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IUFRO-EFI Young Scientists Initiative

The IUFRO-EFI Young Scientists Initiative (YSI) was a collaboration between IUFRO and the European Forest Institute (EFI).

IUFRO and EFI are conscious of the importance of connecting the young forest science community to address challenges facing forests and forestry.  Broadly, IUFRO and EFI strived to provide these future leaders with international experience to better equip them to address future global challenges and identify, create and fully utilise emerging opportunities. In order to promote this goal, a joint initiative to support Young Scientists was established.

The YSI offered a limited number of grants of up to EUR 5 000 annually for Short Scientific Visits specifically for Early Career Scientists. These Visits provided a unique opportunity for young scientists from Africa, Asia and Latin America to visit a European forest research organisation and conduct a scientific collaboration with a young scientist from the respective host organisation.

The specific duration of the short scientific visits was dependent on the complexity of the proposed projects, the location of the visit, and the availability of leveraged funding sources.

The desired outcomes of the YSI were to provide both the grantee and his/her affiliated organisation with the opportunity to build research collaboration and capacity and to provide opportunities extending beyond the initial scientific exchange. The goals for the grantee were broad and included for example, skills development, establishing productive relationships with scientific peers in the host country, using the visit to benefit their own research and, if possible, publishing of scientific material. While a publication was not a requirement, proposals with this in mind were favourable.

Contact person: the Secretary of the Review Committee, Mr Daniel Boehnke; boehnke(at)iufro.org.