Post-doctoral Fellowship Grants and Funding in North America Jordan Karubian UCLA

The Post-doc Paradox “Purgatory” or “the best year(s) of my life”? Purgatory: –Uncertain future, status and respect issues. Best Year(s) of My Life: –Little responsibility –Focus on research –Lots of freedom in your lifestyle

How to Fund It? Apply for an advertised position Obtain your own funding –Co-PI on a grant with a professor –PI on your own grant

Advertised positions An established scientist has already obtained funding for an established project. –Pros: Don’t have to worry about funding the position You step into an already established project with successful and established scientists This should increase quality of research and number of publications –Cons: You have a boss Potential for conflicts of interest, micro-managing, etc. Suggestion: elaborate a written agreement with post-doc advisor, speak to former advisees, etc.

Advertised Positions, contd. Teaching post-docs –Offered by departments and/or professors –Explicitly include teaching at least one class Pros: –Gain valuable teaching experience while continuing research Cons: –Teaching will detract from research –A good option if you plan to focus on teaching in the future

Funding Your Own Post-doc Write a grant with an established scientist –Identify appropriate collaborator and secure approval and involvement –Write the grant (NSF, NASA, NIH, large foundation or NGO) Pros: –Design your own project –Greater leverage in relationship with advisor Cons: –These proposals take a long time to write, have a long turn-around time, and are extremely competitive. –You need to start this early and have full support and active involvement of potential advisor

Funding Your Own Post-doc Get your own money International Research Fellowship –NSF, must work outside USA –2 years salary plus funding –You are the PI on this grant Fulbright Fellowship –Must work outside USA –Shorter term funding ( 1 yr max) –You are PI

Funding Your Own Post-doc Get your own money Smith Fellowship –Society for Cons Biology (formerly TNC) –2 years salary plus funding –Work must have conservation focus and take place within USA but applicants need not be from USA –Work closely with a mentor from a conservation-oriented NGO. University-specific opportunities with varying degrees of autonomy. National Association for University Women (NAUW)

Latin American Post-docs Most Latin Americans conduct post-docs abroad or with funding from abroad but there are also some good sources in Mexico. GOVERNMENT –Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) 1-3 yr, repatriation program for students who conducted their PhD abroad. INSTITUTIONS –Instituto de Ecología AC 1-2 yr, usually for people they are thinking of hiring UNIVERSITIES –UNAM, must identify faculty sponsor.

European post-docs Most are restricted to EU members, but there are some options for foreigners NATO Fellowships Marie Curie Fellowships However, the best option for research in Europe Is probably to get an NSF or other funding within your own country.

Research Funds: NGO’s National Geographic Society Research only, $15-25,000 per year. Wildlife Conservation Society Research Fellowship Research Only - $20,000 max

Research Funds: Foundations Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund –$20,000 / yr., conservation oriented project Conservation, Food and Health –$25,000 / yr., conservation oriented project Moore, MacArthur, Packard –Large projects, several years, multiple collaborators, conservation focus.

Research Funds: Zoos and Museums Usually smaller ($1 - 5,000) awards Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago Zoological Society Cleveland Metroparks Zoo American Museum of Natural History

Take Home Messages Plan your post-doc in the context of your future professional goals –Do you want to end up at a teaching college or an R-1? Start looking early –Identify suitable post-doc advisors and projects –Write them or introduce yourself early on Salary can be tough to find on your own but there are some sources: –NSF Intl. Research Fellowship –Smith Fellowship (Soc. For Cons. Biol.) –Fulbright Fellowship –University-specific opportunities

Acknowledgements Coro Arizmendi, Elena Berg (european specialist), Regina Macedo, Borja Mila, Katherine Renton, Oscar Rios Cardenas, Melissa Rowe, Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza,