Fulbright Program Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

12618-BR

Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award

Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award in Marine Biology and Oceanography

Brazil

Western Hemisphere

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Award Details

Award Activity

The scholar will be expected to collaborate and interact with faculty, postdocs, graduate, and undergraduate students in the field of Oceanography, Marine Biology, Ecology, and Geology. In addition to performing research, this interaction can include teaching activities in the graduate programs of Ecology, Geology, and Environment and Development. Teaching activities should not exceed three hours per week.

The host institution, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), supports cutting-edge research that provides novel insights on how the ocean and marine life deal with synergistic impacts of global climate change and local-scale stressors. Such research encompasses a wide range of disciplines from the molecular to the habitat level and includes empirical, experimental, and modeling approaches.

For further information about this award, please visit the Fulbright Commission website.

Scholars selected for this award will be required to:

Conduct a research project of the applicant’s choosing

Award Length and Period

Three to four months; for Flex awards see Flex description

First possible start date: July 1, 2022

Last possible end date: September 30, 2023

Be aware that most institutions take a recess between December and January. For Flex awards, please see the Flex Option section.

Locations

Oceanography and Limnology Department at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), campus of Natal.

Marine Biology and Oceanography, focusing on Marine Geology, Fisheries, and Biodiversity, are among the research priorities at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), campus of Natal, located on the Northeastern shore of Brazil.

Much of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean's dynamics and biodiversity remains to be unraveled, likewise its future trajectories facing current threats. Given the climate crisis and its impacts on marine ecosystems and considering the beginning of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the university aims to strengthen and expand marine research focusing on quality and impact.

Flex Option

Yes

Flex Description

Flex awards allow the stay to be split into two visits of two months each between July 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023. There must be a period of at least two months between the two in-country stays.

Discipline Type

Only projects in the following disciplines will be considered

Disciplines

Biology

Oceanography

Areas of Interest

- Marine biology
- Climate change and ocean dynamics
- Experimental and modeling approaches on the impacts of ocean warming and acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems
- Marine pollution: heavy metals, contaminants, sewage, plastic waste
- Molecular ecology of marine organisms: microbiomes, holobionts, population connectivity, evolution, and gene expression
- Patterns and processes in marine community ecology and ecosystem functioning
- Geohabitat mapping and benthic habitats

Special Features

For the award period, UFRN will arrange housing at no additional cost for the scholar. Estimated housing costs at a medium priced hotel or Airbnb in a good location is U$ 1,200 per month. UFRN will also provide an English speaking student to help the scholar settle in.

Award Requirements

Application Requirements

Invitation Requirement

A letter of invitation should not be sought.

Invitation Requirement Additional Information

Candidates are encouraged to contact the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) to discuss their research projects and plans and explore common interests.

Feel free to direct any project-related questions to professor Guilherme Longo at UFRN Oceanography and Limnology Department. Please copy the Fulbright Commission on your UFRN messages.

You will not be at a disadvantage if you do not communicate with UFRN before applying.

Language Proficiency Requirements

None, English is sufficient.

Applicant Profile

Additional Qualification Information

Preference for tenured faculty.

Additional Information

In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars will be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities‎.

Contacts and Helpful Links

Fulbright Brazil

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)

Stipend & Benefits

Award Allowances

The scholar will receive a fixed sum of US$ 5,400 per month to cover all expenses but housing. The Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) will arrange housing for the award period at no additional cost to the scholar. Estimated housing costs at a medium priced hotel or Airbnb in a good location is U$ 1,200 per month.

Estimated Travel and Relocation Allowance for Grantee

Scholars who opt for two visits of two months each (Flex award) will receive a total of US$ 2,400 for two international roundtrip tickets. Scholars on three or four-month awards will receive US$ 1,500 for an international roundtrip ticket.

Additional Dependent Benefits

All beneﬁts are for the scholar only; there are no additional beneﬁts for dependents.

Special Award Benefits

UFRN will arrange housing for the award period at no additional cost for the scholar. Estimated housing costs at a medium priced hotel or Airbnb in a good location is U$ 1,200 per month. It will also provide an English speaking student to help the scholar settle in.

During their grant period, Fulbright U.S. Scholars in the Western Hemisphere (WHA) region may apply for a short-term regional travel grant for activities such as workshops, seminars, presentations, lectures, performances, exhibits, curricular advising, and similar projects, at institutions in eligible WHA countries (Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, México, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay). The Regional Travel Program covers travel to and from the destination; lodging may be offered by the hosting institution. Scholars may only apply for this grant once in country on their Fulbright grant. Scholars who apply for the Flex award are ineligible for the Regional Travel Program. Additional information can be found at the Regional Travel Program website.

Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.

Country/Area Overview

Summary

Up to 41 awards are available to Brazil. This includes up to 30 All Disciplines awards for early and mid-career scholars, professionals, artists, and 11 Distinguished Scholar Awards in all regions in Brazil. The Distinguished Scholar Awards are opportunities for mid-career and senior academics with experience in Marine Biology and Oceanography, Medical Sciences, Public Policy, Sustainability, Urban Renewal, and the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Fulbright Interdisciplinary Network (FIN)

To promote proficuous dialogues about contemporary issues in the Brazilian context from a U.S. perspective, the Fulbright Commission and the U.S. Embassy in Brazil have created the Fulbright Interdisciplinary Network (FIN). FIN is an opportunity for Distinguished Scholars to connect with five Brazilian universities during the award period and enrich their experience through online and onsite discussions, working collaboratively with faculty, and advising students from all regions of Brazil.

What is life like for Fulbrighters in your country?

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, and it is similar in size to the continental United States. It is also the largest country in South America and the largest Portuguese-speaking country globally, with around 211 million people and 43% living in its Southeast region. As to ethnic background, like the United States, Brazil has a very diverse population. According to the Brazilian Statistics Bureau, Brazilians self-identify as White (42.7%), two or more races (46.8%), Black (9.4%), and of Indigenous or Asian descent (1.1%). The most important economic sectors are agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and services. Despite the poverty reduction achievements over the last decades, inequality remains at high levels in one of the world's largest democracies and economies.

After achieving universal coverage in primary education, Brazil is now struggling to improve the educational system's quality and outcomes, especially at the lower and upper secondary levels.

Brazil has a wide range of higher education institutions with over 200 universities, 3,472 master’s programs, and doctoral programs with 122,000 graduate students. There are currently over 37,000 research groups around the country, with more than 200,000 researchers. Its leading research centers in Agriculture, Energy, Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences, and Epidemiology attract scholars and students worldwide. Among the top 20 universities listed in the Times Higher Education 2020 ranking, 13 are from Brazil. Also, Brazil is responsible for 52% of Latin American publications in indexed journals, which places the country as fourteenth worldwide by the Scimago Journal and Country Rank.

The extended coverage of Fulbright U.S. Programs in the country has been possible thanks to the significant contributions from Brazilian strategic partners such as the Brazilian Government through the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES).

Application Deadline

Closed

Activity Type

Research

Research includes activities involving scientific research, qualitative research, quantitative research, and practice-based research, including artistic research. Research can take place in locations such as the laboratory, the field, the archives, or an artist residency. It can be experimental, clinical, or applied. It can include examining policies, systems, theories, methods, interactions, and works of art and music, with the objective to evaluate or develop new knowledge or works. Quantifiable (tangible) outcomes can include publications (books, journal articles, scripts, etc.), conference presentations, artistic and musical compositions, exhibitions, performances, films, and patents.

Degree Requirements

Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) required

Career Profile

Mid-Career Academics

Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than seven, and less than 13, years.

Senior Academics

Awards are open to those who have been working in the capacity of a teacher or scholar for more than 13 years.

Number of Recipients

Program Staff

Michelle Bolourchi

Outreach and Recruitment Specialist

Phone:

202-326-7753

Email:

westhem@iie.org

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