Criteria for Fellowships

Introduction

Soulsby One Health Fellowships are intended to support and develop early career researchers working in a field related to “One Health”. Through these Fellowships, the Trustees of the Soulsby Foundation for One Health aim to identify potential future leaders in One Health and to encourage their personal growth through the opportunity of a travelling fellowship. 

A Soulsby One Health Fellowship is thus likely to be additional to existing research funding enabling the applicant to experience working overseas on a project which stretches their knowledge and skills base and encourages the development of new affiliations. 

Applicants should be seeking to conduct a project (the Project), normally overseas, in a field related to “One Health” and be able to describe in detail the Project and potential outcomes and impact. Successful applicants are likely to demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach in their Project proposal.

Soulsby Fellows will be expected to commence and complete their proposed Project within twelve months of receiving notification of their award. No-cost extensions may be granted at the discretion of the Trustees.

Applicants should note that the Foundation has adopted the following One Health definition developed by the OHHLEP and adopted widely including by the One Health tripartite (WHO, FAO and OIE):

“One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.

It recognises that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-dependent.

The approach mobilises multiple sectors, disciplines, and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development.” (https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2021-tripartite-and-unep-support-ohhlep-s-definition-of-one-health )

In consideration of the breadth of this definition, the Foundation welcomes applications which consider many aspects of the human/animal/environmental interface including issues such as socio-economic aspects and ecological impacts of One Health interventions. You can hear from current Fellows in these brief YouTube videos and be inspired to draft your application.

Applications are normally invited during the three-month window from 1st November to 31st January. Applicants are encouraged to apply early in order to ensure their two referees have submitted their references to the Foundation before the application window closes. Any application for which two written references have not been received by that date will not be considered by the review committee.

Eligibility Criteria

The Trustees have agreed the following criteria for eligibility to apply for a Fellowship:

  1. Soulsby One Health Fellowships are aimed at early career researchers to help them further their research career. As a minimum, applicants should hold a master’s degree or have equivalent research experience. 
  2. Applicants are expected to hold qualifications which are relevant to One Health and to their proposed Project. In keeping with the breadth of the OHHLEP definition, relevant qualifications are not limited to veterinary and human medical disciplines but include a broader range of disciplines including environmental sciences and ecology, social sciences, economics, and nutritional sciences including food security and safety. 
  3. Applicants must provide information about an ‘Affiliated Institution’ where they are registered for study or hold a research or teaching appointment, and which is relevant to their proposed Project.
  4. Successful applicants are likely to have already established relevant contacts at a ‘Collaborating Centre’ (which may be an academic, governmental or NGO entity) in the location where the Project will be conducted. They should provide information about these arrangements, including names of key individuals with whom they will be collaborating. 
  5. Soulsby One Health Fellowships will be awarded in GB£ sterling and normally for proposed budgets within the range of £5,000 to £12,000. The award is primarily intended to cover travel and subsistence for the period of the Project. Costs associated with visas and insurance required for the Project may be included. Laboratory costs, if included, must be essential to the Project and comprise a small proportion (less than 10%) of the total budget requested from the Soulsby Foundation.
  6. It is expected that Soulsby Fellows will have other sources of funding to cover their salary during the Project. Salaries, both for the applicant and any research assistants, must not be included in budgets requested from the Soulsby Foundation. 
  7. It is desirable that applicants can demonstrate a likelihood of attracting further funding from other sources. This may enable the Project to be part of a larger piece of work related to the overall theme of “One Health” internationally.
  8. The proposal should show the full cost of the proposed work, indicate clearly how much of the cost is being sought from the Soulsby Foundation for the Project, and identify other sources of funding which have been, or will be, approached.
  9. As a charity registered in the United Kingdom, the Soulsby Foundation for One Health must comply with financial sanctions as prescribed by the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) which includes UN sanctions. Applicants are required to declare if their proposed Project might in any way breach such financial sanctions.

Applications and References »