OVERSEAS FELLOWSHIP SCHEME
IMPORTANT NOTICE: ONLY OVERSEAS BURSARY AWARD WINNERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A FINAL REPORT BETWEEN 18 AND 24 MONTHS AFTER THE AWARD DATE CAN APPLY FOR A FELLOWSHIP GRANT.
Overview
The British Ecological Society (BES) Overseas Fellowship scheme provides grants for ecologists in developing countries to carry out innovative ecological research. The Fellowship scheme is continuation funding aimed at building on the potential of the best candidates that come out of the Overseas Bursary stage.
Fellowship grants are up to £20,000 with a maximum duration of 36 months. The grant will support work arising from a successful Bursary. Limited in-country travel and part of the applicant's salary can be applied for. In addition to this, using the help of the scientific advisors already established as a result of the bursary stage, Fellows have the option of spending some time in centres outside of their research-base countries, gaining access to special facilities, libraries, seminars and conferences or temporarily attaching themselves to research groups. The grant cannot be used to pay for study for higher degrees. It is expected that the applicant will already have a link with an ecologist in centres outside of their research-base country, though if further help is needed to create a link or further an existing link then the BES will assist the process. Successful applicants will receive free membership of the BES and a free subscription to one of its journals for the duration of the project.
Eligibility:
Applicants for a BES Fellowship Grant must satisfy the following criteria:
· Applicant must have previously been awarded a BES Overseas Bursary grant.
· Not use the Fellowship grant to fund a higher degree. (e.g PhD)
· Be collaborating at a university or research institution (including field centers, NGOs, museums etc.) that provides basic research facilities, with a project that is designed to be done in a developing country.
· All Overseas Bursary award winners can apply for a Fellowship grant as long as they have provide a final report between 18 months and 24months after the date of their award. If reasons are provided the Overseas bursary holder can delay applying for a Fellowship grant up to one year after their final report has been received.
· Applicants may only apply once for a Fellowship Grant.
Fellowship applications will be judged by a panel of assessors on their scientific quality, novelty and the feasibility, as well as the strategic importance of the planned research.
Countries:
Africa and its associated islands.
Application Process:
Applications will be considered on an annual basis, with a deadline of September the 1st. Applications must be submitted electronically to the BES using the following application form . An Ethnic and Gender monitoring form  should also be submited alongwith the application. Guidelines are supplied at the start of the application form. Applications will only be accepted in English.
All applications will be acknowledged and those meeting the criteria for eligibility will be reviewed by the panel of assessors. Applicants will be advised of the outcome within two months of the deadline. Applications submitted to the BES will not be returned to the applicant.
Applications must be accompanied by a statement of support from the in-country host institution, and a similar statement of supporting letter also listing any costs to be claimed by the outside of research-base country host institute which must be submitted to the BES by the grant deadline. The outside of research-base country host institute is also asked to estimate any other costs that the applicant is likely to encounter whilst being hosted (i.e accommodation and food), this should then be reflected in the applicants budget. The in-country host statement should include why the project is important, what support they will give to the applicant during the project and a statement that any equipment bought for the project will be made available for anyone in the home country host institution to conduct ecological research.
The BES will consider covering the full economic costs of the use of expensive departmental equipment and material such as vehicles, only as long as they are successfully shown to being essential to the project.
Research Areas:
Funding is for innovative ecological research. Examples of possible research areas include plant-animal interactions, restoration ecology, microbial ecology, ecological processes and community ecology.
Specific exclusions are the transfer of already-existing technology and bio prospecting. Research on agriculture, forestry will not normally be considered unless the work contains a strong ecological emphasis. Survey work may only be considered for funding where it can be clearly shown that it is needed as preliminary work for a longer-term research project.
The proposed project could be part of an existing program but the application should be for a clearly defined piece of research. Researchers must also ask themselves how their research will affect, or be affected by, local ecological and socio-economic conditions where the research is likely to be implemented.
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