S4W Citizen Science Graduate Research Fellowship

The S4W Citizen Science Graduate Research (CSGR) Fellowship program aims to support graduate students who use citizen science techniques in their science investigations. Our goal is to fund innovative and impactful citizen science research that aligns with the S4W’s mission and priorities. The solicitation aims to use citizen science and crowdsourcing platforms or techniques for advancing scientific knowledge of hydrologic systems, especially in data (and resource)-scarce areas. We encourage applicants to introduce innovative ways to leverage smartphone/low-cost sensors in hydrological monitoring and integrate citizen science and remote sensing techniques (optional) in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of hydrologic processes.

Application Materials

The application consists of:

  1. 2-page CV
  2. A research statement (recommended 2 – 3 pages) describing the proposed research*
  3. A one-page proposed budget, including justification
  4. Letter of Endorsement/Commitment from the Applicant’s Advisor

*The research statement should also include a brief Data Management Plan, which describes how you plan to obtain, store and disseminate data product results from the fellowship.

Please submit an application to info@smartphones4water.org through email. You must compile your application materials in a single pdf file in the order stated above. All the necessary information must be submitted by the application deadline. The submission deadline is 30 April 2024 23:59 (EST).

Please contact the secretariat if you do not receive the acknowledgment of receipt from the secretariat within one week. Applications are referred to the Selection Committee for citizen-scientific as well as logistic reviews. The review process usually takes two months. Questions regarding the S4W CSGR Fellowship program should be directed to info@smartphones4water.org.

Eligibility

Graduate students enrolled in a college or university from least developed countries are eligible to apply for S4W CSGR Fellowship.

Grant Amount

The maximum grant amount per application for this year is set at $1,000 USD. Payments will typically be made in two installments, with two-thirds of the grant being disbursed initially and the remaining third being released upon the submission of a satisfactory final report. The proportion and timing of the installments may be subject to negotiation, based on the budget proposal submitted by each applicant.

Deliverables

  1. Final Report: Recipients must submit a comprehensive final report that outlines the key outcomes and results of the sponsored activities to receive full reimbursement.
  2. Dissemination: Recipients are expected to develop and implement a plan for disseminating their research findings, which should include the archiving and publication of any data collected during the course of their work. One of the deliverables is to write a blog post for the S4W website detailing the research process, results, and impact. Recipients are encouraged to enhance the reach and impact of their research by publishing the blog post in other popular media outlets and creating additional social media posts.