eLife, a non-profit organization, has announced the second round of its funding scheme to help minoritised researchers to showcase their work.
First launched in 2019, the Ben Barres Spotlight Awards supports scientists in gaining exposure for their work and increasing collaboration, ultimately helping to advance their careers. The scheme was named in honour of transgender neurobiologist and former eLife Reviewing Editor Ben Barres, who advocated for greater equality in the scientific workforce.
eLife received many high-quality applications for the 2019 awards, before announcing the first five winners and six runners-up in August. The grants have helped these researchers move forward in their work by allowing them to buy essential equipment and expand their networks and collaboration opportunities. Following the positive feedback from the first round, eLife has decided to run the scheme for a second year.
Awards are available to authors of research articles published in eLife, who identify with one or more of the minoritised communities addressed by the programme. These include: researchers currently based in countries where resources are limited (with emphasis on those from low and middle-income nations); early-career researchers who have no more than five years of active research experience in an independent position (health-related or parental leave, for example, are not considered active research experience); women, non-binary or transgender researchers (those who identify with a gender that is different from the sex assigned at birth); ethnic minorities; and researchers with disabilities.
Researchers can apply for up to $6,000 each, providing details of what they need the funding for and how it will help make a major improvement to their work. The first application deadline for the programme is September 28, 2020. Additional deadlines will be advertised later, subject to the availability of funding.
The grants will be available until the total budget of $50,000 has been distributed. More information about the Ben Barres Spotlight Awards, including details of how to apply and the terms and conditions, are available at https://elifesciences.org/inside-elife/696a62fb/ben-barres-spotlight-awards-applications-open-for-2020.
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