The Europe Africa Marine Earth Observation Network (EAMNet: www.eamnet.eu) project part funded by the European Commission announces its Second Open Fellowship Programme. This programme is designed to promote training and capacity building in Africa in support of GOOS-Africa (the Global Ocean Observing System in Africa: http://www.iocgoos.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewGroupRecord&groupID=39) and “GMES and Africa”. A final call will be released in spring 2012.

Who can apply?

This fellowship program is open to scientists, technicians, graduate students (PhD) and post doctoral fellows involved in oceanographic work at centres in any African country. Note that priority will be given to applicants in early stages of career development. This is not a pure research fellowship and instead its main purpose is to advance the aims of GOOS-AFRICA.

What does the fellowship offer?

It offers the opportunity for African scientists from any marine focussed institution to visit any appropriate African or European oceanographic centre for a short period (1 to 3 months) to gain experience on aspects of oceanographic observations, analyses, and interpretation related to Earth Observation. Recipients are required to write-up their experience in the form of a report. Recipients may be given the opportunity to present results of the visit at the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) conference in 2012.

What are the Priority Areas?

Priority will be given to applications that deal with GOOS-AFRICA areas of interest, examples include:

• Exploiting EO data received via GEONETCast or EUMETCast systems (or via the internet) for the benefit of a local African user community;
• Providing an African focus and user requirements for construction of an application of a GMES service;
• Spreading best practice in operational oceanography and data visualisation e.g. following INSPIRE guidelines;
• Exploiting data from existing in situ measurement programmes in relation to EO data available through EAMNet;
• Validation of EO data using existing in situ data to provide assurance on EO data quality;
• Time series analysis of biogeochemical and relevant satellite-derived data.

What are the terms?

1. The fellowship will provide international airfare and subsistence allowance for the fellowship period (the actual amount will be tailored to meet local conditions, but will not exceed Euro 1000 per month).

2. The trainee’s institute will bear all expenses incurred by the fellow in his/her own nation (domestic travel, visa costs, etc.), and the host institute will waive any bench fees that they may normally charge trainees.

3. EAMNet does not cover any of the expenses related to the training itself.

More details regarding the terms of fellowship are provided in the application form.

How does one apply?

Fellowship applicants should complete and submit the application form given below. Only applications that are complete in all respects will be considered for the Fellowship.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to liaise with the potential host institute and agree the placement conditions (preferred dates etc) and this information, including the contact details of the Host Supervisor, are required on the form below. A list of possible host institutes, who are partners in the EAMNet project, is available on the EAMNet website (http://www.eamnet.eu/cms/?q=node/6), including several African partners. We are particularly keen to support Africa-to-Africa exchanges and would welcome applications of this
nature.

Once your application has been received it will be reviewed by the EAMNet selection committee and we will aim to contact you with their decision by the end of December 2011.

Deadline: The deadline for applications is 28 October 2011.