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 Soulsby Fellowship.
A Soulsby One Health Fellowship is thus likely to be additional to existing research funding, enabling the applicant to experience working on a project (the Project) which stretches their knowledge and skills base and encourages the development of new collaborations and competencies in “One Health”.
Applicants should be seeking to conduct the Project in a field related to “One Health” and be able to describe in detail the potential outcomes and impact. It may be a discrete project or associated with a larger project, e.g. a PhD or MSc. However, the Project must be clearly defined and stand-alone.
Successful applicants will demonstrate how their Project will build their “One Health” Core Competencies and promote new collaborations and knowledge sharing between disciplines and between cultures. In country travel may be sufficient if the Project demonstrably meets these cross-cultural and transdisciplinary objectives. Nevertheless, projects will normally involve at least two countries e.g. the Primary Affiliated Institution and the Collaborating Centre will normally be in different countries.
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 United Nations Quadripartite coalition (the World Health Organization – WHO; World Organization for Animal Health – WOAH; Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO; and United Nations Environment Programme -UNEPOIE):
“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 interdependent.
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.”
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.
Download the Application Form. Once completed, it should be sent to Application@SoulsbyFoundation.org.
Applications will only be accepted during the three-month window from 1st November to 31st January. Applicants are encouraged to apply early during this application window 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 and details required in the application:
- Soulsby One Health Fellowships are aimed at early career researchers to help them further their research career. Eligible early career researchers should normally either be registered for, or be within six years after completing, a postgraduate qualification which is relevant to One Health and to their proposed Project.
- In keeping with the breadth of the OHHLEP definition, relevant postgraduate 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.
- Soulsby One Health Fellowships will be awarded in £UK sterling for proposed budgets within the range £5,000 to £12,000. The proposal must show the full cost of the Project, and all budget costs must be itemised with credible and verifiable estimates.
- The Project may be a discrete entity, or be associated with a larger project, e.g. a PhD or MSc. However, the Project must be clearly defined and stand-alone. If the Project is part of a larger project, applicants must clarify how the Soulsby funding will be used and clearly demonstrate any added value it will provide to the larger project.
- The award is intended to cover travel and subsistence for the Fellow to deliver the Project. Other costs (e.g. laboratory supplies, translation fees, local staff costs, insurance, visas, etc.) are eligible but must be essential to the Project. Applicants should have other funding sources to cover their salary during the Project – salaries for Fellows must not be included in requested budgets. No overhead fees will be paid.
- Applicants must provide information about a ‘Primary Affiliated Institution’ where they are registered for study or hold a research or teaching contract.
- 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 or with whom they will collaborate closely throughout the Project. They should provide names of key individuals with whom they will be collaborating.
- It is desirable that applicants can demonstrate a potential to attract further funding, especially if this enables the Project to be part of a larger piece of work related to the overall theme of “One Health” internationally. Details of potential other funding sources, and the status of any applications, may be provided. However, completion of the Project must be feasible at the time the application is submitted based on the budget in the application. It must not be contingent on obtaining funding from other sources.
- 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 must declare if their proposed Project might in any way breach such financial sanctions.
