POSITION OVERVIEW
In partnership with the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), the Quantum Leap Africa Research Centre is pleased to invite promising African PhD students who are at an advanced stage of their research, and researchers with at least a PhD qualification in the field of data science and its related disciplines, to apply for the AIMS-Carnegie Small Research Grants in Data Science and its Applications.
With data being the fuel of the 21 st century, data scientists and scientists in related disciplines have a significant role to play in unlocking information embedded in the growing amount of data, in order to drive research-based decision making, scientific advancement and technological breakthroughs. This was indeed highlighted by the President and CEO of the AIMS Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI) and the Next Einstein Forum on: Accelerating Innovation in Africa at the Johnson & Johnson coLaboratory in Davos, January 2019, when he said “innovation is the outcome of profound technological and scientific thinking”. For data to effectively enable African countries ‘leapfrog’ into the next revolution and take the lead in scientific innovation and breakthroughs, researchers in the discipline most find innovative approaches to better capture and document data from all sources; rapidly curate and interpret the increasing volume of data; thereafter, work with relevant stakeholders to increase uptake of valuable information extricated from this data.
Passionate and highly motivated data scientists are invited to apply for grants of up to USD 12,000 to further research or industry-type ideas in the area of data science and its related disciplines. In 2019, nine cutting-edge projects which can be undertaken within a period of 6 – 12 months will be funded at a non-reoccurring cost of USD 12 000 per recipient.
This Small Research Grants Program was made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the government of Rwanda, and it is administered by Quantum Leap Africa (QLA) at AIMS Rwanda.
Kindly click on this link to download the complete call for applications.
- REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Applicants should be of African descent but could be residing anywhere in the world.
- Applicants could be PhD students who have made significant progress in their research, or must hold a PhD degree in data science or related disciplines that contribute to the field of data science e.g. quantum, data engineering, mathematics, statistics, computing, big data, artificial intelligence, among others.
- Applicants should demonstrate evidence of research in data science and its related disciplines with applications of mathematical concepts, or in mathematical sciences with practical applications to data science and its related disciplines.
- Proposed projects could be of a fundamental, applied or applicable type. Applicants should demonstrate an ability to translate their concepts into applicable solutions or recommendations, particularly for proof-of-concept, pilot, industry-led, policy-, and community- driven projects.
- Applicants with at least a postdoctoral standing could apply for funds to support the establishment of a research group. In this regard, they should demonstrate expertise or ability to (co-)supervise Master’s and/or PhD students. Such a research group/team could be established in collaboration with a senior project advisor. The Grantee must have a recognized (co-)supervisory role in the project.
- Applicants can hold the grant in any institution around the world, including industry.
- Applicants must be willing to hold an affiliation at an AIMS Centre of their choice and spend a portion of their grant time in Quantum Leap Africa (Rwanda), or any of the AIMS Research Centres as a visiting researcher fellow, should the need arise.
- Applicants must be willing to contribute to a non-technical publication/bulletin which will highlight their work.
Applicants should be able to take up the grant within two months of receiving the grant award letter.
Applicants must use the online application portal to apply. The following documents must also be submitted through the online portal.
- a completed personal details form,
- a completed project proposal form,
- a curriculum vitae,
- a letter of motivation,
- most recent academic qualification (for PhD students, proof of enrollment should be submitted),
- an electronic copy of three significant publications.
These supporting documents should be submitted in a pdf format and named using the following format: AIMS-Carnegie-Smallgrants–first and last name of applicant-type of document-monthyear of submission” e.g. AIMS-Carnegie-Smallgrants–JohnJake-CV-Jan2019.
Before starting the application process, applicants should provide complete and accurate contact information (email address, title, names) of three referees who will provide confidential letters of support on their behalf. We will request these letters of support directly from the referees. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide their referees with a copy of the ‘Terms of Reference’ and the ‘Instructions for Referees’. The applicant is also responsible for ensuring that their referees have received the request for a letter of support from us and have submitted the requested letters to us on time.
Before starting the application process, applicants should also download and familiarise themselves with the following documents:
Terms of Reference for Grantees
Terms of Reference for the International Selection Committee
Terms of Reference for Referees
