Early-career scientists and young researchers can now apply again for Antarctic fellowships. In addition to IAATO, which has been awarding grants for five years now, SCAR, CCAMLR, and COMNAP have also issued their annual calls for research grants.
In a press release, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) writes that the grants are an investment in the professional development of early-career scientists and young researchers aimed at strengthening international capacity and collaboration in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty.
“The past five years have introduced us to some truly outstanding young researchers with exciting projects. It has been an honour to support early career researchers with their professional development through the scheme, and we’re thrilled to be offering this opportunity again in 2023,” says Amanda Lynnes, Director of Environment and Science Coordination at IAATO.
Since 2019, IAATO has funded six fellows, and Martina Mascioni, one of the two recipients of the first IAATO fellowship in 2019, said, “I have learned so much. It’s really helped me to grow in my career, given me a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with a scientific institution in any country and give me access to so many other opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have had.”
The IAATO funds researchers in the fields of climate, biodiversity, conservation, astrophysics, and the humanities, among others, with up to $15,000.
COMNAP, the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, also offers a fellowship with funding up to $15,000 US. COMNAP’s focus areas include research on “Alternative non-fossil fuel energy systems in cold climates and any cold climate engineering” and on environmental problems resulting from direct human impacts in Antarctica, as well as on sources of plastic and microplastics and their elimination.
Both fellowships, from IAATO and COMNAP, allow early-career scientists to work with a project team from another country, creating new opportunities and often partnerships that last for many years and across many Antarctic field seasons.
The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research SCAR will be able to award four to five grants of up to $15,000 each in 2023 thanks to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which is funding an additional grant through the Polar Initiative. This year, applicants have the opportunity to propose partly or entirely remote fellowships. Early-career scientists from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences will be considered.
The application deadlines for the IAATO, COMNAP, and SCAR grants are July 31, 2023.
According to the press release, this year’s Antarctic Fellowships are awarded in conjunction with the scientific fellowship program of CCAMLR, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, which provides up to 30.000 Australian Dollar over a two-year period to support early-career scientists to attend workshops or working group meetings of CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee and its working groups. In principle, the fellowships are open to scientists from all CCAMLR member countries, but preference is given to early-career scientists.
CCAMLR’s program pursues capacity building within the CCAMLR scientific community to create and sustain the scientific expertise needed to support CCAMLR’s work over the long term. The application deadline for CCAMLR fellowships is August 31, 2023.
Julia Hager, PolarJournal
Links to the calls for proposals: IAATO | COMNAP | SCAR | CCAMLR
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