AIMS Small Research Grants in Climate Change Science 2019 (Up to USD $10,000)

Deadline: September 8, 2019

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI) is pleased to invite early career African academics of postdoctoral standing to apply for the second round of the AIMS Small Research Grants in Climate Change Science 2019.

These Grants will support projects that are at the upper limit of the research-innovation value chain — i.e. projects that are likely to make a tangible impact. Such projects could be industry-led, community-driven, or policy-led, among other possibilities. These projects should make substantive use of mathematical concepts to provide solutions to climate change issues in Africa.

Objectives

The objectives of the AIMS Small Research Grants Program in Climate Change Science are to provide funding:

• To support the development of early career African academics of postdoctoral standing (or equivalent) who are seeking to establish an independent research/professional career in the climate change science discipline or the mathematical sciences with applications in climate change;
• For new and innovative cutting-edge projects, including industry-led, community-, and policy-driven projects in climate change science that make substantive use of mathematical concepts;
• To support proof-of-concept or pilot projects that are geared towards addressing a well-defined climate change challenge in Africa;
• For projects that will promote uptake of research-based outputs/results in climate change science for the benefit of countries in Africa and the world at large; and
• To increase intra- and inter-continental interactions between AIMS Centres of Excellence and other institutions.

Grants

• Projects will be supported for a period of 6 to 12 months at a non-recurring maximum cost of USD $10,000 per Grantee.

Eligibility

• Applicants should be of African descent but could be residing anywhere in the world.
• Applicants must hold a doctorate in a quantitative discipline including, but not limited to, applied mathematics, climatology, physics, chemistry, computer science, statistical ecology, or engineering.
• Applicants not based in Africa must be able to hold the grant in an institution on the continent.
• Applicants should demonstrate evidence of research in either climate change science with applications of mathematical concepts or in mathematical sciences with practical applications to climate change adaptation, mitigation or resilience.
• Applicants should demonstrate expertise or ability to (co-)supervise Master’s and/or PhD students if intending to establish a research group/team. Such a research group/team could be established in collaboration with a senior project advisor. The Grantee must have a recognized (co-)supervisory role in the project.
• Applicants should demonstrate an ability to translate climate change science research concepts to applicable solutions or recommendations. This is particularly important for proof-of-concept, pilot, industry-led, policy-, and community-driven projects.
• Applicants must be willing to hold an affiliation at an AIMS Centre of their choice and spend a portion of their grant time in that Centre as a visiting researcher should the need arise.
• Applicants should be willing to actively participate in a conference that will be organized as part of the Mathematical Sciences for Climate Change Resilience program.
• Applicants must be willing to contribute to a non-technical publication/bulletin which will highlight their work.
• Applicants should be able to take up the grant within four months of receiving the grant award letter.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will initially be screened for relevance and then evaluated by an international Review and Selection Committee based on the following criteria:

• Quality of applicant: academic qualifications; quality of publications; experience in climate change (related) research or research uptake; real-world impact and recognition of prior work (e.g. through awards).
• Quality of proposed project: relevance to climate change modelling, practice and policy; strength of connection to the mathematical sciences; experience of applicant in research or project topic; quality of project design; feasibility; suitability of proposed project environment(s); and quality and realism of budget projections.
• Potential impact.

Application

Applicants are advised to familiarize themselves with the ‘Terms of Reference’ documents for Grantees before starting the application process.

Applications should be submitted using the online application form which should contain the following supporting documents:

• A completed personal details form;
• A completed project proposal form;
• A curriculum vitae;
• A letter of motivation; and
• An electronic copy of three significant representative publications in climate change science.

Three referees should email confidential letters of support directly to ms4cr-smallgrants@nexteinstein.org (with the subject line “MS4CR small grant application support letter – first and last name of applicant”) on or before the application deadline. Applicants should provide their referees with a copy of the Terms of Reference for the Small Research Grants and the Instructions for Referees