Fellowship for Researchers in Heat and Drought in Urban Contexts from Dresden Leibniz Graduate School

Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) is offering ‘the Glowing cities: Heat and drought in urban contexts’ Fellowship. The DLGS is looking for innovative research proposals that confront the heat waves problems and explore its implications aiming to support novel and potentially groundbreaking solutions for transformative change that can curb the drivers and pressures for urban heat and drought.

About the Program:-

• Urban areas across the globe are experiencing new climate extremes. In line with the ecosystem changes projected and measured at global and regional scales, the likelihood, incidence and extent of local heat waves and drought periods have substantially increased already. Moreover, the coincidence with an epidemic outbreak may further exacerbate such crises as people are forced to stay indoors.
• In the urban context, these deteriorating ecological conditions are entangled with both mitigation and adaptation requirements: On the one hand, urban areas are major contributors to global warming (GHG emissions). On the other hand, they concentrate on key characteristics that shape the local climate and human wellbeing, such as urban form and building typologies, green and blue infrastructures, mobility systems, energy systems, etc. 
• These characteristics are deeply woven into place-specific patterns of activities (e.g. economic, social, cultural) and physical space (e.g. materials, designs, structures), spanning from the inner city to the periphery and urban region.
• While in most places coordinated actions have yet to emerge, some have already seen the formation of new governance approaches, policies or business models to counter the threat of urban heat and drought. 
• However, these often also raise new questions regarding the actual sustainability orientation of their designs, outcomes and impacts, pointing to the intricate science and politics of these complex decision making and implementation processes.
• Therefore, the DLGS is looking for innovative research proposals that confront this high priority challenge and explore its implications theoretically and/or empirically, aiming to support novel and potentially groundbreaking theoretical or methodological developments, intervention approaches and/or practical solutions for transformative change that can curb the drivers and pressures for urban heat and drought, and foster resilience to both.

• In general, the fellowship provides the following: 
• A fixed monthly stipend to cover living expenses in Dresden (determined by the DFG - German Research Foundation; Currently: 1.365€). 
• Funds to attend the DLGS academic programme (including German lessons for non-native speakers).
• Limited funds for project-related travel (incl. one international round-trip to conduct field work) and other research expenses. 
• The round-trip from your country of origin to Germany (both subject to approval by the DLGS Management Board). 
• There is no additional family supplement provided to fellows accompanied by a partner and/or children.

To enter the DLGS selection process, you must comply with the following criteria:

• First Master’s degree obtained within the last 3 years before application.
• Total grade obtained for the Master’s degree "good" or better (corresponding to German level "gut").
• Master degrees obtained from countries other than Germany are subject to a grade conversion process in order to see whether the grading is equivalent to the German standard of ‘gut’ (good) or better. Among most German universities the grades from 1.51 to 2.50 are considered ‘gut’.
• Research proposal within scope that clearly:
• Addresses the topic of the current DLGS call.
• Aligns with IOER research areas (one or several).
• Identifies suitable supervisors (professors) at the TU Dresden / IOER.
• Complete application (in english only) including the online form and all supporting documents requested.

Evaluation Criteria:-

All applications that have passed the eligibility check are evaluated against two types of criteria:

• Selection criteria
• Relevance.
• Scientific soundness.
• Innovativeness.
• Feasibility.
• Balancing criteria
• Gender.
• Scientific disciplines.
• Geography.

About DLGS:-

The Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS) aims to prepare the next generation of transformative leaders in spatial sustainability sciences, providing a high quality interdisciplinary environment for developing the academic and professional skills required to meet the diverse challenges related to spatial change dynamics and the global human-ecological crisis. DLGS graduates are trained to take up early career positions in academic, governmental, business or civil society organizations where they can contribute to foster spatial sustainability transformations.

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