The Early-Career Fellowship (ECF) is a pilot program launched in 2022, which aims to implement the development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing, and help promote the achievement of sustainable development goals.

The ECF program is organized by Future Earth Global Secretariat Hub China with support from China Association for Science and Technology. The mission of the ECF program is to provide a forum in which early-career researchers from various disciplines (e.g., natural, social, and human sciences) can share their interdisciplinary research, pursue unique collaborations, and build a network of colleagues who can share their interest in improving the global sustainable development goals.

Award Details

The ECF program plans to award 15 early-career researchers every year. Each of the recipients is entitled to receive a scholarship of 30,000-50,000 Chinese Yuan (RMB). The scholarship can be used for research-related expenses, including professional travel, professional development courses, conferences, or any other costs directly related to the fellow’s research. The use of these funds for any other expenses requires pre-approval from the Future Earth China Hub. It should be note that the management organization of the funds is Sun Yat-sen University and the funds can not be allocated to other units.

At the time of application, the applicants must:

• Be an early-career researcher/scientist/postdoc, etc. who is in the last year of their Ph.D. program or has received their doctoral degree (or equivalent) within the past 5 years and born on or after January 1, 1988.
• Be in the field of social sciences, engineering sciences, earth and life sciences, or interdisciplinary scientific fields clearly relevant to the global sustainable development.
• Having an experience of more than 12 months of overseas study/work/research at a college or university, research institute, etc., or intending to study/work/research overseas and return to China.
• Having a collaborator in the related disciplines at Sun Yat-sen University (Future Earth China Hub may assist the applicant to find a collaborator).