree (no ABDs) in the social sciences or humanities generally, or in international law, international relations, conflict and peace studies in particular
- Fluency in English is essential
- Superior writing skills
- Equally qualified candidates from developing countries as well as female candidates will receive preference
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://ias.unu.edu/en/about/fellowships/jsps-unu-fellowship-programme.html#esa