Fields Institute Research Exchange Program: Application Form - International Visits

DRAFT -- for internal discussion purposes only.  Subject to Change.

The Fields Institute provides opportunities for international collaborative research and access to superlative research environments in a manner consistent with the Fields Institute mission. The objective is to encourage collaborative research by offsetting mobility expenses of research visits.

This program is reciprocal and it aims to facilitate and promote international academic visits between individuals at partner institutions and members of Fields Principal Sponsoring Universities (PSUs) and the Fields Institute.

For example, researchers from partner institutions will have the opportunity to further their research experience by participating in a Fields thematic or focus program, and/or though a research visit at the Fields Institute or at one of the PSUs. Likewise, researchers from Fields and PSUs will be able to spend time at a partner institution for research purposes. These visits normally last from one to four months, but longer periods may be arranged by mutual agreement of the partners. 
 

Partner Institutions →	← Fields Institute and PSUs
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Fondation Mathématique Jacques Hadamard  (FMJH) Fondation Sciences Mathématiques de Paris (FSMP) National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Mathematics Division (NCTS) The Institute for Advanced Research of Shandong University (IAR) The Chinese Academy of Financial Research of Shanghai Jiaotong University (CAFR)	Carleton University McMaster University University of Toronto University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario University of Ottawa Ryerson University Queen's University York University

Deadlines

Application deadlines are February 15, June 15, or October 15 of each year.
There should be a minimum of 45 days between the application deadline and the proposed travel dates.

Eligibility

These opportunities are open to members of Fields Institute partner institutions:

• Ph.D. and graduate students
• Postdoctoral fellows
• Faculty, both established and early career researchers

Acceptance is dependent on many factors, including, but not limited to, the availability of funds.

Funding

Funding may be available to offset local living and accommodation expenses at host institution/labs.

Participants are responsible for securing funds to cover any costs arising from travel, including, but not limited to, visa and passport expenses, airfare, ground transportation, etc. Funds for travel may come, for example, from personal funds or from a supervisor's grant. 

Reporting Requirements

Following the exchange, participants are required to provide a brief report, photo(s), and research outputs arising from their visit, such as publications, oral or poster presentations, etc.

Participant Expectations

•    Commit to the placement at the host institution/lab for the full duration of the stay
•    Ensure confidentiality of host institution/lab information/data
•    Prepare a summary report at the conclusion of the visit which details the research performed, results, and conclusions, if any
•    Complete an exit survey within one month of the completion of the visit

How to Apply

The online application should take no more than 10 minutes to complete, provided that the required documents are available in advance.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Select a host institution/lab
2. Identify an individual who may be willing to be your collaborator/supervisor at the host institution/lab
3. If you have identified and contacted a potential collaborator/supervisor and they have agreed to host your visit, please secure a Letter of Invitation from them - see letter guidelines below
4. Access the application form, complete it, and include the required application materials

Required Application Materials

• Current CV
• Statement of Purpose 
  • The overall goal, specific aims, and rationale of the applicant's project or research question
  • Purpose and expected learning outcome(s) of the research experience, including how the visit will:
    • help meet the applicant's future research/academic/career goals
    • fit the applicant’s past and intended future professional experiences
• Specifics of the proposed visit abroad, including the name(s) of the proposed collaborator/supervisor
• Name of the host institute/lab and the city
• Start/end dates of the proposed stay
• Funding letter from supervisor, if the applicant is a student or a postdoctoral fellow and his/her travel expenses are being paid for from the supervisor's grant
• Letter of Invitation. If an individual has been identified as a potential collaborator/supervisor and has agreed to host the visit, please provide a letter from them, including:
  • Confirmation that the host institution/lab possesses and will provide the infrastructure, resources, guidance, and expertise necessary to support the applicant's visit
  • The start/end dates of the proposed stay
  • A brief description of the applicant's responsibilities and the tasks they will be performing while acknowledging an understanding of their research or learning goals
• Consent and Release from Liability Form for the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Science 

Form Instructions

• Fields with an * are mandatory
• Save and Continue. Applicants can save a partially completed application and return to it at a later date. To save your partial answers, click on the "Save and continue later" link, which should appear on the center, upper part of your screen. A link to the partially completed form will be emailed to you from surveygizmo
• To submit the form, click on the submit button on the last page of the form
• Once your application is submitted, a confirmation email with a PDF of the application will be sent to the email address entered by the applicant on the form