Timeline & Target Group
The call is issued on 28th April 2023 with a deadline of 29th May 2023
After the 1st call for members in 2022 focused on Professors only, this call specifically addresses early career researchers in the field of environmental and climate research employed at the University of Vienna in Postdoc and Senior Scientist level positions.
Background and aims of the Research Hub
Many of the world’s most pressing environmental issues including climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, are highly complex and require cross-cutting interdisciplinary collaboration at the forefront and intersections of disciplines. To address these important and topical challenges, the University of Vienna established the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) in 2022 to create a critical mass and momentum and to foster excellent research in the field of environment and climate. Specifically, our aims are as follows:
• Research: The Hub is a catalyst for excellent cross-cutting research.
• Impact: The Hub combines research excellence and informs solutions for societally relevant problems and collaborations with external stakeholders.
• Reputation: The Hub strives to enhance international visibility, networking, and reputation by facilitating and supporting international exchanges, and by enabling strong outreach and dissemination.
• Capacity-building: The Hub offers opportunities for peer exchange and aims to foster new, innovative, and joined-up teaching and training activities.
Benefits for members
Members of the Hub will benefit from a range of activities and resources. These include, but are not limited to:
• Access to funding options to invite international researchers to spend time at the University of Vienna
• Short-term stipends for out- and incoming postdoctoral exchanges • Research and career workshops
• Support for seed grant submissions emerging from the Hub activities 2 /2
Call details
The ECH is seeking expressions of interest by postdoctoral researchers employed at the University of Vienna from all disciplines who want to be active in the Hub. Eligible are high-profile postdoctoral researchers and senior scientists who actively work in the field of Environment & Climate research. Scientific excellence, a keen willingness to actively contribute to the Hubs activities such as participation in upcoming retreats, research workshops or conferences, and outreach activities are expected. Interested early career researchers are requested to send the following by 29th May 2023 to ECH@univie.ac.at in one pdf file:
• Motivation and vision statement (2 pages max.) of how you can contribute to the Hubs mission and what activities you would like to engage that are feasible in the mid-term.
• Short CV (maximum 2 pages and 1 additional page of your most important publications), outlining your scientific achievements, key research projects and publications and other leadership activities in the field of environment and climate research.
The following criteria will be applied for assessment:
• Academic excellence, including high international visibility and a proven track record in the field of Environment & Climate Research. Academic age will be considered.
• Motivation and vision why you want to be part of the Hub; relevance to the four aspects of the ECH mission stated above (research, impact, reputation, capacity-building)
• Representation of different disciplines and ECH diversity will be considered in the selection.
Out of all expressions of interest submitted in time, the Directors of the Hub and the Management Board will select up to 20 of the best applications according to the criteria listed above by end of June 2023. Successful candidates will be invited to a two-day research retreat on September 19th and 20th 2023. Please save the date.
