Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) 2023 Research Grant for African Researchers ($150,000 grant)

Published: 19 Apr 2023 1,609 views

The JWO Research Grant was founded in honour of Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer. The grant aims to continue her contribution to and passion for Africa, the environment, and pioneering science. The purpose of the grant is to support early-career scientists that are conducting impactful research that will provide solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing problems.

JWO Research Grant

Benefits of JWO Research Grant

• A grant of $150,000 will be awarded to one successful applicant. The grant will support a research project or programme for up to three years (previously funded research not eligible).

Requirements for JWO Research Grant

The lead applicant should:

• Be an early career scientist: Applicant must already hold a PhD degree and should have no more than seven years of work and/or research experience post-degree (excluding time taken for family responsibilities).
• Have strong links to a credible African institution: The institution should have a proven ability to manage to fund and subscribes to good financial grant practice and can be any of the following: academic institution, research institution, government institution, NGO, for-profit organisation.

Selection Process

Judging Criteria

Judges will be looking if the research:

• Advances the frontiers of knowledge within the chosen field
• Facilitates solutions to African challenges: The research should try and solve an African challenge that occurs in more than one geography and is scalable to other areas. The research should include multiple research sites
• Demonstrates innovative methodologies and approaches
• Exhibits scientific rigour and excellence
• Contributes to human capital development (e.g. mentorship, support, and professional development opportunities) for the next generation of researchers.
• Incorporates a holistic perspective and involves inter-and multi-disciplinary collaboration with partners (preference intra-African) to leverage time, expertise, skills, materials, and resources and reduce duplication
• Articulates the potential to create impact both during and beyond the grant period
• Displays knowledge of associated recent or ongoing work on the continent.
• Defines a clear plan for disseminating research outcomes both inside and outside the scientific community
• Endeavours to open access publications (popular and scientific
• Does not present unacceptable ethical or safety risk

Application Deadline

How to Apply