Iso Lomso, “the Eye of Tomorrow” in isiXhosa, is a new fellowship programme that will boost the careers of some of the brightest minds in African academia.
Early career African researchers who have completed their doctoral studies during the preceding eight years are invited to apply for the fellowship. For the 2016 call at least three candidates will be awarded a three-year Iso Lomso fellowship.
Fellows will spend various periods of residency at the STIAS Wallenberg Research Centre in Stellenbosch to pursue their research projects. They will also receive support to attend international conferences, convene workshops, and visit a sister institute for advanced study in North America, Europe or elsewhere.
“Iso Lomso signals our conviction that Africa’s emerging scholars are more aware than ever of the importance of carving out their research niche”, says STIAS Director, Prof Hendrik Geyer. “Africa’s rise in the knowledge society means that the continent’s research productivity is poised to grow exponentially and STIAS provides a unique space to fuel this growth.”
Iso Lomso recognises that for many younger academics the pressures of teaching, administration and contract work mean they receive little support and incentive to develop their research strengths. This programme will provide sustained research support to meet this need.
It fills the gap that exists between completion of a Ph.D. and becoming an established scholar. While in residence, Iso Lomso fellows will find themselves in the company of leading scholars from around the world and from different disciplines. Informal research guidance from other fellows will form an integral part of life at STIAS.
A unique element of Iso Lomso fellowships is that STIAS will offer lecturer replacement support to the home institutions of fellows during times of residency at STIAS. It also provides for a child care subsidy in the case of women fellows who are accompanied by young children during periods of residence at STIAS.
The call for applications is now open and can be found at www.stias.ac.za/iso-lomso/
Applications for the current call close on 25 May 2016. For enquiries, contact the STIAS Programme Manager, Dr Christoff Pauw at [email protected], tel. +27 21 808 9331.
The Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS)
STIAS is a high-level research institute dedicated to innovative thinking, the production of new knowledge and the nurturing of emerging leaders. It was established in 1999 as an independent Public Benefit Organization with its own Board of Directors. Over the past sixteen years STIAS has become established as a prime research destination on the continent of Africa.
Its aim is to provide a creative space for the mind where leaders in their respective disciplines can devote their undivided attention to innovative projects of their own choosing, free from the distractions of lecturing and administrative responsibilities.
While it belongs to the family of institutes for advanced study like Princeton, Berlin, Uppsala, Stanford, Harvard, and others, STIAS is distinguished by three aspects: It serves all disciplines, not only the natural sciences, social sciences or the humanities; it concentrates on interdisciplinary discourse and projects; and it has a special focus on Africa.
Up to twenty research fellows are hosted at the STIAS Wallenberg Research Centre at any one time. The Institute strives to provide an interface between the global research community and Africa in Africa. It serves as a meeting point not only between North and South, but also between East and West by including projects and fellows from Latin America, Asia and Oceania.
Fellows have no academic obligations other than pursuing the proposed research project. The only other duties are to share in the discussion over lunch which is served daily, and to participate in the Thursday STIAS fellows’ seminar where fellows in turn present their work to other fellows.
More information on the STIAS Research Fellowship programme is available at https://stias.ac.za/programmes/stias-fellowship/