Deadline: April 30, 2018
The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowships is now open for applications. The fellowship aims to promote and encourage young African women in science. Its programs reward established women scientists whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge and of its benefits to society and provide support to promising young women who are already making significant contributions in their scientific disciplines.
This program identifies and rewards talented young female scientists in the field of Life Sciences (such as biology, biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, physiology, neurosciences, biotechnologies, ecology and ethology) as well as Physical Sciences (such as physics, chemistry, petroleum engineering, mathematics, engineering sciences, information sciences, and earth and universe sciences).
The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowships are granted by the L’Oréal Foundation and L’Oréal South Africa in partnership with the UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Office in Eastern Africa.
Fellowships
The Program honors every year, 14 talented African women for the quality of their research and encourages them to pursue a brilliant career in science in any Sub-Saharan African country.
- 12 Fellowships of € 5,000 each, will be granted to 12 African Ph.D. Students enrolled in an African University.
- 2 Fellowships of € 10,000 each, will be granted to 2 African postdoctoral researchers working in a laboratory or research institute registered in one of the region’s countries.
2 out of the 14 Fellowships, one at doctorate and one at post-doctorate level, will be given to South African women working or studying in South Africa.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following general criteria:
- Having obtained Ph.D. degree in Life or Physical Sciences or pursuing studies leading to a Ph.D. degree
- Having the nationality of a Sub-Saharan African country
- Working in a Research Laboratory or Institution in one of the region’s countries or being enrolled in a doctoral programme at a University in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Candidates must be no more than 40 years old by the end of the application period for PhD and not more than 45 years for Post-doctoral
Countries
South Africa Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Comoros Congo Côte d’Ivoire Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Equatorial Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritius Mauritania Mozambique Namibia Níger Nigeria Uganda Democratic Republic of the Congo Rwanda Sao Tomé & Principe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan South Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Chad Togo Zambia Zimbabwe
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria of the candidate by the jury are the following:
- The candidate’s outstanding academic records (including number, quality and impact of the publications (impact factors to be submitted), conference presentations, patents…)
- The scientific quality of the research project
- The innovative nature and productivity of the research and its potential application in science
- The ability of the candidate to communicate and promote sciences to a younger audience and to encourage young African female scientists.
- The candidate’s career-path
Fellowships are exclusively dedicated to the development of scientific research and can under no circumstance be a substitute to the duties of the laboratory vis-à-vis its researchers.
Requirements
Fellows commit to:
- Pursue the research work for which the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science SubSaharan Africa Fellowship was obtained, failing that, the total amount of the Fellowship must be refunded to L’Oréal.
- Within one year after receiving their Fellowships, Fellows are expected to submit a status report on the awarded research project to L’Oréal South Africa.
- Within one year after receiving their fellowships, Fellows are expected to submit to L’Oréal South Africa a final financial expenditure statement on the actual Fellowship expenditure incurred on the Research Project.
- The awarded Fellows must attend the Fellowship Ceremony that will be held in KenyaThe travel and accommodation expenses for Fellows will be covered by L’Oréal.
The payment of the fellowships will be made directly to the Fellows after the Fellowship Ceremony, and after having received the original documents for the wire transfer of funds. (i.e. An original signed letter on official bank letterhead from your bank attesting your bank and wire transfer details).
Application
An application is considered complete only if it includes all documents below:
- A detailed Curriculum Vitae (including outreach activities among youth, tutoring, etc.)
- Certified copies of the degrees or recent diplomas – A proof of having obtained a Ph.D. degree for postdoctoral candidates
- A proof of being enrolled in an African University for doctoral candidates
- A detailed project of maximum 2 pages, including:
- The project description of current research project
- The proposed use of the grant motivating the candidature with some budget indications. Provide insight into what the grant will be used for e.g. conferences, travel or equipment
- Letters of recommendation from the research supervisor and/or the director of the scientific institution where the research project is carried or the Dean of the University under which the candidate is running her research
- The list of publications and patents
For more information, visit L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science.
