The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has announced that the Independent Research Fellowships (IRF) grant scheme is now open.
The IRF replaces both the Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Advanced Fellowships) and is designed to develop scientific leadership among the most promising early-career environmental scientists. Fellows will receive five years of support in order to develop their research programmes and to establish international recognition.
Assessment for this scheme concentrates on the research potential of the applicant, and the applicant’s track record will be assessed in a way which is appropriate to career stage.
Applicants will be expected to:
- demonstrate their research vision and philosophy and outline ways in which their research could be developed over the five year fellowship;
- explain how they will contribute to the international research area and interact with the leading international groups in their field;
- explain how they will enable the potential economic or societal impact of their research to be realised.
For further details on the scheme please visit the IRF page on the NERC website. The full eligibility requirements – including those related to the research topic, host institution and resubmission policy – are in the Research Grants & Fellowships Handbook.
Further details of the application process are available on the how to apply page and in the Research Grants & Fellowships Handbook.
The closing date for applications is 4pm on the 1st November 2012.