I) Scientist Assistance Programme

The Scientist Assistance Programme (SAP) is designed to provide forest scientists from economically disadvantaged countries with financial assistance for:
 

1. IUFRO Event Participation

Financial assistance is provided for participation in scientific meetings and conferences organized by IUFRO’s Divisions, Research Groups, Working Parties, Task Forces, and Special Programmes and Projects. Applications for support can be submitted to IUFRO-SPDC throughout the year. Check-out the details below.

2. Scientific Visits

A limited number of small grants for Scientific Visits are offered to early career forest scientists affiliated with IUFRO member organizations to visit a forest research organization abroad for up to three months. Calls for applications are published from time to time. Please see further information on Scientific Visits criteria below.

Make sure to also check the IUFRO-SPDC News column on our IUFRO-SPDC main page for current and upcoming calls.

All SAP support is directed to in-service forest scientists working at national or sub-national institutions of research and higher education in economically disadvantaged countries that are in one way or another involved in forest- and tree-related research and academic training programmes.

Note: Economically Disadvantaged Countries -  Please see list of countries that are eligible for SAP: https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/i-scientist-assistance-programme/sapwc24/


IUFRO-SPDC’s SAP for IUFRO Event Participation:

How to Take Advantage of it

1) IUFRO-SPDC’s SAP for IUFRO Event Participation:

Through IUFRO-SPDC's Scientist Assistance Programme support for participation in scientific meetings and conferences organized by IUFRO’s Divisions, Research Groups, Working Parties, and Task Forces is available on a limited basis according to the general policy guidelines and criteria for selection.


    General policy guidelines:

    • Support is directed to those scientists who are contributing to a particular IUFRO meeting in the form of a paper or poster presentation.
       
    • Only scientists who are employed at an institution in an economically disadvantaged country and reside in an economically disadvantaged country are eligible for support.
       
    • Preference is given to early- to mid-career forest scientists (below the age of 46 years) who are in need of further developing their expertise and skills as a researcher.
       
    • Highest priority in providing sponsorship is given to IUFRO officeholders and forest scientists working in IUFRO member institutions, though scientists from other forest-related research institutions which are not IUFRO member institutions will also be supported depending on funding available.
       
    • In order to spread support as widely as possible among the forest science community, sponsorship will not be provided to the same scientist in two consecutive years.
       
    • The selection of candidates will also be geared to achieve both geographical and gender balance.

    Criteria for the selection of candidates for sponsorship

    The candidate:

    • has an accepted paper or poster approved by the scientific committee of the meeting,
       
    • is employed at an IUFRO member organization (or other forest-related research institution) in an economically disadvantaged country,
       
    • is an early or mid-career scientist,
       
    • resides in an economically disadvantaged country,
       
    • has not received travel funding by IUFRO within the past year.

    What to bear in mind if you are a meeting organizer:

    As a meeting organizer designing the scientific program of the conference or workshop, you know best which of the submitted papers/posters should be presented. Therefore, we ask you to short-list candidates for consideration and send this list to the IUFRO-SPDC office (spdc(at)iufro.org)

    Ideally, the list should also include more detailed information about the proposed candidates for sponsorship including the following items:

    • the exact names and contact details of your preferred candidates,
       
    • their gender,
       
    • their country of origin,
       
    • their country of residence,
       
    • their age, as well as
       
    • an estimate of the costs involved in their participation in the meeting (registration fee, accommodation, local transport if foreseen).
       

    Please note that we have to plan for the financial support a considerable time ahead so we appreciate an early request, at least 3 months in advance.

    Contact: spdc(at)iufro.org

     


    What to bear in mind if you are a forest scientist from an economically disadvantaged country:

    If you would like to receive scientist assistance for your participation in an IUFRO Meeting please make sure that you fulfill the above-mentioned general requirements and contact the respective organizer of the meeting – they shall be the point of contact for IUFRO-SPDC in all regards concerning the selection of the candidates.

    Contact: Meeting organizer (Please consult IUFRO’s calendar of meetings: http://www.iufro.org/events/calendar/current/)

    Note: Eonomically Disadvantaged Countries -  Please see list of countries that are eligible for SAP: https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/sap/sapwc24/ 


    2. IUFRO-SPDC’s SAP for Scientific Visits:

    Support for early career forest scientists to conduct a Scientific Visit at a forest research organization abroad provides an opportunity for scientists at these institutions to connect with the global forest science community and access, create and fully utilize emerging opportunities.


    General Policy Guidelines:

    • Research supported by the grant should address a topic of significance to IUFRO’s Post-2020 Strategy (https://www.iufro.org/discover/strategy/ ), in particular by addressing one or more of the five thematic areas defined in the strategy.
       
    • Preference is given to early-career forest scientists whose proposed host institution is an IUFRO member.
       
    • The host country may belong to any income classification.
       
    • Duration of the visit should be 2-3 months.
       
    • The applicant is responsible for all arrangements that need to be made prior to and during the scientific visit.
       
    • The applicant is responsible for identifying and contacting the host institution and a mentor in the host country and should decide on the scope of the scientific project, the associated work plan, and the suitable dates for the planned research visit with the potential host organization and mentor prior to applying.
       
    • In order to spread support as widely as possible among the forest science community, a grant will not be provided to the same scientist more than once.
       
    • The selection of candidates will also be geared to achieve both geographical and gender balance.

    Criteria for the eligibility of candidates for sponsorship include:

    The candidate

    • is employed at an IUFRO member organization in an economically disadvantaged country,
       
    • is an early career scientist (below the age of 36 years),
       
    • has completed an MSc or PhD in forest or related science,
       
    • is a citizen and resident of an economically disadvantaged country.

    What to bear in mind if you are a forest scientist from an economically disadvantaged country:

    If you would like to receive scientist assistance for a scientific visit, please make sure that you fulfill the above-mentioned eligibility requirements and submit your application during an open call for grant applications following the detailed requirements described in the call.

    Note: Eonomically Disadvantaged Countries -  Please see list of countries that are eligible for SAP: https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/sap/sapwc24/ 


    What to bear in mind if your institution would like to host a Scientific Visit:

    Host institutions have an important role to play in supporting applicants and ensuring the success of the research visit. There are also many benefits to mentors and host institutions such as improving their own connections, capacities, research quality, and dissemination of results. Therefore, we ask you to actively support candidates applying for a visit to your institution. Applications may be submitted by eligible candidates only during open calls for grant applications.


    For further information please feel welcome to contact the IUFRO-SPDC office.

    Contact: spdc(at)iufro.org