Call for Applications

Call for Applications
APEC Climate Center Visiting Scientist Program

The APEC Climate Center, based in Busan, South Korea is inviting applications to the APCC Visiting Scientist Program starting from 2010.


About APEC Climate Center

The APEC Climate Center (APCC) was established in 2005 as a response to the 4th APEC Science Ministers' call to enhance capacities in science, technology, and innovation in order to deliver sustainable growth across the Asia-Pacific region. APCC's mission is to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation across the region in order to help economies deal with challenges that are climate-related. APCC holds office in Busan, South Korea in the centrally-located Haeundae district.

APCC works towards facilitating sharing of high-cost climate data and information amongst national hydrometeorological services (NHMSs) and leading climate centers in APEC member economies, connecting climate research and innovation, and building capacities in climate prediction and climate information applications in social and economic domains. The work of APCC is increasingly being recognized as APEC member economies grapple with solutions to climate variability and change in the context of advancing the Bogor Goals of free and open trade investment across the APEC region.

APCC operates the world's most extensive operational multi-model ensemble (MME) dynamical prediction system with 15 participating NHMSs and climate centers providing dynamical seasonal forecasts on a monthly basis. It has been providing seasonal forecasts with 3-month lead time to member economies since 2005. A number of experimental products have been launched, including global hydrological extremes (drought and flood) prediction and monitoring bulletin and long-lead forecast with up to 7 months lead time. APCC issues a diagnostic model performance bulletin in order to critically review its work and to facilitate feedback from the users of its forecast products. It also organizes the annual APEC Climate Symposium, which provides a platform for discussing opportunities to collaborate in solving common challenges in climate research, data access, forecasting, and applications.



Objectives

The objectives of the VSP are two-fold: First, it aims to provide research opportunities for both recent PhDs and established scholars in the field to bring their scientific expertise to bear on the development of climate information-based products and tools that will help Asia-Pacific economies to meet climate-related challenges on various application areas including risk management in agriculture and coastal zones, water management, environmental management, trade, emergency/disaster risk management, and energy. The second objective is to provide opportunities for interactions between APCC and other institutions by allowing scientists from other institutions to participate in APCC research and development activities.

Priority R&D activities at APCC in the short to medium term include enhancement of 6-12 month coupled forecast products, seasonal prediction of tropical cyclones in the eastern and western Pacific, prediction and monitoring of extreme hydrological events, and downscaling of climate change projections.



Tenure and activities

Appointments are nominally for 1 to 2 years, with the second year contingent upon satisfactory progress during the first year, as judged by the APCC Visiting Scientist Program Committee.

Visiting scientists who choose to participate in APCC research and development activities are expected to spend 100% of their term at APCC headquarters. Interested applicants may contact APCC for more details about ongoing R&D activities at APCC.

Visiting scientists who choose to carry out research activities not currently undertaken by APCC may spend most of their term at their home institutions but are expected to spend a minimum of 3 months at APCC headquarters. They will be required to deliver seminars at APCC to brief APCC colleagues and interested APEC stakeholders about their activities. In this case, the primary financial support is borne at his/her home institution, and APCC will cover only the period spent at APCC headquarters.

The allowance to be covered by APCC could range from 3,000,000~4,000,000 Korean won every month depending on qualifications and experience. The salary is negotiable in consideration of the three year average of annual salary at the scientist's home institute.


Approval of visiting scientist activities

All activities have to be approved by the APCC Visiting Scientist Program Committee.
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Eligibility

Both recent PhDs and established scholars in the field are eligible to apply. Applications from all countries will be accepted but all qualifications being equal; preference will be given to nationals from APEC member economies. Applications from developing APEC member economies and women scientists are particularly encouraged.
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Remuneration and benefits

Visiting scientists will receive a grant that takes into account accommodation cost for foreign residents in Busan. Duties and benefits will be administered according to APCC staff management rules and regulations. Airfare to/from the place of recruitment will be provided.

The home institutions will provide primary financial support to visiting scientists who carry out research activities not currently undertaken by APCC and who opted to spend most of their term at their home institutions. But APCC will cover the financial support during the time spent at APCC headquarters.

Visiting scientists will have access to APCC data and computing facilities. Visiting scientists are encouraged to bring in their regional climate data to share with APCC scientists and to facilitate their research during their visit.



Application and selection

Applications will be accepted all year round. Application materials should include:


• Completed application form (Clik here), which includes brief description of academic career and professional experience, research plan, and expected societal benefits from proposed research activity
• Curriculum vitae with list of publications/scientific outreach work
• 2-3 reference letters



Application materials should be submitted in electronic form via email attachments to Mr. Jong-Wook Kang (jjomhe@apcc21.net).

Short-listed candidates will be asked to write a short proposal to complete the application process, and will be requested to submit additional documents including degree certificates, official transcripts, and medical certificate, if necessary. Successful candidates will be notified within 30 days after review of APCC Visiting Scientist Program Committee, but well ahead of spring or fall semester.



Questions

General information and research activities at APCC can be found at www.apcc21.net. For general questions, please contact with Mr. Jong-Wook Kang (jjomhe@apcc21.net). For technical questions, please contact with Dr. Bong-Geon Song(songbg@apcc21.net).