2017 Fellowship Application round closed on 1 July 2017
COMNAP and SCAR have
again joined forces to launch fellowships for early-career researchers. For 2017, COMNAP will offer one fellowship with funding of up to USD $15,000, and SCAR will
offer 4 to 5 fellowships of up to USD $15,000. The fellowships enable early-career persons
to join a project team from another country, opening up new opportunities and
often creating partnerships that last for many years and over many Antarctic field
seasons.
The 2017 application deadline has now passed and announcements wil be made soon.
COMNAP Fellowship eligibility criteria:
1. Any
early career person, where here, “early career” person is defined as someone
who is within the first five years after completion of the highest level of
university award/certificate/degree obtained; or any person, regardless of
university completion, that is under the age of 40 years old on the day of the
deadline for the application submission. So, as examples:
·
Those
who have a doctorate, with not more than 5 years since your doctoral award.
·
Those
who hold a master’s degree, with not more than 5 years since your master’s
degree was awarded to you.
·
Those
who hold an undergraduate degree, with not more than 5 years since your bachelor’s
degree or baccalaureate
was awarded to you.
·
Those under the age of 40 on 1 July 2017.
2. Applications
are welcome from a range of disciplines and fields, including but not limited
to, those with Engineering, Environmental Management, Data Management,
Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Communication and Outreach,
Law, Operations and Logistics, Search and Rescue, Medical and Science
backgrounds.
3. Those
wishing to visit a facility in or run by a COMNAP Member or Observer country, which
is different from applicant’s (a) country of citizenship (which should be a
COMNAP Member or Observer country) and (b) country of current residence.
4. Applications must be for one of the COMNAP
projects as indicated in the 2017 list of projects (below); or, if the
proposed project is not on list, the proposed project must fit within COMNAP’s
goals and purpose and should contribute to one or more objectives of the home
or host National Antarctic Programme. List of priority projects for 2017:
·
Operation
and management of Antarctic aviation capabilities, including, but not limited
to application of unmanned aerial systems/remotely piloted aircraft for
scientific, operational or conservation purposes.
·
Alternative
energy systems in cold climate and any cold climate engineering:
including, but not limited to buildings, mechanical, systems, remote autonomous
systems.
·
Understanding
the environmental issues from direct human impacts arising from Antarctic
science and operations; understanding management implications of environmental change
to National Antarctic Program activities.
·
Human
safety, including, but not limited to equipment, clothing, operating procedures
and search and rescue.
·
Legal/administrative
issues relating to COMNAP’s internal functioning and/or its relationship with any
other component of the Antarctic Treaty System.
·
Improving,
developing or exchanging information on education and outreach related to
National Antarctic Program / COMNAP activities.
Some useful suggestions for writing successful fellowship applications may be found at:
A Spanish language webinar on writing successful applications was held on 15 March 2017. Information on the webinar here in English.pdf and here in Spanish.pdf. Watch the Spanish language webinar at: APECs Webinar Archive.
Questions or concerns, email sec@comnap.aq.
The COMNAP Antarctic Fellowship Background Information:
The COMNAP Antarctic Fellowship was offered for the first time in 2011. COMNAP is the international independent organisation of National Antarctic Programs. Formed in 1988, COMNAP has as its goal to develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica.
The COMNAP Antarctic Fellowship is similar to the SCAR Fellowship Programme in that, it is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career Antarctic persons and to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty. Both Fellowship Programmes allow the selected Fellow to become acquainted with recent advances in research and technology and/or to develop long-term linkages and international partnerships.
However, there are two primary differences between the SCAR and COMNAP Fellowship Programmes. First, the COMNAP Fellowship Programme is intended to allow people from a COMNAP Member National Antarctic Program country to undertake short-term visits to major international laboratories, field facilities, and/or home institutions in or operated by other COMNAP Member National Antarctic Programs (for a list of members, please visit the "Our Members" page of the COMNAP website).
Secondly, the proposed project should contribute to the objectives of the home or host National Antarctic Program's objectives. A list of projects have been prepared by COMNAP and the application must be
for one of the COMNAP projects as indicated in the 2017 list of projects; or, if the proposed project is not on list, the proposed project
must fit within COMNAP’s goals and purpose and should contribute to one or more
objectives of the home or host National Antarctic Programme.
In 2017, the award 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 fees that they might normally charge.
Evaluation of applications received:
A review panel chaired by a representative of the COMNAP Executive Committee, and including expertise in the range of projects proposed, will evaluate all COMNAP proposals on the basis of the excellence of the proposed project. This evaluation will also take into consideration factors such as:
§ its relevance to the list of proposed project themes;
§ 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 Antarctic science support capacity of the nations involved;
§ its "fit" with COMNAP's goals and objectives.