CALL: candidates PhD WAGENINGEN

Call for potential candidates from Latin America that are interested in doing a PhD at Wageningen University

Research focus: socio-economic and environmental impacts and mitigation of trace-metal contamination and climate change in cocoa production

Members of an international consortium are developing the interdisciplinary research program “COCOAndina”, led by Wageningen University. We would like to get in touch with potential candidates from Latin America who seek admission to the PhD program of Wageningen University,andwhoarehighlymotivatedandpreparedtodoresearchtosupporttransitionstowards a resilient and inclusive cocoa sector in the Andean countries of SouthAmerica.

About the project:

COCOAndina is an international multidisciplinary research program and seeks to enhance the capacities of cocoa farmers - and the landscapes and value chains in which they operate

–tomitigateoradapttothenegativeimpactsofnewfoodsafetyregulationandofclimate change, focussing on Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Project partners are AGROSAVIA (Colombia), ESPOL (Ecuador), GRADE and UNALM (Peru), and the international organizations CIAT, Bioversity andCIRAD.

The overall objectives of the program are: (i) to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the factors that determine system responses and adaptation to critical disturbances affecting the cocoa sector in the Andean countries, and (ii) to use this understanding to co-design innovations for resilient and socially inclusive cocoa farms and landscapes.

The program is currently being evaluated and a final decision about funding will be known in April 2019. In case the program is successful, it offers significant co-funding in the form of 9 partial sandwich PhD scholarships and research funds. A list of PhD topics is provided below.

TocomplementtherequiredfundingforafullsandwichPhDscholarshipadditionalfundingisneeded. Therefore,weencourageinterestedcandidatestoapplyforoneormoreofthescholarshipprograms in their home country. Given the deadlines for the scholarship applications action is requirednow.

Sandwich PhD program:

ThePhDcandidatewillspendthefirst6monthsatWageningenUniversity.Duringthistime,youwill develop your research proposal and follow a tailor-made training program. The next thirty months will be spent conducting research in (one of) the COCOAndina countries under the supervision of a localsupervisor.Afteryouhavefinishedcollectingallyourdata,youreturntoWageningentofinish the PhD thesis during the last 12months.

What do you need to do?

1.         Carefully check the eligibility criteria for the Wageningen PhD program (seebelow)

2.         Ifyouthinkyouareeligiblecontactusandletusknowthefieldofresearchorprojectyouwould be interestedin.

3.         We can direct you to different scholarship opportunities applicable to yourcountry

4.         We welcome your application for one of the PhD positions to be announced around June 2019, in the case the project isgranted.

5.         Successful PhD candidates are expected to start their PhD around October2019.

To express your interest of obtain more information please contact:

Ekatherina Vásquez: e.vasquezamb@gmail.com

Mirjam Pulleman: mirjam.pulleman@wur.nl; m.pulleman@cgiar.org

Proposed PhD topics under COCOAndina:

Project	Subject
PhD1	Sustainable supply of cocoa from the Andean region: an assessment of risks and adaptation potentials
PhD 2	Resilience and adaptive capacities of cocoa farmers to different disturbances (food safety regulation and climate change)
PhD3	Uptake, allocation and re-allocation of trace metals in cacao
PhD4	The role of organic matter for Cd mitigation, soil health and cacao productivity
PhD5	Climate-change adaptation strategies for cocoa at field and farm level
PhD6	Cadmium post-harvest mitigation strategies: their efficacy and effects on the quality of cocoa beans
PhD7	Exploring inclusive, context-relevant and value-driven innovation processes and co- design of cocoa farm production systems and farmer organisations
PhD8	Exploring inclusive, context-relevant and value-driven innovation processes and co- design of cocoa value chain governances and policy
PhD 9	Effects of mineral nutrient status on cacao yields and bean cadmium concentrations

Admission  criteria of  Wageningen  PhD programme     (https://www.wur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/PhD-Programme.htm).

·      Diplomasofhighereducation(bothBScandMScincludingtranscriptsofacademicrecords).The minimumrequirementistheequivalentofaMaster’sdegree.Anadditionalofficialtranslationis required if the documents are not in English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish orAfrikaans.

·       If you are not Dutch, from a non-Anglophone country and you have not completed your higher education with English as the language of instruction, you have to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. Minimum requiredscores:

o   TOEFL internet-based 90, with minimum sub-score 23 forspeaking

o   IELTS 6.5, with minimum sub-score 6.0 forspeaking

o   Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) with minimum gradeB

o   Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English(CPE)

Scholarships programs in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia

1.         Ecuador: Senescythttp://servicios.senescyt.gob.ec/

2.         Peru:

·      Concytec     –     Fondecyt     http://www.fondecyt.gob.pe/convocatorias/becas/becas-de-doctorado-en-el-extranjero-2017-01)

·       PRONABEC - Beca Presidente:http://www.pronabec.gob.pe/2018_BecaPresidente.php

3.         Colombia:Colfuturo:https://www.colfuturo.org/convocatoria.Upcomingdeadline28February.