We are pleased to announce a new global fellowship program designed for undergraduate and graduate students in eligible countries to build regional research capacity to use geography and the geographic information sciences. The second round of fellowships will be offered to students in eligible countries in the Himalayas. 

*NOTE: WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS INITIATIVE. WE WILL LET APPLICANTS KNOW OF THEIR APPLICATION STATUS IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER, 2012.

• ABOUT THE PROGRAM
• ELIGIBILITY
• WHAT SHOULD MY RESEARCH PROPOSAL LOOK LIKE?
• WHAT WILL I RECEIVE AS A FELLOW?
• WHAT WILL I RECEIVE AS A MENTOR?
• WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?
• READY TO APPLY?
• TERMS OF PARTICIPATION

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The MyCOE / SERVIR Initiative in the Himalayas is a 10-month fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students in eligible countries in the Himalayas who are currently enrolled in any field at an institution of higher education in an eligible country with ideas and plans for research that address themes of Climate Change in Mountain Area Regions using geographic technologies. Students are invited to propose a research project and will be competitively selected on the basis of their long-term potential to contribute to these topics in the region.

The MyCOE / SERVIR program will provide students with customized capacity training in GIS, remote sensing, GPS, and/or spatial techniques to help them enrich their research proposals. They will also receive professional development, have access to additional mentoring by international experts and engage in an online community with other fellows. Capacity building and GIS training will be held at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal. 

Interested students must apply with a mentor who is willing to work closely with them throughout the duration of the program and attend the workshop. Up to 15 teams of students and their mentors will be selected for this initiative in the Himalayas. Over the life of the fellowship, they will have the opportunity to interact and exchange ideas with approximately 60 other teams from around the world that will be selected through MyCOE / SERVIR global initiatives. The program provides travel support and research stipends for both students and their mentors.

Please note: Official language for this initiative is English.

ELIGIBILITY
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY:
Upper level undergraduate or graduate students who are citizens AND residents of eligible countries and who are currently enrolled in a university or academic institution in one of the eligible countries in any field may apply to be MyCOE / SERVIR Fellows.* Please note: The purpose of this program is to keep capacity development in the region. Students who are citizens of one of the eligible countries and who are studying at universities abroad (not in one of the eligible countries) are not eligible. 

MENTOR ELIGIBILITY:
Individuals who are citizens AND residents of the eligible countries below and who are currently working in an institution in one of the eligible countries may apply to be MyCOE / SERVIR Mentors. *Please note: The purpose of this program is to keep capacity development in the region. Mentors who are citizens of one of the eligible countries and who are working abroad (not in one of the eligible countries) are not eligible.  

* ALL PARTICIPANTS (Students and Mentors) MUST BE CITIZENS OF ONE OF THE ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES AND MUST ALSO BE STUDYING (Students) and WORKING (mentors) AND RESIDING IN ONE OF THE ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES. 

Eligible countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan.

WHAT SHOULD MY PROPOSAL LOOK LIKE?
All selected research proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Use geographic technologies such as GPS and GIS
• Incorporate activities that respond to local sustainable development threats related to climate change in mountain area regions. 
• Students and their mentors must attend the capacity building activity. 
• Have a duration of 3 to 6 months of research / educational activity
• Include an element designed for outreach to non-selected applicants or other significant user communities identified with the program organizers.
• Note: Projects will be encouraged and preferred selection will be given to those who propose to utilize existing geographic data and tools offered by SERVIR (for more information please see: SERVIR-Himalaya)
• For ideas about what to include or how to format your proposal, please see the following pages: Considerations when Writing a Research Proposal, Study Guides: How to Write a Research Proposal, How to Write a Research Proposal. 

Please note that the overriding criteria that will be used in evaluating applications is the potential of each applicant's contribution to long-term research on climate change in mountain area regions using geographic technologies. An independent screening committee comprised of experts in sustainable development topics, GIS and the Himalayan region will evaluate applications.

WHAT WILL I RECEIVE AS A FELLOW?
Fellow participants will receive the following:

• Logistical support, airfare, hotel and subsistence to attend the multi-day capacity building workshop at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal, 17-27 February 2013. 
• Free training and materials in the use of geographic technologies for climate change in mountain area regions 
• A fellowship of a total of $600 USD to be used to support your 3-6 months of research and/or field work
• Other benefits might include geospatial data, GIS software of GPS equipment, where warranted
• A formal certificate of completion from the MyCOE / SERVIR Partnership

WHAT WILL I RECEIVE AS A MENTOR?
The role of MyCOE / SERVIR Mentor is to guide and advise the Fellow in the conduct of their research project, offer supervision of completion of requirements such as report writing and oversee the Fellow’s participation over the course of the program, for which they will receive a stipend of a total of $300USD. Mentors are also expected to attend the capacity building workshop in Kathmandu and will receive logistical support, airfare, hotel and subsistence to attend. There, they will take part in the technical training sessions, and engage in discussions and resource sharing about successful mentoring practices. The mentor’s home institution is considered to be the local host organization for the project and is encouraged to provide or assist in addressing extra needs related to the research, such as workspace, libraries, information, communication access or other relevant institutional resources wherever feasible.

WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?
Those selected to participate must agree in writing, among other details, to comply with program guidelines, to engage in the program’s learning activities and contribute to the elaboration of projects as a condition of their acceptance. Each fellow participant will be expected to:

• Attend the multi-day MyCOE / SERVIR capacity building workshop to be held at ICIMOD headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal in 17-27 February 2013.
• Perform research work with your assigned team (and mentor/s) on identified tasks you help design
• Spend three to six months contributing to your assigned local applied project or proposed research and/or educational project (research should focus on themes relevant to climate change in mountain area regions)
• Use cyberinfrastructure established by the program to facilitate research, learning and collaboration with colleagues
• Engage in structured peer-to-peer communications with other members of the MyCOE teams in their region and beyond
• Submit an individual report at the end of your project and develop team reports, proceedings and publications; this includes uploading them on online portals
• Conduct a local public diplomacy or outreach activity such as using project reports, student posters, team presentations to conferences, organizations, schools, embassies, science fairs, etc.
• Participate in program evaluations, composition of joint reports or proceedings/publications as requested

READY TO APPLY?
*NOTE: WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS INITIATIVE. WE WILL LET APPLICANTS KNOW OF THEIR APPLICATION STATUS IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER, 2012.

Interested students should send an application using our online form. Our online application will require you to submit information regarding:

• Your full legal name
• Your contact information (nationality, address, phone numbers, etc.)
• The name of the institution where you are currently enrolled
• Your major program of study (e.g. geography, biology, etc.)
• A summary indicating your long term career plans
• A summary explaining your research / research proposal
• Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)  (for help on what to include in your CV or to view sample CV's, please click here. For additional information about CV writing, please click here.)
• Contact information for your current advisor/mentor
• Your advisor’s CV
• Optional: A recommendation letter from your advisor

All application submissions will be acknowledged within 2-3 days of the application being submitted. Inquiries about the program should be directed to mycoe@aag.org with “MyCOE / SERVIR Initiative in Himalayas” in the subject line to ensure that the message is delivered properly.