As part of its mission, the MRI provides funding contributions for synthesis workshops that bring together global change researchers to address specific topics of interest to the mountain research community. The deadline for proposals is 7 February 2019
Background
The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) promotes and coordinates research on global change in mountain regions around the world. As part of that mission, MRI provides funding contributions for synthesis workshops that bring together global change researchers to address specific topics of interest to the mountain research community, with the objective of producing synthesis products such as articles for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals or compilation of relevant data into publishable databases.
In 2017, the MRI funded two synthesis workshops, with outcomes also featured in the MRI Mountain Blogs in 2017 (blog on ‘global treeline spatial patterns’ and blog on ‘land-use cover change in the tropical Andes’). MRI’s financial support for synthesis workshops is available thanks to funding from the Swiss Academy of Sciences, SCNAT.
Call for synthesis workshops 2019
This call invites the MRI community to submit expressions of interest proposals, for consideration in 2019. The Call for Synthesis Workshops in 2019 has three categories:
- Open thematic call: The thematically open call supports synthesis workshops that are defined by the proponents and fall within the general scope of global change research in mountains regions, covering problem types that require an analysis of bio-physical and/or socio-economic processes of global change. Output products can include, but are not limited to, review or synthesis articles for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals and/or compilation of relevant/existing data into publishable datasets or databases that can facilitate further research activities.
- IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6): The MRI IPCC AR6 call supports workshops that specifically address the knowledge needs of the IPCC AR6 assessment process. Workshop products in this category should focus on comprehensive reviews of existing literature (including grey literature) published since the IPCC’s fifth assessment report in 2013. Workshop products should aim at articles for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and may contribute to any of the IPCC’s Working Groups (WG) reports, bringing a ‘mountains’ perspective to any of the listed topics specified in the approved chapter outlines. However, take particular care to note the respective IPCC WG’s submission and accepted cut-off dates for publications when planning your workshop and the timing of your expected output product for publication. Please refer to the IPCC’s website for more details regarding the approved outlines for the respective WG contributions to AR6 and cut-off dates for submitted and accepted publications (ipcc.ch).
- Science in support of global policy agendas and UN conventions: Under this call, synthesis workshops that explore and provide a mountains-specific ‘state of the art’ review and offer a critical scientific perspective on monitoring and reporting of evidence for global policy agendas, will be considered. Relevant global policy agendas and UN conventions can include: the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the UNISDR Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction; the UNFCCC Paris Agreement and the Global Stocktake; the UN New Urban Agenda; the UNCCD framework for Land Degradation Neutrality; and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and its Aichi Targets; among others. Proponents are expected to define the scope of their review with respect to one or more global agendas and/or conventions deemed relevant for the problem-type or topic selected. Output products can include, but are not limited to, review or synthesis articles for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals and/or compilation of relevant/existing data into publishable datasets or databases that can facilitate further research activities.
In all cases, workshops and related products should aim at inter-relating or comparing at least two or more different mountain regions, and/or demonstrate relevance of the topic/region investigated in a global context. Depending on the scientific merit and calibre of the proposals received, we expect to be able to contribute to at least one synthesis workshop per category in 2019. Under this Call, a total contribution from MRI of up to 8,500 CHF per workshop is the current budget under consideration, depending on the location and scope of the proposed workshop.
Application process and timeline of key dates and milestones
Workshop proposals must be submitted via the online application form. Please ensure you provide all requested information. Deadline: Thursday 7 February 2019, at midnight CET.
Key dates and milestones:
Call for MRI Synthesis Workshops 2019 opens: 19 December 2018
Deadline for proposals: 7 February 2019
Confirmation of successful applications: By 1 March 2019
Workshops conducted: Between 1 May and 31 August 2019
Post-workshop reporting submitted to MRI: Within 4 weeks / latest by 30 September 2019
For questions, please contact the MRI at mri@mountainresearchinitiative.org.