SANBI: Biological Invasions Bursaries 2023

South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) invites South African students to apply for Bursaries Programme 2023 academic year.

Bursary Application closing date  is 04 November 2022

2 x Hons; 6 x Masters; 3 x Doctoral

Bursaries are available to conduct research as part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s work on biological invasions. Projects relevant to one of SANBI’s focus areas will be considered (status report and monitoring; incursion detection and response planning; eradication planning and co-ordination; risk analysis; and taxonomy). For more details see the following resources:

• https://doi.org/10.1590/sajs.2013/20120111
• http://iasreport.sanbi.org.za/
• The Alien Species Risk Analysis Review Panel

For potential projects see here

For other projects, please contact us before submitting an application to check if your proposal is suitable.

Bursary values: Bursaries values will be awarded in line with SANBI and DFFE policies regarding post-graduate student bursaries.  Applicants for Masters or Doctoral bursaries can be considered for a one-year project development internship should the applicant be unlikely to finish their studies within the prescribed period of time. In such cases, a candidate may be offered an internship interview.  A project development intern is expected to re-apply for a bursary the following year.

Requirements and Running costs: Candidates must be pro-active, enthusiastic, and interested in doing excellent research that will help improve our understanding and management of biological invasions. Bursaries are only available to South African citizens registered at universities in South Africa and will be awarded in line with national equity targets and the need to diversify the research landscape (students to be based at historically disadvantaged or new public higher education institutions are encouraged to apply). All students need to apply to a university themselves and the bursary is conditional upon them securing their position in such a programme. Project running expenses are covered separately to the bursaries and vary depending on the project. Funding either for registration of part-time studies or for running costs of other projects may be considered providing the project is strongly aligned to SANBI’s mandate and all the documents is provided.

How to apply

Application procedure:

Applicants must fill in an application form and send the following documents to: students@sanbi.org.za; sanbi.dbi.bursaries@gmail.com

1. a one-page project outline for Honours applications or a two-page project outline for Masters and Doctoral applications;
2. a full CV; letters of reference from two academic supervisors;
3. a statement of support from a prospective academic supervisor;
4. a statement of support from a SANBI staff member who is to act as a contact or co-supervisor;
5. a certified copy of academic record;
6. a certified copy of highest degree;
7. a certified copy of ID

All documents to be submitted as a single pdf file.

Subject: SANBI Biological Invasions Bursary application

E-mails must be <20MB.

For academic queries please contact Prof John Wilson (jrwilson@sun.ac.za)

For questions about the application process please contact Ms René du Toit (r.dutoit@sanbi.org.za)