The OWSD Early Career fellowship

Application Deadline: April 30th 2020 (Extended)

The OWSD Early Career Fellowship is a prestigious award of up to USD 50,000 offered to women who have completed their PhDs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects and are employed at an academic or scientific research institute in one of the listed Science and Technology Lagging Countries (STLCs).

The OWSD Early Career fellows are supported to establish environments at their institutions where they can maintain an international standard of research and attract scholars from all over the world to collaborate.

Requirements:

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to apply for the OWSD Early Career Fellowship applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Eligible countries

• Applicants must have been resident in one of the listed Science and Technology Lagging Countries (STLCs)* for at least 5 years.
• Please note:

i) The 5 years do not have to be consecutive.

ii) The countries may vary slightly each year (please always check the current list).

• Applicants can be citizens of any country, provided that the above residence requirement is fulfilled.

Eligible employment

• At the time of application, applicants must provide proof of being employed at the university or research institute where the research project will be carried out. If employment has not yet commenced, a proof of employment offer and confirmation of acceptance is required.
• The institution where the research project will be carried out must be in one of the listed STLCs.
• Applicants must provide evidence that they will receive a salary from their university/research institute for the duration of the two-year fellowship.

3. Eligible STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

• Agricultural Sciences
• Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences
• Biological Systems and Organisms
• Chemical Sciences
• Computing and Information Technology
• Engineering Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Medical and Health Sciences
• Neurosciences
• Physics
• Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology

FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT

The OWSD Early Career Fellowship is for two years and provides up to USD 50,000.

Please note that the OWSD Early Career Fellowship does not provide for the fellow’s salary which must be guaranteed by the fellow’s institution.

The fellow’s institution must waive any overhead or indirect costs on the research project. However, applicants can include in their budget break-down any costs for support from the institution that will directly benefit the research project (for example, lab technician’s time, maintenance and utilities costs, administrative officer’s time, etc.).

The eligible expenses are listed below.

a) Research-related costs

Equipment

• Necessary equipment to build up research units or set up a lab
• Training in use of equipment
• Maintenance of equipment

Consumables

• Expendable supplies that will be consumed or replaced (e.g. glassware, solvents, feed, reagents)

Research visits, exchanges and programmes

• Attendance at international scientific meetings (e.g. travel, accommodation, meals, registration, visa)
• Hosting visiting scholars and/or establishing a visiting scholars programme
• Organizing and hosting scientific events (e.g. seminar series, international symposium, themed workshops, regional and itnernational conferences)
• Organizing exchange programmes with national/international scholars

Teaching and Assistance

• MSc, PhD, Post doctoral researchers
• Research assistants (e.g. to gather information and data)
• Teaching assistants
• Family care assistance (e.g. childcare costs in order for fellow to undertake research project, travel support for family members)
• Other assistant (based on applicant’s needs, e.g. casual labour)

Field work

• Transportation (e.g. car rental, public transport, airfare)
• Board and lodging
• Sample collection and analysis
• Hospitality fees (e.g. dinner with research partners in the field)

Publication costs  (e.g. in peer-reviewed journals, open source)

Information resources

• Subscriptions (e.g. journal, library)
• Literature (e.g. books, reprints, photocopies)
• Library resources

IT facilities

• Computer hardware
• Computer software
• Computer services (internet connections, technical support, database development)

Training

• Science communication (e.g. writing for publication, presentation skills)
• English language courses (for improved science communication)
• Specialist courses for team leader and project staff or group training sessions (e.g. long-distance learning)

Other

• Monitoring and evaluation costs (to measure the impact of the research project)
• Rent paid for land or premises used in a research activity
• Any other support costs directly related to the research project (for example, lab technician’s time, maintenance and utilities costs, administrative officer’s time, etc.)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR APPLICATION 

We strongly encourage eligible applicants to start gathering all requested documentation as soon as possible. The documents listed below may take some weeks to prepare, especially when they require official signatures.

Applicants must submit:

1. Passport

• A scanned copy of the passport page containing personal details (photo, document number etc).
• Passport-size portrait photo

2. Proof of residence

• Official documentation that proves residency for at least 5 years in one of the eligible STLCs. As long as the address and the name of the applicant appear clearly, the following documents can be submitted as proof of residence: certificate of residency, statement from the local police office or municipality, population registry office, rental agreement, utilities bills, employment contract. This list is not exhaustive and alternative documents can be considered.
• If you are submitting any supporting documents in your local language, you must attach at least an informal translation into English. Documents without any English translation will not be considered.

3. PhD certificate

• A scanned copy of the PhD certificate or proof of PhD issued by the University.

4. Proof of employment

• A letter from the employer (dean, vice-dean or equivalent head of the applicant’s institution) on headed paper confirming applicant’s position at the institution and that the applicant will receive a salary for at least two years starting from the year of application.
• If employment has not been undertaken yet, a proof of employment offer and confirmation of acceptance will be requested from the applicant.

5. Curriculum Vitae

• Complete updated CV.

6.  Publications

• Complete list of publications.

7. Reference letters

• Applicants must submit two (2) reference letters; at least one must be from a senior scientist familiar with the applicant’s recent research.
• The letters must include the referee’s contact details for follow up from Selection Committee.

8. Supporting statement of head of applicant’s institution

• The supporting statement of the head of the applicant’s institution completed and signed by the dean, vice-dean or equivalent head of institution. The supporting statement can be downloaded here.

9. Budget file

• Applicants must upload a standardised budget file in Excel format inserting all items and related costs requested in order to undertake the research project. The file will be available for download from the online application system.

10. Additional documentation

• The applicant may wish to provide additional documents which provide evidence of skills, qualities or actions described in the research project (e.g. certificate of awards, memberships etc).

All documents must be uploaded through the online application system. Do not email any documentation to OWSD.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the OWSD Early Career Women Scientists (ECWS) Fellowships 2020