Climate Actions

UAEU Climate Action Agenda

UAEU Post-Doctoral Fellowship on Climate Actions

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), established in 1976, is the first and most comprehensive research University in the country. The University is based in Al Ain City with its state-of-the-art campus, fully equipped with the most advanced educational and research facilities. 

Approximately 16,000+ students from 82 countries are currently enrolled in the university. The UAEU plays an active role in achieving and keeping pace with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations by supporting initiatives and projects seeking to achieve this ambitious vision. Many initiatives and research activities, related to SDGs, are currently in place within the different colleges and research centers of UAEU to support the national strategy for climate neutrality to reach the target of zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Description

The purpose of the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program on Climate Actions is to enhance and support the activities of the country to achieve its commitments towards the net zero initiative. The fellowship program provides seed money to recruit a highly qualified Post-Doctoral researcher, explore, test, and implement research ideas for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable solutions under the mentorship of a faculty member at UAE University. New and innovative contributions or methods to improve existing solutions and achieve sustainability and climate neutrality are welcomed. The UAEU Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program on Climate Actions aims to fund five research grants over the period 2024-2025. Each proposal will be internally and externally evaluated.  

The maximum amount of funding for each proposal submitted through this initiative is AED 650,000. For non-lab-based projects, the maximum budget should not exceed AED 600,000. The requested budget should be carefully thought as per the requirements of the project. The duration of the projects can be up to 2 years. The PIs can budget funds in the following categories:

• Support for personnel for post-docs (a maximum of AED 250,000 per year inclusive of health insurance, travel tickets, etc.)
• Materials, small equipment, consumables, or software (a maximum of 75,000 AED over the 2-year duration of the project.)
• Support for travels to attend SCOPUS conference with full length papers published in the proceedings (a maximum of AED 15,000).
• Collaboration in research with international universities/research institutes not including travels (a maximum of 30,000 AED annually)
• Fees of Q1 open access journals are covered.
• Subcontracts and Vendors are not permitted. IT equipment (Ex: Laptop, personnel computer, IPAD, telephone, camera, Keyboard, screen, mouse, scanner, printer, etc.) and software that are provided by the university are not covered. PIs should be used the available resources at the two universities. Major equipment, computers, and laptops are not covered. Stationery, Books, Vouchers and gifts are not covered.
• Funds are not transferable among the different items. The funds should be strictly used as per the identified categories.

#5

Research Grants

#2

Years Fellowship Duration

#650,000

AED for Lab based Projects

#600,000

AED for Non-Lab based Projects

What we offer

Annual Research Budget

Monthly Stipend

International Conference support

Open Access support for Q1 journals

International Collaboration Support

Eligibility to apply for the UAEU Post- Doctoral Fellowship

Applicants are expected to have the following qualifications.

• PhD degree from reputable University
• A proven record of achievements research
• Several Scopus indexed journal publications as first author/corresponding author
• Strong communication skills and fluency in English

In addition, a support letter from a UAEU host faculty should be included in the application.    

Initial Application

Candidates are required to submit a maximum of 2-page research proposal elaborating the new research contributions in the area of Climate actions or Sustainability. The research should help achieve climate neutrality. In addition to the 2-page proposal, the following documents should be attached.

• Copy of official certificates and transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (PhD, Master, and Bachelor degrees)
• A Detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) including list of publications
• Support letter from a UAEU host PI

The initial application should be sent by email to: sdg@uaeu.ac.ae

Detailed Proposal Submission

After the initial review by the research office, the applicant and host PI are informed about the status of the application.  Host PIs of the short-listed applicants are informed to submit the detailed proposal using the Grant Management System.    

Expected Outcomes and Deliverables

The outcomes of the two years Post-Doctoral program on climate actions are expected to be documented in a series of research articles published in reputable journals and mostly in top 10% Scopus journals. A final report must be submitted to the research office through the grant management system including all the published/under review research articles. In addition, a poster on the project is to be prepared and presented at the Sustainability Research Exhibit/Conference day to be held at the UAEU.

Timeline

Proposal announcement

July 1, 2023

Initial application deadline

August 7, 2023

Notification of acceptance/rejection of initial application

August 15, 2023

Detailed proposal submission deadline

September 22, 2023

Notification of acceptance/rejection of application

Nov 30 – Dec 12, 2023

Project start date

Jan 15, 2024

Proposal Review and Funding Criteria:

The submitted proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on the following:

1. The quality, significance, and relevance of the proposed research, including the potential to achieve Climate Change neutrality.
2. The originality and novelty of the proposed research approach.
3. The appropriateness of the requested funds and utilization of available resources.
4. The qualifications of the candidate and collaborators to carry out the proposed work successfully based on past accomplishments and future potential.
5. The quality of the proposal with respect to its presentation, clarity, organization, and completeness.
6. The relative intellectual and strategic merits of other proposals participating in the same competition.
7. The expected outcomes and impacts.

Guidelines for Completing Application Form

Abstract: 300 words,

Summarize the proposal in language that the public can understand. Briefly describe the nature of the work to be conducted. Indicate why is this research is important and anticipated outcomes to help achieve climate neutrality at UAE.  

Background: (maximum 3 pages)

This section describes the background and the current understanding of the literature pertaining to the problem addressed, the overall objectives/goals of the research proposed, and the experimental approach (research plan) proposed to accomplish those goals. In general, this section should address the following questions.

1) What work has already been done that is relevant to the research goals? Give a brief survey of prior research with appropriate citations.

2) What major research questions are currently unanswered that the project will address, and why is it important to address these?

3) Why is the proposed research likely to contribute to achieving climate neutrality?  

Aim and Objectives (maximum 1 Page)

Explain the research question(s) and hypotheses you intend to answer, or problems you will solve.

Preliminary Results (Maximum 2 pages)

Any preliminary data, or feasibility studies, should be provided to support the likelihood that the proposed work will be successful.

Specific Tasks and Time Schedule (maximum 6 pages):

The methods section may vary depending on the research to be conducted.  Explain how the results will be analyzed in order to answer the specific scientific questions. Describe the techniques you will use in sufficient details to allow the reviewers to judge whether the project will achieve the stated objectives. Provide sufficient information on the different tasks and the time schedule to complete each task. Define the role/contribution of each member of the team in each task.

Expected Outcomes: (Maximum 1 page)

Describe the new contribution/added value/outcomes of the project to achieve climate neutrality.   

• number of publications in journals and journals to be targeted;
• intellectual property;
• potential applications of the outcomes;
• development of a new methodology;
• improvement in a process

Requested Budget and Justification: Provide detailed budget and a complete Justification for each item.

Bibliography: List all the references cited.

Qualifications of the Candidate and other Collaborators: (Maximum 1 page). Briefly describe each member’s role in the project and highlight how their research experience will enable them to use the tools and methods required to meet project objectives. Each member’s description should be around two- three sentences in length. For a position “To be announced” (TBA), the required qualifications should be noted.

Supporting Letter from the Collaborator: A letter of support indicating the willingness of the PI and other collaborators to contribute to the activities of the project.  

Related Proposals:

Is this proposal or any of the activities included in it pending funding consideration by another sponsor at this time? (Yes, No). If yes, name the sponsor and expected dates of notification in the budget narrative

Other Active grants: Provide titles, the source of funding, total budget, duration, and your role in the project of all active grants on which your name appear. Moreover, provide a list of other grants obtained that are related to this application.

Curriculum Vitae: A short (2 pages maximum) curriculum vitae of the candidate, the PI and other collaborators (if any).