The JWO Research Grant, named in honor of Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer, seeks to uphold her legacy of dedication to Africa, environmental conservation, and groundbreaking scientific endeavours. Its primary objective is to provide support to early-career scientists engaged in impactful research aimed at addressing Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Over the past five years, emerging scholars and scientists specializing in diverse environmental disciplines, including biodiversity, microplastics, and disease vectors, have eagerly pursued this grant to explore innovative research topics crucial to Africa’s natural environment.
Benefits:
A $150,000 grant will be offered to one successful application. The grant will sustain a research project or program for up to three years (priorly funded research projects are not eligible).
Requirements:
The lead applicant must be:
a. An early career scientist
Applicants must possess a PhD degree and have no more than seven years of post-degree work and/or research experience (excluding time taken for family responsibilities).
b. Have strong affiliations with a reputable African institution
The institution should demonstrate a proven capacity to manage funding and adhere to good financial grant practices. It may include academic institutions, research institutions, government agencies, NGOs, or for-profit organizations.
Selection Process:
Criteria considered by the judges include:
- Knowledge advancement in a specific field
- Addressing African challenges with scalable solutions, encompassing multiple research sites
- Innovative methodologies and approaches
- Scientific rigor and excellence
- Contribution to human capital development, such as mentorship and professional development opportunities
- Collaboration across disciplines and with intra-African partners to maximize expertise and resources
- Potential for impact beyond the grant period
- Awareness of related work on the continent
- Clear plan for disseminating research outcomes
- Commitment to open-access publications
- Adherence to ethical and safety standards.
Timeline:
- 2 April 2024: Commencement of online applications
- 03 April 2024: Question and Answer Webinar
- 3 May 2024: Closure of online applications
- 10 June 2024: Invitation for submission of full proposals
- 8 July 2024: Deadline for submission of full proposals
- 12 – 16 August 2024: Interview week for the Top 3 Candidates
- 10 October 2024: ORC Conference, scheduled for 9–11 October 2024
Method of Application:
To apply, click on the provided link. All information provided in the application will be utilized solely during the review process by the expert panel. The data collected forms a profile of each applicant, offering additional insights for the review. No identifiable information will be shared, and any data used will be aggregated, such as the gender distribution of applicants or the total number of applicants from the same nationality. The data will be retained only until 7 October 2024, encrypted, and stored on a secure server.
For More Information,
Application Deadline: May 3, 2024.
