Posted on: Tue 03-11-2015

Applications are invited for one year IMMANA postdoctoral fellowships to create a cadre of emerging leaders in Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health research. These fellowships are awarded to early career researchers who are using and developing or adapting these new methodological approaches with mentors in ongoing research programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Selection will give preference to applicants who have research or faculty appointments in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia but applicants may be of any nationality and have earned their doctorate anywhere. Applicants must propose to conduct fieldwork or other research under the joint supervision of two mentors. At least one of the two mentors must be physically located in Africa or Asia. The application deadline is 1 February 2016.

 

Study Subject(s): Fellowships are awarded for Agriculture, Nutrition and Health research. The researchers will develop and adapt innovative methodological approaches with mentors in ongoing research programmes in LMICs.
 

Course Level: Fellowships are available for undertaking postdoctoral research programme.
 

Scholarship Provider: UK Department for International Development (DFID), UK government
 

Scholarship can be taken at: LMIC countries (at least one of the two mentors must be physically located in Africa or Asia.)

 

Eligibility: Eligible applicants will have completed a doctorate (PhD, DPhil, DPH, MD, DVM or similar terminal degree) in any field related to agriculture, nutrition and health within three years of the proposed Fellowship start date, and be seeking a career in research, education and engagement at the intersection of two or more of these fields. IMMANA strongly encourages applications from female candidates who are citizens of low- and middle-income countries. Selection will give preference to applicants who have research or faculty appointments in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, but applicants may be of any nationality and have earned their doctorate anywhere.

 

 

Scholarship Open for International Students: Applicants of any nationality (IMMANA strongly encourages applications from female candidates who are citizens of low- and middle-income countries) can apply for these postdoctoral fellowships.

 

Scholarship Description: IMMANA, a five-year research partnership funded with UK aid from the UK government, through the Department for International Development (DFID), aims to accelerate the development of a robust and coherent scientific evidence base which will support effective policy and investments in agriculture-food systems for improved nutrition. IMMANA is led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in partnership with SOAS, University of London; and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, MA (USA). The IMMANA partnership is brought together and coordinated by the Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research on Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH).

 

Number of award(s): For 2016-17, IMMANA will award six 12-month post-doctoral fellowships to early career researchers.

 

Duration of award(s): Each Fellowship will be provided for a 12 -month period and cannot be renewed.

 

What does it cover? Fellows will receive the following financial support:
-A fixed stipend of £34,000 (approximately $52,000) paid in quarterly instalments against satisfactory completion of programme milestones.
-A research allowance of £7,500 to cover travel and other fieldwork expenses also paid as lump sums for achievement of programme milestones.
-An honorarium of £1,750 to each of the mentors paid in two instalments at mid-term and end of the year, on submission of a satisfactory mentorship report.

 

Selection Criteria: Applications will be evaluated on merit and potential to meet the programme’s objectives. The selection committee will use the following criteria to evaluate applications:
-Demonstrated commitment to excellence in research crossing disciplinary and institutional boundaries between agriculture, nutrition and health in developing countries, in alignment with the IMMANA project emphasis on gender dynamics and other research priorities detailed in the call for applications. Fellows should demonstrate this through past achievement, career trajectory and long-term goals (15 points).
-Quality and feasibility of the proposed 12-month work plan, demonstrating salience of the methodology and data sources based on current literature and practice, with realistic expectations for timeline and resource needs (25 points).
-Potential for the proposed research to inform government and private-sector actions in agriculture for improved nutrition and health (25 points).
-Potential of the proposed partnership between the Fellow and their two mentors for sustained and transformational contributions to future research (20 points).
-Demonstrated commitment of the mentors and their institutions to support the proposed project, with evidence for the proposed Fellowship’s contribution to their mission and strategic plans in agriculture, nutrition and health (15 points).

 

Notification: Selected candidates will be notified no later than 1 May 2016.

 

How to Apply: Applications are submitted in a two-stage process. Applicants are welcome and encouraged to submit a concept note to confirm eligibility and receive valuable feedback. Concept notes should be submitted as soon as possible, and will be accepted on a rolling basis until 1 February 2016. Applicants must submit a full proposal by 29 February 2016. Both forms are available online.

 

Application Form

 

Scholarship Application Deadline: Concept notes should be submitted by 1 February 2016. Applicants must submit a full proposal by 29 February 2016.

 

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application

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