The U.S. Department of State, the U.S. National Academies, and the InterAmerican Network of Academies of Science (IANAS) are pleased to announce a collaboration establishing the IANAS Fellowship for scientists and engineers. The purpose of the IANAS Fellowship is to increase and strengthen science and technology capacity in the Americas and cooperation between researchers and institutions in the Americas in various scientific fields. Participants in this program will be citizens of a Latin American or Caribbean country who plan to conduct research at a host research institution in the United States for a period of one to two months. The short-term fellowship program will allow participants to acquire specific technical skills and to plan and facilitate further scientific collaboration with their U.S. counterparts. Application Period Opens: 15 May Application Deadline: 15 August

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eligibility Criteria                                                                                                    

You are eligible to apply for an IANAS Fellowship if you:

1. Hold a graduate degree.
2. Hold a position of permanent employment in a Latin American or Caribbean university or research laboratory in physical sciences, life sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Preference will be given to junior and mid-career faculty, who normally do not have access to grant support for professional development outside their home countries.
3. Intend to develop science capacity in your home country by conducting research at a U.S. institution for a one to two month period. The proposed visit plan will demonstrate clear goals and outcomes including evidence that the visit will enhance your scientific career on your return to Latin America or the Caribbean, and will result in the likelihood of long-term collaboration.
4. Have received confirmation of support from a host institution in the U.S.
5. Have received confirmation of support from your home institution.

Terms of the IANAS Fellowship                                                                          

• Selected IANAS Fellows will receive a grant of approximately $3000 per month for living expenses during their fellowship in the U.S. In addition, they will receive funds for travel to the U.S. Travel funding will be determined by the NAS and will be based on distance between the Fellow’s home institution and host institution.
• The Fellow’s home institution will agree to support the fellowship by receiving and disbursing fellowship grant funds. In the letter of support, the home institution must agree to receive the grant funding from the NAS and to disburse the funding in a timely manner to the Fellow as a single payment without transaction fees or overhead. In addition, the Fellow’s home institution should state that they will allow the selected Fellow to take leave for the period of the fellowship.
• The U.S. host institution will be responsible for assisting the Fellow in finding housing and by providing other on-the-ground assistance, including support for research.
• Fellows must submit a final report at the completion of their time in the U.S.

The Application Process                                                                                     

Before applying, you must:

1. Identify and contact a suitable research institution in the U.S. that agrees to host you as an IANAS Fellow for one (1) to two (2) months in 2011 or 2012 (all assignments must be completed before 11/30/2012). You should select an institution whose research goals align with your own.
2. Confirm support from your home institution.

A complete application, written in English only, consists of the following:

1. An application page
2. CV; limited to 5 pages, including name of graduate degree institution, research and work experience, publications, presentations, etc.
3. Statement of Interest/Proposed Research; limited to 2 pages. Please address the following in your statement:
   1. Explain your proposed plan of research.
   2. What are your intended outcomes of this fellowship in terms of your research and professional development?
   3. Why did you choose the particular host institution in the U.S.? How do you intend to continue the relationship with that institution?
4. Letter from the host institution in the U.S. that states the host researcher’s intention for collaboration, and specifies the type and level of support and/or resources that will be provided to you to successfully carry out your planned research; limited to 2 pages.
5. Letter of support from your home institution of employment that states the institution’s willingness to accept grant funding from the NAS and to disburse the funding in a timely manner to you as a single payment without transaction fees or overhead; limited to 2 pages.

Applications should be sent via email to a representative in your home country or to the IANAS Secretariat. Please see the second page of the application for instructions on submitting your completed application.

The Selection Process                                                                                   

Applications submitted by the application deadline will be preliminarily reviewed by the Academy of Science in your home country or, if your home country does not have IANAS representation, by the IANAS Secretariat. Each country will select at most 5 applications to be submitted to the IANAS Oversight Committee, which will then select the finalist applications. A total of approximately 20 awards will be made.