Postdoctoral Fellowships 2011, The Australian Museum

July 26, 2010

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The Australian Museum offers 3 fellowships for 2011 to postdoctoral researchers who will conduct original, field-intensive marine research at Lizard Island.

Background:

The Isobel Bennett Marine Biology Fellowship, the John and Laurine Proud Fellowship and the Yulgilbar Foundation Fellowship provide financial support for research at the Lizard Island Research Station by researchers whose PhD degree was awarded within the past five years. Each provides up to AUD $11,000 for field expenses to be spent within one year. The fellowships do not provide salary.

Fellows make substantial original contributions to coral reef science that are consistent with the Australian Museum’s Scientific Research Strategy. The fellowships are intended to stimulate scientific benefits in addition to the research outcomes through collaborations, research training, and contributing to larger projects.

The Isobel Bennett Marine Biology Fellowship is named in recognition of the late Dr Isobel Bennett who was one of Australia’s eminent marine biologists. The Hermon Slade Raiatea Foundation has provided funding to the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation (LIRRF) to enable this fellowship.

The John and Laurine Proud Fellowship is named in recognition of the late Sir John Proud and his late wife, Lady Laurine Proud. Sir John was the founder of the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation and a long-term passionate supporter of the Research Station. Lady Proud continued her support after the death of her husband. Their estate now supports this fellowship through the LIRRF.

The Yulgilbar Foundation Fellowship is named in recognition of the funding by The Yulgilbar Foundation through the LIRRF. The Yulgilbar Foundation has also supported the capital upgrade program of the Lizard Island Research Station.

A single application will be considered for the three Fellowships.

Benefits:

The maximum value of each 2011 fellowship is AU$11,000, payable in April 2011 and to be spent within one year. For successful applicants who are employed at Australian institutions and who can thus provide Australian tax invoices, the payments will be $11,000 plus $1,100 GST.

Conditions of Award:

Fellowship funds are intended to contribute towards the costs involved in conducting field work at Lizard Island Research Station. Salary and equipment (other than consumables) are not covered by the Fellowships.

Expenditure of Fellowship funds is restricted to:
- Bench fees at Lizard Island Research Station for the fellow and up to two assistants at the current applicable rates. Bench fees must be paid from a different source for any accompanying postgraduate students who are working on their own projects.
- The John and Laurine Proud Fellowship and the Yulgilbar Fellowship allow for economy class travel between the fellow’s home institution and Lizard Island, for one trip only.
- The Isobel Bennett Marine Biology Fellowship allows applicants who are based at an Australian institution to claim for travel between that location and Lizard Island via Cairns but overseas applicants may claim only for travel between Cairns and Lizard Island. In both cases, travel for only a single trip may be claimed.
- Additional research expenses incurred at Lizard Island. These may include freight charges for food and equipment between Cairns to Lizard Island, communications, use of a larger boat for work at reefs away from the Lizard Island group, research consumables etc.

Field work must take place between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012.

The fellow is required to make an oral presentation about the research during a field trip at Lizard Island.

A report outlining progress of the project must be submitted within 30 days of the end of the fellowship year, that is, by 30 April 2012. The report must include details of expenditure of the fellowship funds.

Any funds unspent at the end of March 2012 must be returned to LIRS unless the LIRS directors approve carry-over arrangements.

If carry-over arrangements are approved, a concise final report must also be provided within 30 days of the final field trip.

Publications arising from the research must provide appropriate recognition of the fellowship, the funding source and the facilities provided by the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station.

Selection criteria:

Award of a PhD degree to the applicant between 1 January 2005 and 30 September 2010.
The applicant’s academic and research record.
Evidence that the applicant has relevant research and fieldwork experience.
A project that: (a) makes an original contribution to coral reef science, (b) is relevant to the Australian Museum’s Science Research Strategy, (c) makes substantial and effective use of LIRS facilities, and (d) uses fellowship funds effectively.
Feasibility of the proposed research within the limitations of budget and safety regulations.
If the fellowship does not cover all planned costs, evidence that additional funding is available.
Scientific leverage enabled by fellowship funding (e.g. involvement of postgraduate students and/or collaborators and/or other funding agencies).

Applications:

Applications must be submitted to Lizard Island Research Station using the form provided (see link below). A curriculum vitae is to be sent as a separate document. The documents should be sent as email attachments in Word or rich text format (not as pdf files). Applications will be assessed against the selection criteria.

To assist in preparing your application, please consult other sections of this web site to learn about LIRS facilities and the number of assistants you will need to bring to comply with the Station’s scuba diving and boating regulations. Use the indicative costs for bench fees and travel between Cairns and Lizard Island as provided in the application form.

Relevant dates:

Closing date for applications: 30 September 2010

Offers made to successful applicants: 31 January 2011

Funds available to begin field work at Lizard Island: 1 April 2011

Late applications and those in which word allowances are exceeded will not be considered. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by return e-mail. If you do not receive acknowledgement within three working days after sending your application, please contact the Research Station.

Contact:

Dr Lyle Vail and Dr Anne Hoggett, Directors
Lizard Island Research Station
PMB 37 CAIRNS QLD 4871
AUSTRALIA
Phone: + 61 7 4060-3977

For further fellowship details:

Scholarship Tags: 2011, Australian, Fellowship, Museum, Postdoctoral