Deadline: 15-Jul-2020
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is currently seeking applications for the Trees and People: Resilience in a Changing Climate – John G. Bene Fellowship 2020.
This call is open to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada pursuing master’s or doctoral studies at a Canadian university. The award under this call will cover costs of field research conducted for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation in one or more countries of the Global South.
This award covers field research expenses for advanced master’s or doctoral students who intend to conduct their field research in one or more developing countries. Funds may be used to collect data and samples in the field, conduct interviews or surveys with local populations, and organize focus groups or workshops. Candidates must use findings from their field research to write their thesis.
Award Information
- One award of a maximum of CA$15,000
- This award will cover research costs for a maximum of 12 months in the field. If your field research exceeds 12 months, you must cover additional costs from another source of funding.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible:
- you must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- you must be enrolled at a Canadian university at the master’s or doctoral level (you must have completed several courses of the program, but not necessarily all courses, when you submit your application);
- you must have an academic background that combines an interest in forests with social sciences. Applicants from interdisciplinary programs are eligible, provided their programs contain the specified elements;
- your research proposal must be approved by your thesis supervisor and you must provide proof;
- your proposed field of research must be conducted for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and must take place in one or more developing countries;
- you must provide evidence of affiliation with an institution or organization in the developing region(s) in which the research will take place;
- doctoral students must have completed coursework and passed comprehensive exams before taking up the award; and
- you may not be in receipt of two or more active IDRC awards at the same time, which includes the IDRC Research Awards. No time overlaps will be permitted. If you are in receipt of IDRC funds from another source (e.g. a Queen Elizabeth Advanced Scholars award or through a professor’s IDRC research grant) for activities that will still be active when and if you take up the John G. Bene Fellowship, you will be asked to demonstrate how funds from each are not being used towards the same objective.
- You are not eligible for this award if you intend to use the funds only to analyze or disseminate final results, finalize videos, or spend time in a lab.
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications:
- Fit with IDRC mission and scope of the fellowship
- Overall appropriateness, completeness, quality, and clarity of the research proposal
- Overall methodology and considerations of cultural, logistical, and scientific constraints
- Overall feasibility, duration, and timing of the research
- Originality and creativity of the research
- Potential contribution to existing knowledge on the issue
- Gender dimensions of the research
- Ethical considerations of the research
- Benefit to the communities where the research is taking place
- Suitability of the affiliated institution
- Potential for research results to be disseminated and used
- Budget
- Applicant’s capacity to conduct the proposed research, including academic training, local language capacity, professional skills, research experience, and knowledge of country/region of research.
Ethics Considerations
If offered the award, you will be required to submit the appropriate approval from your university’s ethics committee, as well as approval from a local Research Ethics Board (as required and when possible).
For more information, visit https://www.idrc.ca/en/funding/trees-and-people-resilience-changing-climate-john-g-bene-fellowship-2020