Opportunities for Funding

      The International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates (IRCN-BC) is a project funded jointly by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Dimensions of Biodiversity) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China to promote multidisciplinary research on biodiversity of ciliated protists and to foster international cooperation in studies of biodiversity.  A major part of our mission is to support the activities of researchers on all aspects of biodiversity of ciliates through grants for travel.  Proposals involving 1) travel to a professional meeting to present research, 2) to the laboratory of another researcher for special training, or 3) to another laboratory to engage in research collaboration will be considered for funding.  Applicants can be from any country. 

Travel to a professional meeting

Purpose

      To enable travel to professional meetings to present results of recent research on some aspect of biodiversity of ciliates.

Eligibility

      Preference will be given to young researchers (graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty) or more senior researchers who are new to the field of ciliate biology or who reside in a part of the world in which studies of biodiversity are under-represented.  However, any researcher who can demonstrate the need for travel funds and who proposes to present a paper communicating significant new results will be considered for support.

Award Information

      Successful proposals may be funded up to a level of $1200 per applicant.  Any funding above that level would depend on the amount available to the IRCN-BC and would require additional justification from the applicant.

Deadline for Submission

      May 4, 2012 (late proposals will be considered if funds are still available—contact us to inquire)

Proposal preparation

      Applicants must submit a proposal consisting of the following parts:

  • Cover sheet with personal information*
  • Abstract of presentation (250 words maximum)
  • Budget for expenses* 

Travel to engage in training

Purpose

      To enable travel to another laboratory to acquire experience or training in techniques critical for research of a specific type that will be applied to research on biodiversity of ciliates.  Proposals should demonstrate that this training will enhance the ability of the applicant to engage in multidisciplinary research on biodiversity of ciliates.

Eligibility

      Young researchers (graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty) will be given priority; however, proposals from more senior faculty may be consideredfor example, a researcher who wants to make a major change in their research program to include methodologies with which they have no experience.

Award Information

      Successful proposals may be funded up to a level of $3000 per applicant.  Any funding above that level would depend on the amount available to the IRCN-BC and would require additional justification from the applicant.

Deadline for Submission

      May 25, 2012 (late proposals will be considered if funds are still available—contact us to inquire)

Proposal preparation

      Applicants must submit a proposal consisting of the following parts:

  • Cover sheet with personal information*
  • Description of activities (2 pages maximum)*
  • Budget for expenses*
  • Letter of recommendation (graduate or postdoc supervisor only─not needed for more senior researchers)
  • Letter of invitation from sponsor           

Travel to engage in collaboration on existing research or for development of a new research project

Purpose

      To enable travel to another laboratory to collaborate on a specific research project that will result in one or more publications or that will provide preliminary results for a major new grant proposal.

Eligibility

      Young researchers beyond the level of postdoc will be given priority; however, proposals from senior faculty or from small groups of faculty are welcome.  Proposals will be judged on the basis of originality and should include research in more than one of the dimensions of biodiversity (taxonomy, functional ecology, genetics).

Award Information

      Successful proposals may be funded up to a level of $3000 per applicant.  Any funding above that level would depend on the amount available to the IRCN-BC and would require additional justification from the applicant.

Deadline for Submission

      May 25, 2012 (late proposals will be considered if funds are still available—contact us to inquire)

Proposal Preparation

      Applicants must submit a proposal consisting of the following parts:

  • Cover sheet with personal information (for the author of the proposal and all other partners involved in the project)*
  • Description of activities (5 pages maximum)*
  • Budget for expenses* 

Submission of proposals

 All parts of the proposal must be submitted together as pdfs attached to an email sent to Franziska Turner at fturner5@nccu.edu.  Incomplete proposals cannot be considered.

For assistance, contact either Ms. Turner or Dr. John Clamp (Chairperson, Steering Committee) by email at jclamp@nccu.edu or by telephone at 1-919-530-6395.

 *Please see the attachments for downloadable documents.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith