Call for Visiting Scientists 2024

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Call 2024-I

 

The PE&RC Visiting Scientist Grant is meant to finance the hosting of an international scientist from abroad to visit a PE&RC group for a period of up to 6 months (e.g. as part of a sabbatical). The objective of the grant is to stimulate scientific quality of research within PE&RC and strengthen international relations and collaboration.

The focus is on new initiatives that have the potential to develop into long(er) term collaboration. Dutch scientists, employed abroad and who pay taxes in that country, are also eligible. Joint applications of Wageningen University groups with one or more other PE&RC member institutes (Wageningen Research, NIOO, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, UU, UVA, VU, RU) are possible, and even encouraged. Do note that in this situation the first applicant must be a WU PE&RC staff member and that, when granted, the funding will be arranged via the chair group of this staff member. This year the available budget for the PE&RC Visiting Scientist Grants is approximately € 30 000.

For all applications it is a prerequisite that the proposed research has to fit within the mission of PE&RC. Funding is available for grants with a duration of 1-6 months of € 1 500 per month plus a contribution to travel costs of max € 1 000 (based on real costs, so in total a max of € 10 000) .The candidate should have a PhD title plus at least 3 years postdoctoral experience or must have shown long-term experience as senior scientist. The € 1 500 per month is meant to cover expenses in the Netherlands (such as housing).

Actual funding of fellowships is based on actual costs for travel and housing up to the maximum awarded for that specific category of fellowship.

The application must include (as specified in the form):

  • A description of specific qualities of the candidate (max 250 words).
  • A description of the collaboration with the candidate, specifying research and educational activities (max 250 words each).
  • A description of the relevance to PE&RC and PE&RC themes (max 250 words)

Criteria used for assessment of proposals are:

  • The quality of the candidate as shown in a Curriculum Vitae and publication list (weight 40%).
  • The strategic importance of collaboration with the candidate and his/her the research institute / university which must be specified in the application (weight 20%).
  • The degree to which the intended activities as described in the application fit within the PE&RC mission (weight 20%).
  • The contribution to PE&RC education (e.g. master class, workshop, course, seminar) (weight 20%; the contribution will be considered in relation to the duration of the stay).

Conditions:

  • With respect to each of the four criteria assessed, proposals must pass a threshold of 3 (= acceptable) on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Therefore, if one of the criteria is not well elaborated the proposal will not be funded.
  • Only one candidate per foreign institute will be eligible for funding.
  • It is not possible for a candidate to receive a research grant two times within a period of 5 years.
  • If granted PE&RC expects:
    • That the candidate meets with the PE&RC office on arrival to discuss and plan the training/education activity that was proposed in the application.
    • A report from the applicants after the fellowship has ended, in which activities of the candidate in Wageningen, results of the stay and the additional value of the fellowship to the research group(s) involved as well as PE&RC are described.
  • When granted, the budget for the candidate will become available in 2024 and will be transferred to the group or person concerned. The visit should start at latest March 2025.

An application form can be downloaded here. The form MUST be submitted by the chairholder.

 

The application form, the Curriculum Vitae and a publication list of the candidate have to be mailed to PE&RC Office (Office.PE@wur.nl).

Applications for visiting scientist grants should be received by PE&RC at latest June 24, 2024 (9.00 a.m.); after this date a selection procedure takes place. In case funds remain after the selection the call will stay open until December 1 2024 (9.00 a.m.), until the available budget is spent. Applications have to be supported by the head of a Wageningen University chair group and after June 24, 2024 will be dealt with in order of arrival until the budget is spent.