The IASC Fellowship Program was established in 2014 and is meant to engage early career researchers in the work of the IASC Working Groups (WGs): Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Marine, Social & Human, and Terrestrial. Each year, one Fellow per WG is chosen. In addition, since 2020, at least one early career Arctic Indigenous Scholar or Knowledge Holder is selected per year, who can choose which IASC WG to engage in
IASC Fellows are doctoral or postdoctoral researchers who actively participate in selected activities of the IASC WGs. Fellows are expected to contribute scientifically but also to help organize specific activities and to coordinate the reporting to the IASC Secretariat. Thus, the Fellowship Program provides the opportunity for ECSs to become involved in leading-edge scientific activities at a circumarctic and international level, to build an international network, and also to develop management skills. The level of involvement very much depends on the Fellow's interest - the more you invest, the more you get out of it!
The total duration of the IASC Fellowship Program is 1+2 years. In their first year, selected Fellows will receive travel support to attend two consecutive Arctic Science Summit Weeks (ASSWs) where the annual WG meetings are held. After the first year, Fellows have the opportunity to stay involved for up to 2 more years without dedicated funding support from IASC. Note: The travel support during the first fellowship year is the only financial remuneration for the Fellows. Salary is not included during the fellowship.
For the IASC Fellowship 2023, IASC will offer 8 IASC Fellowships. As part of the Polar Initiative with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, two of those Fellowships will be generously funded by the foundation.
- At least one IASC Fellow will be chosen per IASC WG
- At least one IASC Indigenous Fellow will be chosen; this individual will be an early career Arctic Indigenous Scholar or Knowledge Holder who can choose which IASC WG to engage in.
Applications for the IASC Fellowships are currently closed. Next round of applications will be announced in the Fall 2024.
Special Fellowships in Cooperation with Partners
At times, IASC also offers special joint Fellowships in cooperation with other partners.
- SDWG-IASSA-IASC Fellowship: This fellowship offered for the first time for 2022 encourages an early career scholar to participate in and contribute to the work of the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) of the Arctic Council. The Fellowship will enable the recipient to get involved in the process of making research relevant for policy and contribute to policy recommendations. The fellowship is offered jointly by IASC, the SDWG, and the International Association for Arctic Social Sciences (IASSA).
- SAON-IASC Fellowships: This fellowship offered for the first time for 2022 by the Sustaining Arctic Observing Network (SAON) and IASC supports an early career researcher to get more involved in the work of SAON.
- CAFF-IASC Science Policy Fellowships: In 2018 and 2020, IASC, in cooperation with the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group of the Arctic Council offered the CAFF-IASC Science Policy Fellowships to help early career researchers to get more involved in the process of taking research from results through to science policy recommendations. These fellowships involved early career researchers in CAFF´s Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) and Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP).
Selection Process
The IASC Fellow selection process is managed by the IASC coordinator and conducted in close cooperation with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) as well as the Steering Groups of the IASC WGs.
A call for applications is released each year in September through the IASC and APECS mailing lists, websites and social media. Any doctoral or postdoctoral researcher from an IASC member country can apply. Required qualifications include demonstrated scientific interest and skills within a field that is relevant to the respective one or more WGs priorities and a good command of the English language.
The IASC Fellowship review process is coordinated by APECS. Once the top five candidates for each WG are identified, the IASC WG Steering Groups will be consulted with the intention of determining the final selected Fellow.
IASC Support
Each year IASC will select one new ECS Fellow per WG plus an Indigenous Fellow (up to six in total) . In their first year, selected Fellows will be financially supported (travel/accommodation/meal reimbursement), to attend attend two consecutive Arctic Science Summit Weeks (ASSWs) when annual WG meetings are held. IASC Fellows receive travel support to attend two ASSWs, so that in each WG meeting there is one incoming, and at least one outgoing, Fellow.