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Apply for Walters Kundert Fellowship Program (UK)

Deadline: 23-Nov-2025

The Royal Geographical Society offers the Walters Kundert Fellowship to support post-PhD field research in Arctic or high mountain environments. Grants up to £10,000 fund travel, maintenance, data collection, and temporary research assistance, with strict safety, compliance, and reporting requirements.

Overview

The Walters Kundert Fellowship supports post-PhD researchers conducting field research in Arctic or high mountain physical geography, with an emphasis on studies addressing past or present environmental change. The programme aims to facilitate original, high-quality research in challenging environments while promoting responsible fieldwork.

Key Features:

  • Grants up to £10,000 per project

  • One fellowship awarded per annual cycle

  • Supports new, active field research only (ongoing or completed work is ineligible)

  • Covers travel, maintenance, data collection, temporary research assistance, and field-related childcare

Eligibility

  • Applicants must hold a post-PhD qualification

  • Research must focus on Arctic or high mountain physical geography

  • Projects must be original and independent, not sub-projects of larger ongoing work

  • Applicants must comply with all third-party conditions and disclose other funding sources

Funding Use and Restrictions

  • Permissible costs include: travel, accommodation, field data collection, temporary research assistance, and limited equipment/lab expenses (max 20%)

  • Childcare costs allowed only if directly linked to fieldwork

  • Grants are non-transferable and may be withdrawn if conditions are not met

  • Work is prohibited in areas under FCDO “advise against all travel” advisories

  • All insurance responsibilities lie with the researcher; no additional funds for emergencies

Application Requirements and Conditions

  • Report any changes to project plans promptly

  • Return unspent funds at the end of the project

  • Acknowledge the Society’s support in all outputs

  • Seek permission for use of logos and branding, following all third-party guidelines

  • Confidentiality requests must be communicated to the Society

  • Publications, lectures, or media outputs may be requested, with copyright conditions applying

Safety and Compliance

  • Fellows must continually check FCDO travel advisories

  • Follow strict rules regarding permissible expenses and project scope

  • Ensure high research integrity and accountability throughout the project

Why It Matters

The fellowship enables early-career postdoctoral researchers to conduct fieldwork in extreme and sensitive environments, contributing to scientific understanding of environmental change. It promotes responsible research practices while providing financial and institutional support for high-risk field studies.

Tips for Applicants

  • Clearly justify all expenses and maintain transparency in reporting

  • Ensure the research environment and travel plan comply with safety advisories

  • Highlight the novelty and environmental relevance of the study

  • Prepare contingency plans for field challenges and insurance coverage

Conclusion

The Walters Kundert Fellowship provides critical support for post-PhD researchers conducting fieldwork in Arctic or high mountain regions. By funding original studies on environmental change and ensuring strict compliance with safety and reporting standards, the programme fosters high-impact research, strengthens accountability, and helps early-career scholars build expertise in challenging geographical settings.

For more information, visit RGS.