Applications for the 2021 Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) Research Grant, worth $150 000, are now open for submissions.
The JWO Research Grant is an initiative that seeks to support early-career African researchers focused on innovative research that will contribute to the advancement of environmental and allied sciences; and address relevant, real-world African issues of current and future importance.
More than 217 applications from researchers originating from 26 African countries were submitted in 2020.
The third JWO Research Grant follows the awarding of the inaugural grant in 2019 to Dr Hayley Clements for her research in: ‘Quantifying the biodiversity planetary boundary for Africa,’ and the 2020 recipient, Dr Bernard Coetzee, who was awarded the grant for his work on: ‘Reducing vector-borne disease risk by optimising artificial light expansion across Africa’.
The JWO Research Grant was founded in honour of the late Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer.
The lead applicant should be an early-career African scientist, who has strong links to a credible African institution and is proposing to conduct research on the continent.
The 2021 JWO Research Grant is encouraging transdisciplinary research applications that seek solutions to challenges in Africa.
The grant will support a research programme of up to three years. There will be a yearly call for new applications, and the grant recipient will be announced at the Oppenheimer Research Conference or a special event.
The funds will be distributed in agreed tranches, based on satisfactory progress as measured against agreed milestones.
Online applications opened on May 31 and the deadline for submissions is June 30.
The application process will comprise two stages.
Online applications can be submitted at https://www.jworesearchgrant.org/jwogrant-application.