GENERAL INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
The 2012 Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellowship in Molecular Evolution will be offered to support research on molecular evolution and analytical methods in evolution at the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian's molecular research facilities are located at National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and the National Zoological Park (NZP) in the Washington, D.C. area, and at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in the Republic of Panama but collaboration with other facilities (SERC, MCI, etc.) is encouraged and potential advisors/hosts may be from any of the Smithsonian’s various Museums and Research Institutes. Applicants interested in conducting research at these facilities are strongly encouraged to contact potential advisors/hosts prior to proposal preparation and submission. Please consult the research staff listing at www.si.edu/research+study.
PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Qualifications for Application
Applicants must propose to conduct research at the Smithsonian Institution for a period of 12 to 24 months. Applicants must have completed or be near completion of the Ph.D. Recipients who have not completed the Ph.D. at the time of application must provide proof of completion of the degree before the fellowship begins.
No employee or contractor of the Smithsonian Institution may hold a Smithsonian fellowship during the time of his/her employment or contract, nor may an award be offered to any person who has been employed by or under contract to the Institution in the previous year, without the prior approval of the Office of Fellowships.
Applicants whose native language is not English are expected to have the ability to write and converse fluently in English. All application materials must be presented in English (foreign transcripts may be translated, see page 5 below).
Application Submission and Deadline
All applications must be submitted by January 15, 2012 at https://solaa.si.edu.
Notification of decisions will be made on April 15, 2012.
Proposals Involving the Use of Live Animals
Applicants who wish to conduct research using live animals must submit their
proposals for review by one of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees
(IACUC). Review for animal welfare concerns and approval of procedures by
one of these committees must occur before a fellowship can begin.
Applicants who wish to conduct research at the National Zoological Park must
discuss their research with proposed mentors to clarify any potential issues
with Institutional Animal Care and Use process. Applicants to other Smithsonian
Museums and Research Institutes should contact their advisor to determine the
appropriate procedures for that unit.
Criteria for Selection
Applications are evaluated
and fellows are selected, by scholars in appropriate fields, on the basis
of the proposal’s merit, the applicant’s ability
to carry out the proposed research and study, the likelihood that the research
could be completed in the requested time, and the extent to which the Smithsonian,
through its research staff members and resources, could contribute to the proposed
research. Included in the proposal evaluation will
be it's relevance in terms of the Smithsonian’s
Strategic Plan and how the research reflects one or more of the Four Grand
Challenges outlined in the plan (see details at http://www.si.edu/Content/Pdf/About/SI_Strategic_Plan_2010-2015.pdf ). The
number of appointments made each year is determined by the availability of
funds for the program. The Smithsonian Fellowship Program does not discriminate
on grounds of race, creed, sex, age, marital status, condition of handicap,
or national origin of any applicant.
Conditions of Appointment
Molecular Evolution fellowships are awarded for periods of 12 to 24 months in accordance with the applicant's proposal for the research. Less tenure time than requested may be offered if the time period proposed is considered by reviewers to be more than required, and/or according to the availability of funds. A major portion of the appointee’s research must be conducted at the Smithsonian. In accepting an appointment, the fellow will be expected to devote full‑time effort to the research proposed.
Financial support, in addition to a Smithsonian fellowship, for such purposes as research travel and equipment may be received from other sources provided that no special demands are made upon the fellow's time. Permission to receive additional stipend support must be requested in writing from the Office of Fellowships and Internships.
Tenure periods must begin between June 1, 2012 and March 1, 2013. It is important that applicants consider the following factors carefully when choosing the dates for the proposed fellowship: their academic schedule; completion dates of their dissertation; the schedule of their proposed advisor/host and the availability of required resources. The dates of tenure proposed in the application (and any change of dates if the fellowship is awarded) should be selected in agreement with the proposed principal advisor. Appointments must begin on the 1st or 15th of the month.
In submitting an application for a fellowship at the Institution, the applicant
does not incur any obligation to accept the appointment if selected.
Use of Smithsonian Facilities
Fellows will be provided with space to conduct their research within the department
in which they are working. Applicants should consult in advance with their
proposed advisor(s) regarding the availability of facilities and necessary
equipment. The amount of support services available to the fellow will be determined
by the workload of the department and the policy of the department chairperson
and/or unit director. Fellows have access to the Smithsonian Institution
Libraries with privileges which include borrowing library materials, interlibrary
loans, intralibrary loans, document delivery, database searching, and reference
assistance.
Stipends and Allowances 2012 - 2013
The stipend for Molecular Evolution Fellows is based on $45,000 per year and is prorated for periods between 12 and 24 months. In addition to the stipend, a travel allowance to assist with the fellow’s temporary relocation to the Smithsonian is offered. Research supplies will be provided by the host unit.
To the extent possible, all equipment and supplies necessary to complete the research will be provided by the host department, but applications should include a budget detailing the project’s research equipment needs and explain any other anticipated sources of support. This budget should not include costs for relocation to the Smithsonian, which are awarded separately. Travel or living expenses of dependents are not provided.
All funds provided under Smithsonian fellowships, including stipends and research
and travel allowances, are subject to tax.
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