Criteria for SoBRA Annual Scholarship

In pursuit of meeting our core objectives, SoBRA have established a scholarship scheme to fund (or contribute towards) research that will improve land contamination risk assessment. The total fund available for the annual scholarship each year will vary according to the Society’s circumstances but is expected to be around £3000. Funds will be awarded on merit and application. SoBRA will offer one scholarship per calendar year. It is anticipated that unallocated funds will carry over to the following year’s scholarship fund.

The research must focus on an aspect of the risk assessment process (e.g. data collection, exposure assessment, toxicology, etc.) and it might have previously been identified by SoBRA members (e.g. via recommendations stemming from a SoBRA Workshop). The application window runs from 31 January to 30 March each year, and the successful candidate will be selected by the SoBRA Executive Committee. Should no scholarship be awarded during this window, then the opportunity to apply shall remain open until an application is successful or until 30 November (whichever comes first).

All applicants will be required to submit a research report to SoBRA documenting their findings, in a format and timescale to be agreed with the SoBRA Committee. The award of funding would be made 50% upon award and 50% on submission of the report to the agreed format.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

  • Research must have a substantial element relating to land contamination risk assessment and, more specifically, its scientific aspects and focused on UK issues.
  • Applicant must be a member of SoBRA.
  • Research findings must be publishable by SoBRA (jointly, if appropriate).
  • The scholarship is to support new research, it cannot be retrospective.
  • While it is anticipated that the applicant may be in full time education this is not essential and the award is open to those that are working within industry.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications to be submitted to the SoBRA Secretary at [email protected], to include:

  • A brief outline including the aims of the research and the anticipated timescales for completing the work.
  • A justification for undertaking the research i.e. what need/gap does this research fill; how the research will benefit the brownfield risk assessment community in the UK?
  • Curriculum vitae of applicant.

PRIORITISATION CRITERIA

  • Originality and scientific merit of work to be presented.
  • The need for this particular research has been identified by SoBRA following a workshop.
  • Relevance of the subject to SoBRA areas of interest(s).
  • Anticipated value/impact and applicability of the research in relation to brownfield risk assessment.

AWARD PROCESS

If awarded the scholarship, SoBRA reserves the right to include the name of the applicant, and details of the award and agreed deliverables, on the SoBRA website, in an email to members and/or in a LinkedIn post.

In most circumstances, the scholarship payment would be made 50% upon award and 50% on submission of the agreed deliverable(s) by the agreed deadline, to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee.

Failure to comply with the agreed deliverable(s) will render the applicant ineligible to apply for any further SoBRA funding options (i.e., bursaries, research grant or scholarship) for a period of 3 years.