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The Scientist Assistance Programme (SAP) for the XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019 in Curitiba, Brazil

IUFRO-SPDC Scientist Assistance Program 2019

In 2019 IUFRO-SPDC continued supporting forest scientists from economically disadvantaged countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe to participate in IUFRO scientific meetings and conferences through its Scientist Assistance Program (SAP). 2019 being a congress year, all efforts were concentrated on providing travel grants to attend the XXV IUFRO World Congress in Curitiba, Brazil. With more than 1000 applications for support there was a tremendous interest and need for support for participating in the IUFRO Congress. Based on available donor funding, a total of 103 scientists from 45 countries received the SAP support package. This covered air travel to Curitiba, accommodation, subsistence and the congress registration fees. Gender balance was achieved by allocating 54% of the SAP packages to female and 46% to male scientists. In terms of regional participation, around 40% of scientists came from Latin America while 30% each were from Africa and Asia.


SAP grantees: their experiences and professional gains from the event


Who was eligible?

Scientists from eligible countries who are involved in forest- and tree-related research and education, who contributed to the Congress through an approved were invited apply for sponsorship.

Selection Guidelines:

  • Preference was given to early- and mid-career forest scientists (below the age of 46 years) who were in need of further developing their expertise and skills as a researcher;
  • Highest priority in providing sponsorship was given to forest scientists working in IUFRO member institutions, though scientists from other forest-related research institutions which are not IUFRO member institutions were also to be supported depending on funding available; and
  • The selection of candidates was also be geared towards achieving both geographical and gender balance.
     
  • While applications from those who had received SAP support for past congresses were welcome, preference was given to those who had not received funding previously. 

List of eligible countries:


SPDC Pre-Congress Training

Scientists with approved SAP sponsorship could choose to participate in one of the following four Pre-Congress Training Workshops:

  • Scientific Methods in Forest Research
  • Systematic Review in Forest Science
  • Implementing Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa and Asia
  • Implementing Forest Landscape Restoration in Latin America (Course is held in Spanish.)

These 3-day workshops organised for the week before the Congress were free of charge. The costs for the extended stay in Curitiba were covered by IUFRO-SPDC. Expression of interest in the participation in one of the workshops could be entered into the SAP application form.