As part of the Commonwealth Marine Plastics Research & Innovation Framework (MPRIF), through generous funding from Waitrose & Partners, the ACU is launching a second round of our Blue Charter Fellowship Programme that will provide 10 academic fellows with placements of up to 6-months at ACU member universities across the Commonwealth, as well as in industry.

Moreover, These fellowships will support world-class research and innovation in marine plastics and help fulfill the objectives of the MPRIF. Research and research translation areas will cover the broad area of marine plastics. Further,  specifically the following priority areas of the MPRIF:

preventing plastics from getting into the sea
developing alternatives to plastics
the potential for cleaning up the seas

Benefit

• Fellows will receive a grant of up to £14,000 GBP to cover travel, accommodation, sustenance, travel insurance, vaccinations and visa costs.
• All fellows will also receive a research grant of £4,000 GBP for research costs associated with the Fellowship.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be Post-PhD research staff or PhD students at ACU member institutions in any Commonwealth country.
• Applications from early career researchers (ECRs) are particularly welcomed. Early career is defined as current PhD students, researchers up to 10 years post-PhD. Also, researchers who are returning to academic work following a career break.
• Applicants from any discipline, as long as they can demonstrate how their work relates to one or more of the three areas outlined above.
• Further, The fellowship must take place at an ACU member institution, or in industry, outside the fellow’s country of residence. A list of institutions and supervisors who have expressed interest in hosting a Fellow is available on the Host Institutions page.
• be highly proficient and motivated researchers.
• Additionally, the research topic is innovative, timely, and likely to lead to a wider impact beyond the academic community.
• Applicants must submit proof that the host institution is happy to host their fellowship as part of the application process.
• Priority to :  Asia or Small Island Developing States (SIDS)