MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK's Newton Fund sponsors scientific research in six Latin American countries

Grants are funded by UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, plus partner funders in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

The Newton Fund, a UK Government initiative, has announced the opening of applications for scientific researchers of six Latin American countries (among them, Argentina) to take part in regional workshops on biodiversity or travel grants to the United Kingdom.

 These grants are funded under the UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), together with partner funders from Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Argentina. The Newton Fund aims to promote the economic development and welfare of either the partner countries or, through working with the partner country, to address the problems of low-income and vulnerable populations.

Newton Fund Researcher Links regional workshops bring together early-career researchers from the UK and other regional partner countries, to allow them to make international connections that can improve the quality of their research. Joint applications are made by senior researchers from the partner countries who lead the workshop. Once funded, grants are available for early-career researchers in the UK and the partner countries to attend and participate.

Researcher Links Travel Grants provide financial support for early and established career researchers to undertake an international research placement to strengthen links for future collaboration, build research capacity in developing economies, and enhance the researcher’s career opportunities. Researchers that reside in the UK can apply for funding to visit a university or research institution in one of the partner countries, and those residing in one of the partner countries can apply for funding to come to the UK.

Priority areas defined by Newton Fund:

1. Understanding habitats and species
2. Biodiversity for sustainable livelihoods and bio-economy
3. Global Climate Change, Biodiversity and ecosystems
4. Maintaining and restoring natural capital

The application deadline for both regional workshops and travel grants is 20 October. Eligibility criteria and application forms for workshops can be found here.