SANBI: Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund (Postgraduate) 2019 in Cape Town

The Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund was established in 2018 to recognise academic achievement of young professionals and to provide financial support to pursue practical training or postgraduate studies in relevant biodiversity fields.

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is pleased to announce a call for applications for Honours, Masters and Doctoral scholarships for full time studies in 2019.

Projects:

Only projects relevant to SANBI’s mandate and identified as a priority will be considered. For other projects, please contact us before submitting an application to check if your proposal is suitable.

Please see a list for specific research projects below:

• Changing tree cover and the provision of ecosystem services in South African savannas
• Drivers of divergence in floral traits in the annual Dimorphotheca pluvialis-sinuata complex
• Effect of sugar water feeders on natural sunbird and Erica populations
• Generic circumscriptions within the Cape endemic tribe Stilbeae (Stilbaceae).
• Invertebrates and grazing in the Karoo
• Mapping and assessment of the change in vegetation biomass using remote sensing within a key biome in South Africa and the Prince Edward islands
• Phylogeny, taxonomy and chemistry of Alepidea (Apiaceae, Apioideae, Saniculeae)
• Species differentiation in the annual Dimorphotheca pluvialis-sinuata complex using next-generation RAD-seq (SNP) data
• Species-level phylogenetics in Osteospermum (Asteraceae)
• Species-level systematics in Dimorphotheca (Asteraceae)
• Systematics and pollination biology of Lasiosiphon (Aizoaceae, Ruschioideae) – could also be at Doctoral level
• Systematics of African Vernonieae (Asteraceae)
• Systematics of the Antimima clade (Aizoaceae, Ruschioideae) – could also be at Doctoral level
• Systematics of the genus Braunsia (Rhuschioideae, Aizoaceae)
• Taxonomic studies in Drosanthemum (Aizoaceae, Ruschioideae, Drosanthemeae)
• Taxonomy of Hammeria and the Antimima minima group (Aizoaceae, Ruschioideae)
• Wild honey bees’ contribution to biodiversity economy, food security and a consideration for sustainable harvesting.

Requirements:

Candidates must be pro-active, enthusiastic, and interested in doing excellent research that can make a difference. These scholarships are only available to South African citizens and will be awarded in line with national equity targets. Students need to apply for university programmes themselves (only at universities in the Western Cape) and the scholarship is conditional upon them securing their placement in a postgraduate programme and have provisional acceptance from prospective academic supervisors, of which one should be from SANBI.

Conditions:

• Existing studies will not be supported
• Only full time studies will be supported
• Applicants must be South African citizens
• Applicants must register at universities in the Western Cape
• Applicants must reside in the Western Cape for the duration of the studies
• Applicants must not be employed
• Only research projects in line with the SANBI mandate will be considered
• Applicants must not hold other scholarships/bursaries.

Scholarship values: (to cover living expenses and university fees)

• Honours: R80 000 for one year only
• Masters: R120 000/year for two years
• Doctoral: R150 000/year for three years

Project running expenses will be covered separately and will vary depending on the project. 

How to apply

Application procedure:

Each application is to be accompanied by a standard application cover sheet – attached.

Applications are to include a letter of interest; full CV; certified copies of academic record/transcript and highest qualification; as well as ID and driver’s license;  a project outline; two letters of academic reference; a letter from prospective supervsior indicating willingness to supervise and provisional registration from the university. Send all documents to students@sanbi.org.za with “Joan Wrench Scholarship Fund studentships” in the subject line.

Please do not apply online for this scholarship. Please send your application to: students@sanbi.org.za.

Enquiries:
Dr Ferozah Conrad
Email: f.conrad@sanbi.org.za

Ms René du Toit
Email: r.dutoit@sanbi.org.za

Successful candidates will be notified by 1 October 2018.

SANBI reserves the right not to fill these scholarships. If no response has been received within 30 days of the closing date, candidates may assume that their applications were unsuccessful.