Friday, December 25, 2009

Early Career Fellowships for Researchers in India

Purpose
This scheme provides a unique opportunity for the most promising newly qualified postdoctoral researchers to make an early start in developing their independent research careers, working in the best laboratories in India.
Candidates will be expected to identify an important biomedical research question and to develop and deliver a personal programme to achieve their research aims. Fellows may normally spend up to 12 months outside the host institution in other leading laboratories in India or elsewhere.
What's included

The fellowship is for four years full time and provides:

  • personal support for the fellow


  • research expenses (materials and consumables; animals; travel and overseas subsistence; support to attend scientific meetings; and small items of equipment, e.g. laptop)

  • additional allowances for scientifically justified visits of normally up to 12 months.
Support funds for research staff or equipment are not provided. It is expected that an appropriate laboratory will be selected and that the majority of the necessary equipment and facilities required for the proposed research will be available to the candidate.

Eligibility
You must be in the final year of your PhD studies or have no more than one year of postdoctoral research experience from the date of your PhD viva to the full application submission deadline. Time spent outside the research environment will be taken into consideration.
You must have shown significant promise in your scientific career to date and the potential to become an independent researcher.
You are expected to be an Indian national but need not have undertaken your PhD in India. You are expected to have the intention of pursuing a long-term research career in India.
Resubmission following consideration of full application is not normally permitted.
The proposed research should fall within the partnership's normal funding remit.
Sponsorship and supervision
You must have an eligible sponsoring institution in India that will administer the fellowship for the full duration of the award.
You will require a:
sponsor who can guarantee that the host institution will administer the award for the full tenure of the fellowship - he/she must have a contract of employment at the host institution and have tenure beyond the duration of the proposed fellowship.
mentor who will provide you with independent support and advice for the duration of the award
research sponsor in every laboratory who must be able to guarantee you access to space and resources for the required period and provide relevant scientific guidance.
A sponsor may also be nominated as a research sponsor or mentor on an application. However, we would not expect a single individual to be proposed for all three roles.
Application process
You should complete and submit a preliminary application form [Word 170KB] by the published deadline.
Completed forms must be submitted to info@wellcomedbt.org.
Your preliminary application will normally be assessed within one month of the submission deadline. If successful, you will be invited to submit a full application.
Your full application will be peer reviewed and considered by the appropriate Selection Committee and, if successful, you will be short-listed for interview.
Short-listed candidates will be notified two weeks before the interview date.
Awards will be conditional upon a satisfactory performance at interview.
Application advice
You should give careful thought to your choice of sponsor and mentor. Appropriate individuals will possess strong track records in research, training and/or mentorship.
You should drive the identification of a research question and the development of the proposal. However, we expect your sponsor and mentor to provide you with advice and support during the application process.
You will be expected to focus on your research for the duration of the award.
You may not apply for more than one Alliance fellowship scheme at any one time.
Reviewers typically assess:
your track record
the importance of the research question
your choice of appropriate research sponsors
the feasibility of the approach
your vision of how the fellowship will contribute to your career development
your longer-term aspirations.
The fellowship encourages mobility by allowing Indian nationals who have undertaken their doctoral studies overseas to return to India and/or by allowing part of the fellowship to be undertaken in one or more leading laboratories within India or elsewhere for a period of normally not more than 12 months.
During time spent in other laboratories, candidates are encouraged to maintain strong links with their host institution and spend the final year of the fellowship in their host institution in India.
Deadlines
Competitions for this scheme will be launched in December and July of each year.
Late applications will not be accepted at any stage.
Next Competition:
Preliminary application deadline: 25 January 2010
Invited full application deadline: 22 March 2010
Selection Committee short-listing: June 2010
Interviews for short-listed candidates:July 2010
For full applications invited for the 20 November 2009 deadline:
Selection Committee short-listing: January 2010
Interviews for short-listed candidates:February 2010
Fellowships may not be taken up prior to PhD award. The fellowship must be started within one year of award.
Contacts
Further Info on Wellcome Trust/DBT India Early Career Fellowships for Researchers in India

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