IFS Collaborative Research Grants 2014 Focusing on Biodiversity

Call for expression of interest in   IFS Collaborative Research Grants 2014
    Focusing on Biodiversity

 IFS announces a call for Collaborative Research Proposals from early-career scientists in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, with a focus on research into biodiversity. Interested young researchers from these countries are invited to express their interest to participate in the development of collaborative research proposals by filling out the expression of interest form here: http://applications.ifs.se

Those who express interest will be invited to join an online collaborative environment that is being used for this project. You do not need to know any collaborators before expressing interest. The purpose of the online environment is for researchers to find and get to know suitable collaborators, create research teams and prepare proposals for submission to IFS. Further instructions will follow to those who register interest to participate.
    

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a citizen of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania or Uganda and carrying out your research in any of these countries
•  You have a Masters or PhD degree (or equivalent academic degree)
•  You are doing/will do research on some aspect of biodiversity
•  For first time IFS grant applicants, men should be younger than 35; women should be younger than 40 years of age
• For those who already had a grant from IFS, you may participate in this programme and apply for a Collaborative Research Grant provided IFS have accepted your report on the previous IFS Grant, no later than the closing date for application submissions for this programme
• You are attached to a university, national research institution or a research oriented and not-for-profit NGO

    Expression of interest form:  http://applications.ifs.se
    Deadline:  April 27, 2014
   

Biodiversity
 This call for research proposals is a contribution to the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (2011-2020)[1]. Its aims include: building awareness of values of biodiversity, the steps we can take to conserve biodiversity and manage terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem services related to health, livelihoods and wellbeing in a way that is both equitable and sustainable. It also aims to integrate such thinking into development and poverty reduction strategies, including ways to eliminate harmful subsides, prevent extinctions and control invasive species and detrimental pollution. We are especially keen to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations of taxonomists, ecologists and social scientists to research together on ecosystem services for sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

The research supported within this call should aim to increase and share widely knowledge, the science base and technologies relating to terrestrial and inland aquatic biodiversity.   

Some suggested research approaches to Biodiversity     Within the broad concept of ‘biodiversity’ research teams might address themes such as:

• The causes of biodiversity loss, such as: harmful subsidies, drivers of extinction, invasive species, and pollution.
• Options to manage terrestrial or fresh water aquatic ecosystem services related to health, livelihoods and wellbeing in a way that is equitable and sustainable and to conserve biodiversity.
• Assessing the barriers to implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Developing an integrated management plan for protected and buffer zones based on decision support systems.
• Developing indicators and systems for Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of national or regional implementation of ‘Aichi targets’.
•  Assessing scenarios of negative and positive impacts of the Nagoya Protocol for sustainable development and poverty eradication (see: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org);
•  Assessing impacts of human activities on habitats as a result of pastoralism or slash and burn.
•  Developing bio-indicators for the integrity of intact, fragmented and man-made ecosystems.
•  Assessing the problems and benefits of promoting Ecosystem Services through Payment for Environmental Services (PES).
• Investigating the role of biodiversity in conflict generation and conflict mitigation.

This list presents only some ideas; any innovative and original research ideas within the broad field of biodiversity research are acceptable.

 IFS Collaborative Research Grants
These IFS pilot Collaborative Research Grants will be to small teams (3-5 early-career scientists) in the eligible countries to undertake research on biodiversity.
Eligible scientists expressing interest will have the opportunity to get to know each other and find collaborators, build teams and formulate their proposals in a social networking environment (PODIO). There will be approximately three and a half months for this process, thereafter applications will be reviewed with a decision on grant funding by the end of 2014.
The total value of a Collaborative Research Grant will be between USD 45-75,000. This breaks down to 80% for research and 20% for team coordination and collaboration activities. The actual value of a grant and the distribution of the grant money among the team members will be determined by need, the size of the team and the team’s budget.     More details can be found on the IFS website in the document:
    http://www.ifs.se/IFS/Documents/Publications/IFS%20Collaborative%20Research%20Grants.pdf 
 

To express interest in participating in this pilot project,    fill out the form here: http://applications.ifs.se

Deadline: April 27, 2014