The Future Energy Systems Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Fellow Opportunity Award provides support to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to significantly enhance their career development and/or research. The project or activity must be relevant to the applicants’ career development and/or research area, but not necessarily closely linked to their thesis research.
Eligibility
- All full time graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who are part of the Future Energy Systems program at the University of Alberta are eligible to apply.
- Applicants are eligible to receive only one grant during their Future Energy Systems program(s).
Award Use
- A maximum of $3,000 will be allocated per successful application.
- All awarded funds must be expended within 6 months of the award notification.
- Funds must be used according to the application’s approved budget, with no substitutions allowed.
- Funds can be used for a variety of projects and activities; examples are extra-curricular courses, training in new techniques, travel to meet and train with experts, short courses, present at conferences or meetings, organization of professional activities, career development training, activities involving interactions with project partners or collaborators.
- Funds will not be awarded for research materials, equipment, and other direct research expenses; or for stipends, salaries, or other payments to the applicant.
Application Process and Deadlines
- Applicants will submit their online application to the Future Energy Systems office.
- Applications must be received by 4:00 pm on 31 March and 30 September of each year. The twice yearly applications are to provide timely opportunities and responses for your applications.
- Applications will be sent to the applicant’s supervisor(s) by Future Energy Systems.
- Applicants can apply for only one project or activity per application.
- Applicants must clearly describe how funds will support and significantly impact their career development and/or research.
- Applicants must indicate the funding needs in relation to timing of the project or activity.
- Applicants requesting funds for travel must include estimates from Maritime Travel as the university’s preferred supplier; current university travel policies apply.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for other funds they are eligible for such as GSA travel awards and FGSR travel awards to help cover travel costs.
Expense Payments and Final Report
- Expense payments or claims must adhere to University of Alberta policies and procedures. Recipients will receive detailed payment information in their award letter (email) which will be based on their submitted budget. The details will outline what methods of payments are acceptable based on the expense type.
- Original itemized receipts must be kept by the applicant and provided to the Future Energy Systems office for reimbursement.
- Applicants must email a report of no more than 750 words to Future Energy Systems no later than 30 days after the project/activity is completed. The report should indicate the work accomplished with the award, when it was accomplished, how it contributed to the applicants’ research and/or professional or career development, and a short financial statement detailing expenditures.
Adjudication
- Applications will be adjudicated by members of the Future Energy Systems administration team and Research Advisory Committee.
- Criteria are professional merit of the proposed project or activity, value added to the graduate student or post-doctoral experience, clarity of the application, and appropriateness of the budget.
Conference attendance requests for applicants to present their research (oral or poster) are an asset, relative to conference attendance without presentation. Those activities that are peripheral to or outside the Future Energy Systems project scope, but will improve the applicant’s experience and skills will also be considered assets.
To apply please fill out this form