UBC researchers launch Africa-UBC Oceans & Fisheries Visiting Fellows Program

University of British Columbia researchers Dr. Rashid Sumaila and Dr. Daniel Pauly have launched the Africa-UBC Oceans & Fisheries Visiting Fellows Program, whose goal is to inspire exceptional young African researchers to develop ocean and freshwater sustainability solutions.

The fellowship is aimed at early-career academics from sub-Saharan African universities and research institutes who are interested in engaging with leading researchers at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries to facilitate diverse, equitable, mutually beneficial research collaborations.

"After being awarded the 2023 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, we decided to use part of the funds to support colleagues from the Global South, specifically from sub-Saharan Africa, who could greatly benefit from receiving some financial support to develop a project that is relevant to them and their region and who are interested in collaborating with UBC-based scholars," Sumaila, who leads the Fisheries Economics Research Unit, said.

The successful candidates will also have the opportunity to access the vast resources available at UBC for research and collaboration. By expanding the networks of both African and UBC scholars and their students, all participants are expected to share and co-create interdisciplinary knowledge and insights that would benefit their universities, their countries, and the world.

"Ultimately, the Africa-UBC Oceans & Fisheries Visiting Fellows Program will make a tangible contribution to the sustainable management of the global ocean and freshwater resources," Pauly, who is the principal investigator of UBC's Sea Around Us initiative, said.

The fellowship is open to researchers across all academic fields who are focused on marine and/or freshwater sustainability, and how to make the ocean economy work for the people who call Africa home.

Two fellowships will be awarded every year and fellows will be affiliated with UBC for up to 12 months. The initial application period starts on February 29, 2024, and closes on May 15, 2024. Fellow selection will be communicated in the Summer of 2024, with placements starting in September.

All application packages will be collected by the African Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Interested candidates can visit https://africaubcprogram.ucc.edu.gh/ for more details on how to apply.

Provided by Sea Around Us