The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), in collaboration with the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) has launched the search for its 2022 Antarctic Fellowship recipient.
The $15,000 USD fellowship, funded by IAATO and now in its fourth year is an investment in the professional development of talented early career scientists and researchers and aims to further the understanding of human presence in Antarctica.
Amanda Lynnes, Director of Environment and Science Coordination for IAATO, said: “The launch of the annual Antarctic Fellowship is a highlight of the year. Our hope is it will encourage the involvement of early career persons in Antarctic research endeavours and boost international cooperation. This is in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty and, as part of that, we welcome applications that aim to further understanding of human presence in Antarctica.”
IAATO joins other Antarctic organisations in announcing fellowships today. COMNAP is also offering one fellowship with funding of up to USD $15,000 for 2022. Both the IAATO and COMNAP fellowships will enable early-career persons to work with a project team from another country, creating new opportunities and often partnerships that last for many years and over many Antarctic field seasons. The deadline for the COMNAP and IAATO fellowship applications is June 30, 2022.
Following the recent launch of the Polar Initiative the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has funded an additional Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) fellowship. As a result, SCAR will offer in total four to five fellowships of up to USD $15,000 each for 2022. The details for the SCAR scheme will be similar to previous years but with the opportunity for applicants to propose partly or entirely remote fellowships to reflect the impact of Covid19-related travel restrictions. The deadline for the SCAR fellowship applications is August 31, 2022.
The IAATO Antarctic Fellowship was launched in 2019, and allowed two recipients, both working on their PhDs, to pursue their research; Martina Mascioni from the University of La Plata, Argentina, analysing phytoplankton samples collected from IAATO vessels since 2017 by a citizen science project called FjordPhyto, and Daniela Cajiao Vargas from the Autonomous University of Madrid researching two different sectors of Antarctic travel to explore how visiting Antarctica affects one’s experience and understanding of the region.
The 2022 Fellow, Ross Nichols from the University of California, Santa Cruz, is furthering research to will help vessel operators minimise the risk of whale ship-strikes around the Antarctic Peninsula. IAATO has a special area spanning 22,000km along the peninsula that requires its operators to slow down for whales. By looking in more detail at whale and vessel behaviour, it is hoped Ross’s research will inform management decisions about vessel operations in the region.
All opportunities are being jointly promoted by the organisations involved. For more information, visit: