BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
1996 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
THEME 1
Deadline for Applications: 24 November 1996 (Postmark)
1. The OECD Research Programme will award fellowships in 1996 to scientists
willing to carry out research a broad on the following topic:
SAFE EXPLOITATION OF MACRO-ORGANISMS IN PLANT/SOILS YSTEMS
Microbes carry out a range of beneficial functions in the soil/plant ecosystem
including the promotion of plant growth, the biocontrol of pests and diseases
and the bioremediation of toxic or waste substances. Other micro-organisms
can be harmful to the environmentby being toxic to plants, animals or even
humans. The newer techniques arising from molecular biology and immunology
open the opportunity fora more critical appraisal of microbial population
dynamics and any associated benefits or hazards. As well as studying
critically the behaviour of micro-organisms in the natural environment,it is
useful to consider whether their action can be enhanced by inoculation. To
succeed, it is important to consider how the organisms should be produced and
delivered to the environment, including economical aspects, and to evaluate
their survival and enetic stability under various soil conditions.
Applications for OECD fellowships are now sought to facilitate bi- or
multi-national cooperation.
Eligible topics are:
--Methods for molecular ecology, particularly of the rhizosphere
--Identification of physicochemical aspects of the soil environment which
regulate microbial function.
--Risk analysis and toxicology of the use of micro-organisms, including
those which have been genetically modified.
--Production and delivery of microbial inocula
--Reduction of the load of chemical pesticides, fertilizers and organic
wastes on the soil ecosystem.
--Assessment of biodiversity in plant/soil systems.
Further information about specific topics of this theme can be obtained
from the programme co-ordinator: Prof. J.M.Lynch, Head, School of
Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 5XH
(United Kingdom). tel: (44) 1 483 259 721, FAX: (44) 1 483 259 728.
2. Interested researchers are kindly requested to request appropriate
forms for proposal submissions from the following national correspondent:
Dr. Patricia D. Millner
U.S. Dept. Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory
10300 Baltimore Blvd., Building 318, Rm 108
Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
FAX: 301-504-8370
All completed forms and documentation must be returned to the OECD
Research Programme Office in Paris, France and be postmarked by 24
November 1995.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Fellowships may be from 2-26 weeks
2. Applicants must be citizens of one of the participating countries and
the collaborating host institution must be located in another
participating country:
AUSTRIA, AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, CANADA, DENMARK, FINLOAND, FRANCE, GERMANY,
GREECE, HUNGARY, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY,
PORTUGAL, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, TURKEY.
3. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) at the time of
departure and hold a permanent position. Fellowships may also be awarded
to experienced research scientiests not holding a doctorate.
4. The application form must be typed, in English, in full detail (all
questions answered). Before submitting, please obtain an acceptance
letter from the Institution which you would like to visit, indicating the
proposed time period of the visit. N.B. An application will not be
considered complete unless it is received by the OECD in two copies, by
mail (no FAX copies accepted), and postmarked by 24 November 1995.
5. Award decisions will be made in January 1996. Departure for the
prosed visit must be no earlier than 15 February: and travel arrangements
for all fellows departing in 1996 must be completed before 30 November
1996, although departure may be until the end of the year.
6. Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows must send a brief written
summary of the main results of their research work and visit in two
copies to the OECD Secretariat, with a list of papers resulting from the
collaboration in preparation or in press.
7. Scientiests already holding a position in a foreign laboratory are
not eliglible to apply to remain in that laboratory.
8. A five-year delay is required between grants to the same scientist.
9. A time extension beyond the initial grant cannot be considered.
10. Fellowships may comprise:
a) Travelling expenses of the fellow only based on a return
inexpensive class air ticket (ecnomic cloass or APEX). Each applicant is
requested to submit a provisional travel budge. If required, a prepaid
ticket can be provided.
b) A subsistence allowance of 2400 FF or 2800 FF equivalent per
week, depending on the host country, if no other support is available.
(Availability of other support which might eliminate or reduce this
payment by the OECD will be considered favourably in deciding the
awards). In general, the subsistence allowance is made available to the
fellow at the time of arrival at the receiving laboratory in the form of
a cheque in the currency of the host country.
11. The following are not covered:
Bench fees and other incidental laboratory fees
Insurance of any kind.
12. Proposal descriptions for very short-term fellowships are one-half
to one full page in length. For felloships of more than three months'
duration, at least one full-page, detailed description is required.
Also, the form will request a short (1-2 paragraph) discussion of how
your proposed study relates to the aims of the OECD Programme.
13. Other Theme areas are:
Theme 2 - Quality of Animal Production
Theme 3 - Utilization and Ecology of New Organisms
Theme 4 - Surface and Ground Water Quality and Agricultural Practices.
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