Announcement – The August T Larsson Guest Researcher Programme

The Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences hereby announces funding from the August T Larsson Foundation for a guest researcher to work at the Faculty with the aim of promoting scientific research in the field of agriculture.

The programme

The purpose of the August T Larsson Foundation Guest Researcher programme is to engage guest researchers within strategically important and prioritised fields at the NJ Faculty. The aim of the program is not only to strengthen research, education and/or environmental monitoring and assessment but also to expand the university's interface with other research environments.

The programme enables guest researchers to spend short periods at the Faculty campuses (one month per term) over a period of three years. Guest researchers will receive funding to cover their salary, travel expenses and accommodation, as well as for visits to SLU's regional centres and for a fellow member of their team to visit SLU ("tag-along"; see the programme description for further details).

Application procedure

Applications may be submitted by researchers at the NJ Faculty with approval of the Head of Department and are to be made on a special application form sent to registrator@slu.se marked SLU.ua.2023.3.2.5-512.

A group of researchers within the Faculty may submit a joint application, which should then include one person as the responsible proposer.

Applications must include details of the main activities to be carried out by the proposed guest researcher during their time at the Faculty. Please use the template. The main aim of the proposed activities should be clearly stated in this part. The application must also include an explicit account of how the activities will be of significant mutual benefit to the guest researcher, to the host department and SLU as a whole.

The application must be appended with a letter of intent from the proposed guest researcher testifying to their interest in participating in the programme. The letter of intent should also explain his/her intentions and ambitions in taking part in the programme, and a brief report is expected at the end of the project. The prospective guest researcher's CV, list of publications and a preliminary budget shall also be attached to the application.

Admission process

The programme committee comprising three members who represent the Faculty's research, education and environmental monitoring and assessment programmes will review the applications. Based on the submitted material applications will be evaluated according to:

1. The scientific competence of the candidate relative to the proposed project
2. The relevance and significance of the project for the Faculty and for SLU
3. The clarity of the application, and the feasibility of the project
4. The potential synergies of the project across different research groups and departments at the Faculty.

The programme committee also encourages the applicant/applying group to take into consideration how to contribute to our aim to achieve a more equal gender distribution among the NJ faculty’s guest researchers. Therefore, the evaluation of the applications will consider an equal gender distribution, both in terms of the applicant/applying group and the guest researcher.

Timetable

• 23 February 2023: Announcement of the Guest Researcher Programme
• 8 May 2023: Final date for applications
• May: The programme committee examines applications and submits recommendations to the Dean.

May/June: The Dean decides on admissions to the Guest Researcher Programme. The aim is that the guest researcher should be able to take up their positions in the late summer or autumn of 2023, with additional visits planned for two more years.