WORLD FOOD FORUM YOUNG SCIENTISTS GROUP (YSG): APPLY

admin March 20, 2022

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WORLD FOOD FORUM YOUNG SCIENTISTS GROUP (YSG): APPLY

Apply for the World Food Forum Young Scientists Group (YSG). The deadline for applications is 22 March 2022 for the term 2022-2023. Only complete applications of eligible candidates will be considered.

DEADLINE: 22 March 2022

Objective

The main objective of the World Food Forum Young Scientists Group (YSG) is to provide scientific evidence and technical knowledge to the various initiatives of the Forum, and to develop an annual WFF Young Scientists report on specific policy issues of particular concern to youth, related to agrifood systems transformation.

Leveraging FAO areas of expertise, and engaging with partners and relevant academic networks, the Group will play a critical role in providing the WFF with the necessary science-based direction, and allow for formal scientific opinions related to documents, statements or action-oriented proposals generated by the participating youth. Eventually, the YSG will support the formalization and institutionalization of the WFF, with a particular focus on the Youth Action, Innovation and Education tracks.

Composition

The initial composition of the WFF YSG will mirror scientific areas relevant to the various scientific issues related to the transformation of agrifood systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including looking at the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit – and in particular the work of its Scientific Group.

The WFF YSG will be composed of yearly cohorts. The WFF will launch an open call for applications to join the Young Scientists Group. Applications will then be reviewed by an interdisciplinary and international selection committee, leading the appointment of the first cohort. Winners of the WFF Transformative Research Challenge (first place) will be included/shortlisted in the selection process of the YSG of the following year.

The Chief Scientist of FAO, together with the WFF Advisory Board, will appoint the Group members for an initial term of one year. Terms can be extended one time only. One YSG member will be selected as YSG Chair and two others as YSG Vice Chairs, with the main responsibility of coordinating the work of the Group.

Tasks

The WFF YSG will work closely with the WFF Coordinator on the following tasks:

Participate actively in youth dialogues or events organized by the WFF Youth Action track to provide scientific and technical evidence to the discussions held by and with global youth;
Revise and amend, if necessary, any document, statement or similar output, produced within the context of WFF events (including selected partner events), online consultations, webinars, youth engagement processes or statements;
Engage specifically with the WFF innovation and education tracks, including the related sub-tracks and working groups generated within the above, in various scientific expert roles, such as judging and reviewing applications to the Transformative Research Challenge;
Coordinate and establish an annual WFF Young Scientists report on specific issues of special concern to youth, related to agrifood systems transformation;
Provide guidance and proposals for key messages and thematic areas to be highlighted in WFF marketing and communications materials;
Attend regularly scheduled YSG meetings;
Engage in any other matter of the WFF requiring scientific evidence.

Eligibility criteria

Age 35 or younger;
Post-graduate or PhD student, or postdoctoral researcher;
Experience as a principal investigator, group leader or early-tenure track researcher;
Endorsed by academic supervisor, senior department faculty member or similar (please include as reference contact in your application);
Excellent command of any of the FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish), and at least conversational English;
Experienced or familiar with inter/trans-disciplinary research in fields related to global agrifood systems, and enthusiastic about joining a young, multidisciplinary team;
A recognized record of academic excellence;
Demonstrated commitment to serve society at large.

Application process

Applicants should provide the signed Commitment Form along with the following information to [email protected] :

Statement of motivation (maximum 500 words) indicating the added value the candidate will bring to the WFF YSG;
Curriculum Vitae, including date of birth, reference and listing your professional experience and academic qualifications, including:
- Short description of research experience (e.g. participation in research projects, awards or grants received);
- Experience and knowledge acquired by training or work experience on one or more thematic areas related to agrifood systems transformation, including additional information regarding qualifications and areas of specialization;
- Competencies, such as the ability to work cooperatively in a team and respect differences between people; ability to develop creative and practical solutions; ability to take initiative for delivering high-quality work; ability to communicate to different target audiences;
- Major work or research/innovation initiatives carried out or contributions made.
- List of scientific publications and products or alternatively link to ResearchGate profile or equivalent;
- List of presentations at conferences and seminars.