The deadline is 30 November, so sharpen your pencils, contact your supervisor, and start writing your proposal. The Executive Board is hoping to award the money remaining in this year's €100,000 Incentive Fund (Stimuleringsfonds in Dutch). Since 2008, funds have been awarded to 43 UT female staff members for the full or partial amounts requested.
`We just completed an evaluation survey,' said Hulscher, `and the responses from the recipients have been very positive. We are particularly interested in attracting ITC women, because we have yet to receive any applications from them.'
Examples of approved proposals include those that helped female academics to extend their international network, develop joint project proposals and/or publications, and develop their leadership and communication skills. Women are invited to submit an application together with a short project proposal indicating how the proposed activities will contribute to their career development. The maximum award available is € 20,000. Your proposed project should state that you have career ambitions and show a clear plan towards reaching those goals. Your budget should be detailed and the application must be accompanied by your CV and a recommendation letter from your supervisor.
`What is essential is that the applicant shows that she can make clear choices when it comes to her career development,' said Hulscher. `She also must actively engage her supervisor to support her ambitions, and that support should be reflected in the recommendation letter. This active engagement by both the applicant and supervisor is key to the successful implementation of these funds.'
Each plan will be carefully considered by the Ambassadors Network, whose recommendations go directly to the Executive Board for final approval. The Ambassadors Network is a commission that advises the board about policies to promote women at the UT. Once approved, funds become immediately available to the recipients.
The way the women can spend the funds is flexible, providing the activity helps to narrow the gap between their current and potential academic position. For example, savings gained from buying cheaper flight tickets to collaborate with international colleagues can be applied towards editor fees for a scientific article. But take note. Applications for language courses, salary payments, and equipment or research material will not be honored. `We found that the language courses were the least successful,' said Hulscher. `And we wish to contribute directly to the women, not subsidize their departments.'
Hulscher herself is a highly successful female academic. Since 2002, she has been the head of the Water Engineering and Management Group, was a member of DJA of the Dutch Academy of Science (KNAW), and in 2007 she became part of the Dutch Innovation Platform, chaired by the Prime Minister. Hulscher holds a PhD in Physical Oceanography from the University of Utrecht, and her expertise is applying morphodynamical models in decision-making contexts. When asked when she finds time to do her own research, she said modestly, `It's a challenge, but I have very talented people in my group.'
And the secret to her success? `I was always clear about my ambitions and convinced of my own talents. And I always sought available opportunities. Applying for each of these opportunities helped me to clarify my own capabilities and what I wanted to research. These Incentive Funds provide the same service to UT women. This is a great chance for women academics to define, along with their supervisors, what they want to achieve, and hopefully receive financial backing.'
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| ‘If you want to apply for a personal grant from the Incentive Funds,’ said Hulscher, ‘make certain that your supervisor and other researchers know your goals.’ (Photo: Gijs van Ouwerkerk) |
