Project – At-Risk Scholars Initiative

Objectives

The initiative has two main aims:

1) to contribute to at-risk scholar re-integration into a scholarly work environment by supporting the development of research skills and connections relevant to their host countries (e.g., research funding structures, CV preparation advice, grant writing, regional professional opportunities). The professional skills will be both tangible (support for understanding new research funding structures, guidance on grant, manuscript, and job applications, and building interview skills) and intangible (understanding cultural differences and learning how to navigate them, building better work-life balances, helping to provide opportunities for networking and professional introductions that may lead to opportunities for research integration).;

2) to support exceptional early- or mid-career at-risk scholars in developing competitive membership applications to the GYA and/or National Young Academies (NYAs).

The GYA works with the below collaborating organizations to identify promising Ph.D. scholars in any research-based discipline, including the sciences, medicine, engineering, social sciences, and the arts and humanities, who are approximately 30-43 years old and are currently residing in a foreign country because of safety issues in their home country, or asylum/refugee status.

Collaborating organizations

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
The E.U. Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Philipp Schwartz Initiative
IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF)
Council for At-Risk Academics (cara)
Scholars at Risk (SAR)

Accomplishments 2018/2019

Matching 24 mutually beneficial mentoring relationships between members of the GYA initiative and at-risk scholars (as of December 2018), leading to increased professional network connections and opportunities for at-risk scholars.

The successful selection of at-risk scholars into GYA membership, in the new cohort of members to be inaugurated in May 2019.

First skills training workshop held in April in collaboration with the EU Joint Research Centre.

Second skills training workshop planned to take place in September 2019, at Wolfson College, Oxford, UK.

Looking forward, the At-Risk Scholars Initiative aims to expand partnerships with organisations that work with at-risk scholars in the Global South.

In the Media

Helping Refugees Continue their Scientific Work in Europe -EU Joint Research Centre, April 2019

Supporting displaced scholars through the At-Risk & Refugee Scholar Membership Initiative – GYA Connections, May 2018

“Halifax would be a good home for refugee scholars, researcher says” – The Signal, 14 February 2018

Interview with Dr S. Karly Kehoe on CTV Atlantic, on outreach to refugee and at-risk scholars, CTV Atlantic, February 2018

“Science in Exile” – The World Academy of Sciences, 12 February 2018

“Supporting scholars seeking a new intellectual home – what can we do?” – The Research Whisperer, 5 December 2017

At-risk scholars selected to take part in the initiative will receive:

• A GYA peer mentor, matched considering geographic location, disciplinary expertise, and scholar preferences
• GYA mentors commit to a minimum of one year of support to include but not limited to:
• one 1-hour Skype call per month and more frequent correspondence by email with the scholar;
• access to their networks for career/education/professional development as appropriate
• Funding for selected at-risk scholars to attend the GYA Annual General Meeting in 2019, as well as other meetings, is anticipated.

Science for Refugees: European Commission online resource for job search in EU countries: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/science4refugees

EU Joint Research Centre jobs in research, trainee positions, doctoral partnerships etc are often open to non EU citizens, and advertised regularly here: Science-hub: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en