IOCCG Platt Scholarship

For Ocean Colour Research and Training

List of previous IOCCG Platt Scholars
APPLY HERE from 12 August each year. Deadline 12 November!

1. Background and Description

The annual IOCCG Platt Scholarship was established by the International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG) to honour the memory of Professor Trevor Platt (1942-2020), who was a brilliant scientist and a leader in interdisciplinary oceanographic research, with outstanding contributions in the fields of biological oceanography, theoretical ecology and the use of satellite ocean colour data for measuring ocean processes. He played an especially important role in the establishment of the IOCCG, being one of the founding members of the group, and serving as the first Chair for a period of 10 years (from 1996-2006).

The prestigious IOCCG Platt Scholarship is aimed at providing one student or early career scientist from a developing country / country with an economy in transition with the opportunity to gain valuable training experience in the field of ocean and in-land water remote sensing and applications. Applicants must be citizens of one of the listed eligible countries, and must be residing in that country at the time of application.

One scholarship will be awarded each year at USD $5000. Applications are open to graduate students and early career scientists (within 5 years of receiving their PhD) who are involved in any aspect of ocean optics and ocean colour research and applications relevant to the IOCCG Objectives. The scholarship offers the opportunity to conduct hands-on research, or to receive in-depth training, at a foreign institute. Funds will be provided to travel to an institute outside of your home country for a short duration (up to 3 months) to work with experts in the field. Stays of longer than 3 months may be considered if sufficient justification is provided, and if total costs to IOCCG do not exceed USD $5000 (see scholarship conditions below). The research internship can be held in any country apart from the applicant’s home country of residence. The scholarship funds are granted on a competitive basis (see Section 3 below).

2. Scholarship Conditions

The scholarship (USD $5000) must be used towards the cost of a trip from the candidate’s home country to the host country, and may be used for expenses such as flights, visa, medical/travel insurance, accommodation and food.
The candidate is responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient funds for the entire duration of their visit. If the planned trip is estimated to cost more than USD $5000, the candidate must identify additional sources of complementary funding, and clearly indicate how the additional expenses will be covered. For example, the host institute or an advisor might agree to cover the cost of the flight or insurance etc.
The recipient is responsible for locating and contacting a supervisor at a suitable host institute. The host institute must provide permission for the visit before submission of an application to the IOCCG.
The host institute must waive any fees related to the training itself or related to foreigners conducting research in their institute.
The trainee and the host institute should work together to initiate procedures to obtain a visa for the training period. The IOCCG can provide a letter substantiating financial support, if required.
The recipient is responsible for ensuring that they have adequate travel and medical insurance. In some countries, e.g., the United States, it is essential for visitors to have health insurance. Candidates may be able to obtain a US-valid extension on their own in-country insurance. The IOCCG assumes no liability for compensation in the event of sickness, accident, death or disability of a Scholarship holder.
The successful applicant will be required to provide a brief report to the IOCCG after their visit with the host institute. This report should highlight the scientific successes of the visit and describe how the experience benefited the applicant (see example). Additionally, awardees will be invited and encouraged to attend and present their research at the next International Ocean Colour Science Meeting, or other approved science meeting.

3. Scholarship Evaluation

A key criterion for evaluation and selection of the scholarship recipient is the relevance of the proposed research or training to the objectives of the IOCCG, and to current critical issues in ocean colour science as identified by the breakout workshops at the various International Ocean Colour Science meetings (see IOCS Meeting Archives).
The scholarship recipient must describe either:
- a well-defined research problem that will address current critical issues in ocean colour science, with justification of its scientific significance and a detailed approach for its solution, or
- a clearly defined training programme which includes specific details of all aspects of training to be carried out at the host institution, relevance to programmes at the parent institution and how this training will contribute to capacity building at the parent institution.
Evaluation of the scientific merit of the proposed research or training will include:
- academic background of the candidate,
- nature of the research topic or training,
- depth of understanding of the topic identified,
- expected impact of the research or training on the candidate and his/her institute and,
- robustness of the research/training plan.
The academic background of the applicant will be taken into account based on:
- academic qualifications (including past awards, prizes and publications),
- personal statement,
- signed letter of recommendation by the candidate’s own supervisor, as well as by the supervisor at the host institute,
- extent to which the candidate’s academic background supports the proposed research and/or training, and
- applicant’s curriculum vitae

4. Selection

All applications will be reviewed by a small committee composed primarily of IOCCG members, and an award will be made each year as judged against the evaluation criteria outlined in Section 3, the suitability of the host institute to accommodate the candidate to carry out the research/training described in the application, and the candidate’s CV and personal statement.

Incomplete applications (e.g., those without the requisite documents and signed letters) will not be considered.

5. Award Management

The IOCCG will work with the recipient to determine the best way to award the funds. The Fellowship funds should be used towards travel expenses, visa, medical/travel insurance, accommodation and subsistence. If the planned trip is estimated to cost more than USD $5000, the candidate is responsible for identifying additional sources of funding to meet all anticipated expenses, and communicating these sources of funding to the IOCCG.

If, for some reason the planned visit to the host institute does not take place, the recipient is obliged to return any awarded funds to the IOCCG.

6. Important Dates

Applications for the 2025 Scholarship will open on 12 August 2024, and will close by 12 November 2024.

7. How to Apply

To apply for the IOCCG Platt Scholarship, have the following documents ready:

A letter of recommendation from your supervisor at your own institute.
A letter of acceptance from the host institute.
A brief CV (1 – 2 pages maximum).
A description of the proposed training/research, including a detailed budget
A personal statement outlining goals, experience, attributes etc and how they relate to the proposed research/training (1 – 2 paragraphs)

These above documents must be obtained/ready before completing the application form

Complete the online application form, giving as much detail as you think necessary to enable us to come to a final decision on your application.

Note: Incomplete applications (i.e., those without the required documents) will not be considered.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about the scholarship application process, or the status of your application, please contact Raisha Lovindeer

Trevor Platt Memorial Scholarship