Deadline: August 31, 2018
The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) has launched the Early Career Women Scientists (ECWS) Fellowships 2018. The ECWS 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). ECWS fellows will be supported to continue their research at an international level while based at their home institutes and to build up research groups that will attract international visitors.
The ECWS fellowship specific objectives are:
- Empower ECWS fellows to lead important research projects with practical applications for low and middle income countries (LMICs), including through strengthening their collaboration with industry.
- Build the leadership and business skills of ECWS fellows needed for the dissemination and uptake of research results, and for career advancement.
- Consolidate a network of outstanding women scientists that provides mentorship for the next generation of women leaders in STEM.
These objectives will be combined with the overall long-term objectives of the OWSD programme in general, which are to:
- Increase the relevance and implementation of scientific research projects developed by women in STLCs for the economic, social, health and research needs of their countries.
- Increase the numbers of women scientists from STLCs staying in their home countries in order to continue their scientific/industrial careers, thereby contributing to research training and development.
- Strengthen the research, resources and expertise of institutes in STLCs.
Fellowship Benefits
The ECWS fellowship is for two years and provides up to USD 50,000 to enable fellows to maintain an international level of research as well as initiate collaborations and partnerships with industry and the private sector.
Please note that the ECWS fellowship does not provide for the fellow’s salary which must be guaranteed by the fellow’s institute. However, the ECWS fellowship can be used to cover the costs of assistance to the fellow for teaching duties not directly related to the fellow’s research in order that the fellow can focus on carrying her own research forward to an international level.
The objective is to develop a center of specialist research recognised at national, regional or international level which can then attract internationally recognised researchers.
Eligibility
- Open 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).
- Applicants must have been resident in one of the listed STLCs for at least 5 years.
- The fellowship will take place in the one of the listed STLCs. The list of eligible countries is available here.
Please note this list may be subject to slight variation each year according to criteria established by our donor, IDRC, and in agreement with OWSD. Each year the list will be updated when the call for applications is opened.
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
3. Eligible academic qualification
PhD in one of the above listed study fields.
- PhD awarded not more than 10 years prior to application.
4. Eligible employment
- At the time of application, applicants must be already employed at the university or research institute where the project will be carried out.
- The university or research institute must be based in one of the eligible countries.
- Applicants must provide evidence that they will receive a salary from the above institute for the duration of the two-year fellowship.
Application
All applications must be submitted online. The online system will be activated by 30 June 2018 and so the application form itself is not yet available, but they recommend that you start to prepare the project proposal and collect the necessary documents as soon as possible.
Download the
The official language for the application is English. All information about the programme will be available in French shortly.
Successful candidates will be notified by October 2018 and expected to attend a first workshop in Trieste, Italy, in December 2018. Each fellowship lasts for two years from the date of acceptance.
If your questions are not answered in the information provided, contact [email protected].
For more information, visit ECWS Fellowships.
