Free eBooks and textbooks site

Free eBooks and textbooks site for you

Do you really need to read various books freely? Then please follow the blog link below.

   http://bookboon.com/

Bookboon.com originates from Denmark, out of Ventus Publishing, established in 1988. Ever since it was founded, the company has focused on publishing education related books for business professionals and students.

In 2005 the company made a strategic leap and became the first book publishing company in the world to focus 100% on free eBooks. Ever since, the company has been aiming to set new standards in the world of modern publishing based on the readers’ needs.

Fastest growing eBook publisher worldwide

Bookboon.com has since 2005 experienced a massive growth. Today we are the fastest growing eBook publishing house worldwide.

Currently headquartered in London, bookboon.com also has offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Munich. And we are constantly expanding our book collection to new countries and languages.

As a global eBook publisher, bookboon.com offers a huge range of over 1000 eBooks in seven languages, directly available to download from the website.

With our concept of downloadable free eBooks we currently generate over 42 million downloads per year.

The world of publishing is changing, and the ambition of bookboon.com is to always stay one step ahead

                                                 

Borlaug Fellowships 2015

Borlaug Fellowship Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the 2015 Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program. The program offers training and collaborative research opportunities to scientists, researchers, and policymakers from 34 eligible countries. Fellows will work one-on-one with a mentor at a U.S. university, research center, or government agency, usually for 6-12 weeks. The U.S. mentor will later visit the fellow’s home institution to continue collaboration.

The application deadline is October 31, 2014.

Applying for the Borlaug Fellowship Program

Eligibility

To be considered for the Borlaug Fellowship Program, candidates must:

• Be citizens of an eligible country
• Be fluent in English
• Have completed a Master’s or higher degree
• Be in the early or middle stage of their career, with at least two years of practical experience
• Be employed by a university, government agency or research entity in their home country
• Demonstrate their intention to continue working in their home country after completing the fellowship

Applicants are selected based on their academic and professional research interests and achievements, level of scientific competence, aptitude for scientific research, leadership potential, likelihood of bringing back new ideas to their home institution, and flexibility and aptitude for success in a cross-cultural environment. Consideration is also given to the relevance of the applicant’s research area to the research topics highlighted in the application announcement and to global food security and trade.

Application Requirements

Candidates must apply via the online application system (link below). The following information will be required:

• Completed application form
• 2-3 page program proposal and action plan
• Signed approval from applicant's home institution
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official copy of transcript for college/university degree(s) received
• Copy of passport identification page 

Online Application System

Click here to access the online application system (an external, third-party site)

Individual Research Grants for African

African Peacebuilding Network Individual Research Grants

Supporting independent African research and its integration into regional and global policy communities

Open for applications, next deadline is December 14th 2014. Apply Now

Request for Proposals for African Peacebuilding Network Individual Research Grants

The African Peacebuilding Network (APN) of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) invites research grant applications from African researchers, policy analysts, and practitioners working on conflict and peacebuilding issues at universities and research institutions or regional governmental and nongovernmental organizations in Africa.

About the African Peacebuilding Network

The APN promotes independent African research and analysis on peacebuilding in or near countries and regions affected by violent conflict on the continent. The program contributes to the emergence of a critical mass of Africa-based expertise: researchers, analysts, and practitioners who will play an important role in the shaping of an Africa-centered peacebuilding agenda.  

About the APN Individual Research Grants Program

A core component of the APN, the research grants program is a vehicle for enhancing the quality and visibility of independent African peacebuilding research both regionally and globally, while making peacebuilding knowledge accessible to key policymakers and research centers of excellence in Africa and around the world. Grant recipients will produce research-based knowledge that is relevant to, and has a significant impact on, peacebuilding policy and practice on the continent. For its part, the APN will work toward inserting the evidence-based knowledge that this group produces into regional and global debates and policies focusing on peacebuilding.

Support is available for research and analysis on issues such as the following:

• Root causes of conflict and conflict prevention, mediation, management, resolution, and transformation
• Environmental change and conflict
• Post-conflict elections, democratization, and governance
• The relationship between peacebuilding and state building, including state-society relations and state reconstruction
• Transitional justice, reconciliation, and human rights
• Economic and financial dimensions of conflict, peacekeeping, and peace support operations
• Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR)
• Security sector reform (SSR)
• Media, civil society, and peace
• Peace partnerships involving the UN, the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and civil society
• Gender and peacebuilding
• International justice and post-conflict peace 

Grants are awarded on a competitive, peer-reviewed basis and are intended to support six months of field-based research, from May 2015 to November 2015. Up to ten individual grants of a maximum of $15,000 will be awarded.  

During their grant period, grantees are required to participate in two workshops organized by the APN. These workshops will provide opportunities to refine research focus and methodologies, present findings, explore ways to make work accessible through publications and other means to multiple peacebuilding constituencies, and develop constructive working relationships with other grantees, senior academics, and practitioner facilitators.

Research Grant Proposals

The APN is interested in innovative field-based projects that demonstrate strong potential for high-quality research and analysis, which in turn can inform practical action on peacebuilding and/or facilitate interregional collaboration and networking among African researchers and practitioners.

Proposals should clearly describe research objectives and significance, with alignment between research design/method and research questions and goals. Proposals should also demonstrate knowledge of the research subject and relevant literature, and address the feasibility of proposed research activities, including a time frame for project completion. Applicants should also discuss the likely relevance of the proposed research to existing knowledge on peacebuilding practice and policy. We strongly encourage the inclusion of a brief budget outline (not detailed), to fit appropriately within the page limit required.  

Eligibility

All applicants must be African citizens currently residing in an African country.

Academic applicants must hold a faculty or research position at an African university or research organization and have a PhD.

Policy analysts and practitioner applicants must be based in Africa at a regional or subregional institution, a government agency, or a nongovernmental, media, or civil society organization and have obtained at least a Master’s degree of no less than 5 years, with at least five years of proven research and work experience in peacebuilding-related activities on the continent.

Application Process

All applications must be uploaded through our online portal. For inquiries or technical questions pertaining to the portal, please contact APN staff (apn@ssrc.org). Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications we receive, no mailed materials will be accepted.

Requirements

1) Completed Application Form
2) Completed Proposal & Bibliography
3) Two Reference Letters
4) Language evaluation(s) (if required)
5) Updated CV

Deadline for Applications

Applications are due by 9 pm EST, December 14, 2014.

If you have questions, please contact APN program staff by telephone at (+1) 212-377-2700 or by e-mail at apn@ssrc.org.

APN Research Grants Frequently Asked Questions

Program Director

Cyril Obi

Contact

• Dagan Rossini

http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/apn-research-grants/

International Student Merit Scholarships

International Student Merit Scholarships 


Value: $5,000 | Seven (7) Scholarships Available
Deadline to Apply: March 1, 2015
Who’s Eligible?
International applicants entering year one of a full-time, four-year undergraduate degree program at Ryerson in Fall
2015. Applicants must meet the following criteria and will be considered on a competitive basis:
A) Enrolling in a post-secondary institution for the first time and have completed an application to Ryerson, via the
Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) by March 1, 2015.
AND
B) Currently enrolled (full-time) in the final year of an out-of-country secondary school (or equivalent) and entering
Canada with Study Permit authorization. Applicants must achieve first-class standing in the country-specific
equivalent of the Ontario Grade 12U program.
Details:
• 7 International Secondary School Student Merit Scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, will be awarded across all
programs on a grades-competitive basis (final admission average of 85% / A or equivalent is required for
consideration).
• International students must be currently enrolled on a full-time basis in the final year of an out-of-country
secondary school (or equivalent).
• International students who have attended a post-secondary institution (university or college) are not eligible for
International Student Merit Scholarship.
• International students must have a valid Canadian Study Permit by the time they register in courses at
Ryerson and must maintain their International Student (Study Permit) status for the entirety of their first year of
studies (fall and winter semesters) in order to receive and retain their scholarship.
A scholarship application is required. International Student Merit Scholarships will be awarded to the overall
best-qualified applicants. Decisions of the selection committee are final.
Please review the Terms and Conditions for All Entrance Scholarships available at
www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/awards/entrance
Completed application forms should be mailed or faxed to:
International Student Merit Scholarship Committee Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment Ryerson University
350 Victoria Street Toronto, ON Canada M5B 2K3 Fax: 416-979-5221

Schlumberger Foundation Fellowships

Schlumberger Foundation Call for Applications for the

 2015-2016 Faculty for the Future Fellowships


http://www.facultyforthefuture.net/

The Schlumberger Foundation is accepting new applications for the 2015–2016 Faculty for the Future Fellowships from September 10th to November 14th, 2014.

The Faculty for the Future program, launched in 2004, awards fellowships to women from developing and emerging economies to pursue PhD or Post-doctorate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines at leading universities worldwide.

The long-term goal of the program is to generate conditions that result in more women pursuing academic careers in STEM disciplines thus contributing to the socio-economic development of their home countries and regions. The program is growing each year and has become a community of 405 women scientists and technologists from 68 countries. Grant recipients are selected as much for their leadership capabilities as for their scientific talents. Ultimately they are expected to return to their home countries to continue their academic careers, to further their research, to teach and to become inspirational role models for other young women, especially in the STEM fields.

Faculty for the Future grants are based on actual costs for eligible expenses up to a maximum of USD 50,000 per year and may be renewed through to completion of studies subject to performance, self-evaluation, recommendation from supervisors and strong evidence of re-integration plans into the home country.

Candidates should have applied to, have been admitted to, or be currently enrolled in a university abroad when submitting their grant application. Candidates must hold an excellent academic record and illustrate their commitment to teaching and research or to using their scientific knowledge in public policy advocacy. Candidates should demonstrate leadership skills, community outreach interest and have a track record in encouraging young women into the STEM fields. Candidates should also prove their commitment to returning to their home countries to contribute to the economic, social and technological advancement of their regions, pursing careers in the teaching and research faculties of their home institutions and also taking positions in the public sector.

Previous Awards Announcement:

Schlumberger Foundation awards 2014 Scholarship Grants for Women in Science

The Schlumberger Foundation has granted $6.3 Million to 168 women scientists through its Faculty for the Future program for the 2014-2015 academic year. This program, now in its tenth year, supports women scientists from developing countries through grants to enable them to pursue PhDs and Post doctorate studies in scientific and engineering disciplines at leading universities worldwide.

New fellowships were awarded to 84 women from 30 developing countries to pursue studies in 36 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in 64 host universities in 12 countries. In addition, 84 existing grants were extended for a further year. This year’s program attracted a total 654 new and renewal applications since the call for applications opened in September, 2013.

Schlumberger Foundation president Sola Oyinlola commented, “The Schlumberger Foundation believes that acquiring technological expertise is a critical dimension to enable many developing countries to boost their growth in a sustainable manner. Women have historically been underrepresented in STEM in many countries. We launched the Faculty for the Future program a decade ago based on a conviction that the lack of female role models was a major roadblock to women pursuing scientific and engineering careers. We are committed to help increase the gender diversity in advanced technical disciplines.”

After completion of their studies, Fellows return to their home countries to contribute to economic, social and technological advancement by strengthening the teaching and research faculties of their home institutions and also taking positions in the public sector.

Since the Faculty for the Future program was launched in 2004, 405 women from 68 countries have received fellowships, and have become members of an active community of Fellows. The arrival of 84 new grantees into this community significantly reinforces the Schlumberger Foundation’s ability to impact the development of their home regions.

The Schlumberger Foundation:

The Schlumberger Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports STEM education. Recognizing the link between science, engineering, technology, and socio-economic development, as well as the key role of education in realizing individual potential, the Schlumberger Foundation’s flagship program is Faculty for the Future.

7 Doctoral Fellowships

The Research Training Group invites applications for

• 7 Doctoral Fellowships

starting in April 2015 for 1,5 years (18 months).

Another year (12 months) or even up to 1,5 years (18 months) of funding might be provided, depending on the extension of the funding period for the Training Group through the German Research Council.

The scholarship amounts to € 1,300 per month; additional funding for travel grants etc. will also be available.

The DFG Research Training Group sets out to examine the function of literature in processes of globalization from a broad historical perspective, ranging from antiquity to the present day. Research interests focus on the question of how literature may be both a product and an active generator or producer of the cultural, economic, and political dynamics, collectively described as globalization. Researchers work in close consultation with a group of supervisors whose fields of competence include literature written in English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, and other languages. The study program, including critical theory and theories of globalization, is designed to provide a forum for intense exchange between fellows, professors, and visiting scholars from the fields of both literary studies and social studies. A more detailed account of the research program (in German) can be found at: http://www.grk-globalisierung.lmu.de

Applications (in English or German) are invited from highly-qualified graduate students. Applicants should have a university degree equivalent to Master level in literature, with a G.P.A. above the average. In exceptional cases, admission is possible on the basis of a B.A. (honours). Their research projects should contribute to the thematic focus of the Research Training Group. Therefor, the outline of the research project should make an explicit connection to the research profile of the group. Projects that include the exploration of earlier historical periods are particularly welcome.

Teaching and discussions will be bilingual. Applicants must therefore have an adequate comprehension level of both English and German, and speak at least one of these languages fluently. Please provide some evidence and/or documentation of your language competence.

Applications are submitted via an online platform, where you can upload all the necessary documents (see below) in PDF or JPEG. You can access the application website here.

Required documents for application:

• outline of the research project (3,000 to 4,000 words)
• CV, including a detailed description of your academic career (no pre-formated CV, e.g. Europass)
• transcripts of all school and university diplomas
• letters of recommendation from two faculty members that give information on your qualifications and academic potential
• sample chapter of your MA thesis (ca. 4,000 words)
• list of publications (if applicable)

Deadline for applications: November 1, 2014

http://www.en.grk-globalisierung.uni-muenchen.de/bewerbung/index.html

PhD fellowships research on salinity and iron toxicity

Two PhD fellowships are available to undertake research on salinity and iron toxicity.

 
http://www.africarice.org/capdev/PhD%20Scholarship%20under%20STRASA%20funded%20by%20BMGF.pdf



Call for applications – PhD Scholarship

Scholarship under the “Stress tolerance rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA)” project,
funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Project
AfricaRice leads a project on “Stress tolerance rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) project”. STRASA
phase 3 seeks to improve the livelihood of resource‐poor farmers and contribute to solving food
insecurity issues by designing sustainable and climate‐smart high yielding rice varieties. The specific
objectives of the STRASA phase 3 project are (i) research and develop drought‐, submergence‐, salt‐,
iron‐toxicity‐, and cold‐tolerant varieties of rice, (ii) train rice scientists in the target countries to develop improved varieties that can withstand stressful environments and (iii) promote, produce, and deliver the new varieties to farmers in the target countries.
Two PhD fellowships are available to undertake research on salinity and iron toxicity.

Research 1 Salinity
New donors with physiological and genetic mechanisms distinct from those already identified in Pokkali‐
type donors are required to improve salinity tolerance beyond current ranges. Landraces including Oryza
glaberrima have not been well exploited for tolerance to salinity.
 The successful candidate will
 (1)characterize a diverse set of germplasm for physiological traits underlying salinity tolerance to identify
new sources of tolerance for use as donors in breeding and for identification of novel QTLs,
 (2) usewhole‐genome sequencing and iSeq QTL workflows to identify candidate genes for any novel QTLs and
(3) utilize genome sequence information to design perfect markers for selected candidate genes.
The PhD candidate will be hosted at the AfricaRice Senegal Regional Center, St. Louis, Senegal.


Research 2 Iron toxicity
Iron toxicity is a widespread nutrient disorder which affects lowland rice mostly in poorly drained fieldswhere reduced iron becomes available at levels exceeding plant’s requirements. Different strategies are employed by plants to avoid iron toxicity. However the lack of a clear understanding of genetic and molecular factors governing iron‐toxicity tolerance mechanisms seriously limits breeding efficiency. The PhD candidate will investigate physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying iron toxicity tolerance in rice and identify traits associated with tolerance that could be useful in breeding. Results from this PhD research are expected to elucidate tolerance mechanisms and guide more precise varietal selection which could significantly advance the development of rice varieties tolerant to iron‐toxicity.
The PhD candidate will be hosted at AfricaRice station in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania but may be required to conduct experimental trials in other countries involved in iron toxicity tolerance screening