L’Oreal–Unesco For Women In Science Levant And Egypt Fellowships

1. Introduction

L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant and Egypt fellowships program aims to promote the participation of young women in science coming from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine, and Syria. This program identifies and rewards talented young female scientists in the field of Life Sciences (such as biology, biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, physiology, neurosciences, biotechnologies, ecology and ethology) as well as Physical Sciences (such as physics, chemistry, petroleum engineering, mathematics, engineering sciences, information sciences, Earth and Universe sciences).

The Program honors five talented young Arab women researchers for the quality of their research works and encourages them to pursue a brilliant career in science in the Levant Countries and Egypt. Thus, 5 fellowships amounting to Ten thousand Euros (€ 10,000 or equivalent in local currency) each will be granted to Arab postdoctoral researchers working in a laboratory or research institute hosted in one of the following countries: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine, and Syria.

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant and Egypt fellowships are granted by the L’Oreal Foundation, L’Oreal Egypt and L’Oreal Liban SAL.

2. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following general criteria:

– Having obtained a PhD in one of the science fields mentioned in paragraph 1.

– Being of Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian or Egyptian nationality.

– Working in a Research Laboratory, Institute, or University in one of the countries mentioned in paragraph 1.

– Candidates must be no more than 40 years old by the end of the application period. This age limit will be extended by one or more years (maximum 45 years old) if the candidate has one or several children.

3. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria of the candidate by the jury are the following:

– The candidate’s outstanding academic record (including number, quality and impact of the publications, conference presentations, patents…).

– The scientific quality of the research project.

– The innovative nature and productivity of the research (relevant, original, unique…) and its application in science.

– The ability of the candidate to communicate and promote sciences to a younger audience and to encourage young Arab female scientists.

– The candidate’s career-path.

Fellowships are exclusively dedicated to the development of scientific research and can under no circumstance be a substitute to the duties of the laboratory vis-à-vis its researchers.

Fellowships are non-renewable and can be combined with other research grants.

4. Candidatures

Applications can only be made through the online platform: www.fwis.fr by the candidates themselves.

An application is considered complete only if it includes all below documents:

– Detailed Curriculum Vitae.

– Copies of the degrees or recent diplomas.

– A detailed project of maximum 2 pages, including:

o The research project description

o The proposed use of the grant and some budget indications

– Letters of recommendation from the research supervisor and/or the director of the scientific institution where the research project is carried or the Dean of the University under which the candidate is running her research.

– The list of publications and patents

Files which are incomplete or which are received after the deadline for application, as well as candidatures that do not meet the requirements mentioned above shall not be taken into consideration.

5. Fellows Selection

Candidates will be selected by the For Women in Science Levant and Egypt jury chaired by the President of jury, Professor Mouin Hamzé.

The results will be communicated by phone and email to the five fellows after deliberations of the jury in charge of granting the fellowships. They must remain confidential until the Fellowship Awards Ceremony.

The decision of the jury cannot be contested or subject to explanation or justification.

6. Fellows Commitment

Fellows must commit to:

– Pursue the research work for which the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant and Egypt Fellowship was obtained, failing that, the total amount of the fellowship must be immediately refunded to the L’Oreal entity that granted the amount. .

– Within one year after receiving their fellowships, fellows are expected to submit a status report on the awarded research project to L’Oreal Liban SAL.

– Within one year after receiving their fellowships, Fellows are expected to submit to L’Oreal Liban SAL a final financial expenditure statement on the actual fellowship expenditure incurred on the research project.

– The awarded fellows will be expected to attend the Fellowship Awards Ceremony that will be held between end of October and mid November 2015. Attendance is mandatory. The travel and accommodation expenses for fellows will be covered by L’Oreal Liban SAL.

The payment of the fellowships will be made directly to the fellows after the Fellowship Awards Ceremony, and after having signed the contract and received the original documents for the wire transfer of funds. The fellowships are not transferable for any other purpose whatsoever.

7. Communication

Fellows shall mention the Fellowship “L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant and Egypt Fellowship”, in all publications and other forms of media communication, including media appearances, press releases and conferences, that result from or are in any way connected to the research project wherever possible. Fellows must inform L’Oreal Liban SAL of any publications and other forms of media communication as above.

Fellows agree to be photographed, filmed and interviewed for noncommercial objectives and For Women in Science program related purposes. These photos, videos and texts will be used in publications and audiovisual means including but not limited to written press, television, internet, photographs and brochures including distribution to the media in the Levant countries, Egypt and worldwide. A separate written authorization shall be signed by each of the fellows. Fellows will not receive any remuneration for such promotional activity.

8. Provisional Timetable

 Application opening date: 2nd of March 2015

 Application closing date: 7th of June 2015

 Screening of Applications and attribution to the jury: from 8th to 12th of June 2015

 First review of applications by the jury: from 14th June to 2nd of August 2015

 Second review of applications by the jury for semi-finalists: from 3rd to 16th of August 2015

 Selection of fellows and announcement of the winners: 3rd week of August 2015

 Fellowship Awards Ceremony: Between end of October and mid of November 2015. The exact date will be announced later one.

9. Rules and Regulations

By applying to L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Levant and Egypt Fellowships, candidates agree to the rules and regulations posted on the online platform www.fwis.fr.

Read More and to apply visit http://www.fwis.fr/en/user_session/new