Announcement of Opportunity

SCAR Fellowship Scheme 2010-11

Background:

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (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 region, and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system.

The SCAR Fellowship Programme is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career scientists and engineers in Antarctic scientific research, and to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in Antarctic research. The programme is for PhD students, and those within 5 years of having completed a PhD, from within the 35 SCAR Member countries to undertake research at an institute in another SCAR country. Topics for support should make a contribution to the objectives of one or more of the Scientific Research Programmes endorsed by SCAR:

The Fellowship Scheme:

Fellowships are intended to allow researchers from one SCAR Member country to undertake short term visits to major international laboratories, field facilities, and/or home institutions in or operated by another SCAR Member country, so as to become acquainted with recent advances in research and/or to develop long-term scientific links and partnerships. The work must be carried out in a research group of a SCAR nation different from that of the applicant's origin.

Awards will be up to US$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 own nation (domestic travel, visa costs, etc.), and the host institute will waive any bench fees that they might normally charge trainees. Three to four awards will be made in total depending on the quality of the applications and the budget available.

Eligibility:

Awards are limited to scientists either currently doing a PhD or within 5 years of having completed a PhD on the day of the deadline for applications. Applicants from all SCAR countries will be eligible. Applications are encouraged from those countries that do not have Antarctic research stations. Researchers from other countries that have expressed an interest in joining SCAR will also be eligible.

Application:

Proposals must be made on the application form, which should be submitted electronically to the SCAR Secretariat (info@scar.org) by Saturday 15th May 2010.

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 in Section 7 of the application form).

In order to apply, 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 research team capable and willing either to facilitate their research, or to integrate young researchers into their own research programme. SCAR National Committees are encouraged to assist in finding suitable candidates for the SCAR Fellowships.

Parts of the Application Pack:

Application Form – Applicant to fill in, sign and date.
Research Proposal – Prepared following guidelines given in Section 7 of the Application Form.
Applicant to send the Application Form and Research Proposal (with relevant appendices) together to SCAR by email (info@scar.org) to reach at the latest by 15th May 2010.
Applicant to send Cover note 1 to Home Institute Referee, and the Referee should send it back to SCAR to reach at the latest by 15th May 2010, preferably by email (info@scar.org).
Applicant to send Cover note 2 to Host Institute Supervisor, and the Host should send it back to SCAR to reach at the latest by 15th May 2010, preferably by email (info@scar.org).

It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure that all parts of the application reach SCAR before the final date of 15th May. Only those applicants with complete application packages (Application Form, Research Proposal, Home Institute Reference, and Host Institute Agreement) reaching SCAR before 15th May, will be considered.

Evaluation:

A scientific review panel chaired by a representative of the SCAR Capacity Building, Education and Training Committee and, in addition, comprising a member of the SCAR Executive, the Chief Officers of the three Standing Scientific Groups or their Alternates, and the Executive Officer, will evaluate all proposals on the basis of the scientific excellence of the proposed research, giving weight also to such factors as: its importance and timeliness; its achievability within the time frame allotted; the extent to which links have already been established with the proposed host institution; the extent to which it will strengthen the scientific capacity of nations with smaller or less well-developed Antarctic research programmes; and to its 'fit' with SCAR's place in science and with SCAR's scientific directions. If possible, the review panel will try to select candidates so as to distribute the fellowships as evenly as possible between Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and GeoSciences.

Completion:

At the end of each Fellowship, each candidate must provide a report to be published on the SCAR web site. Reports should cover the scientific accomplishments and include a budgetary report, and should be completed following a similar structure to those already on the Fellows pages of the web site. The SCAR Fellowship scheme should be acknowledged in any resulting publications.

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Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

SCAR Awards