The Environment Division at the University of Sheffield would like toannounce its interest in hosting post-doctoral researchers under theMarie Curie Intra-European fellowship schemes. Environmental researchtopics are diverse, ranging from the study of resource use andmanagement to planning and policy. Our key areas of strength can beconsidered under five themes:
・ water and catchment science
・ the soil environment
・ ecology and global change
・ sustainable urban environments
・ environmental modeling

The Environment Division has a commitment to supporting and promotinginterdisciplinary and we are particularly interested to hostresearchers who share this vision. Staff at University of Sheffieldwill be pleased to help you prepare your proposal whilst finalresponsibility for the proposal application lies with theapplicant.  If you are interested in carrying out high qualitypost-doctoral research at the University of Sheffield then you may findthe following information useful.

Overview of the Marie Curie Fellow Scheme
This information is taken from the most up to date literature and isprovided in good faith. Interested parties are requested to checkdetails at the official Marie Curie website1.

Funding
Generous salary for a period of 6 - 24 months with up to €750/ month research costs and allowances for travel.

Eligibility
Applicants for these schemes that wish to be hosted at University ofSheffield must be non-UK residents with at least 4 years post graduateresearch experience. Full responsibility for checking eligibility lieswith the applicant.  Please consult the Marie Curie documentation.

Application procedure
Application is by a two stage process and it is submitted by thepotential fellow in collaboration with the host institution (i.e.Sheffield). The deadline is 19/1/06 for ‘Intra-European' fellowships.

In the first instance potential fellows are requested to contact eitherDr Andy Dixon (Interdisciplinary Projects Officer, a.m.dixon@shef.ac.uk) or Professor Malcolm Press (Director of Research for EnvironmentDivision. m.c.press@shef.ac.uk).

Professor Malcolm Press
Why University of Sheffield?

Quality of Host
The University of Sheffield has a global reputation for both itsteaching and research expertise.  An independent study rankedSheffield 7th amongst UK universities and 18th amongst Europeanuniversities (Shanghai Jiao Tong Institute: Academic Ranking of WorldUniversities 2003), out of more than 500 institutions surveyed. University of Sheffield is also one of the largest UK universities withover 23000 students (5000 postgraduate) from over 120 countries andhave over 5500 staff.
   In the latest national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2001), in which the quality and extent of all UK university researchactivities was rigorously assessed by an external body withinternational representation, 73% of our subject areas achieved the toptwo grades of 5 or 5*, placing us 6th in the UK and  indicatingresearch of international excellence. This compares with a nationalaverage of 39%.  In the 2001/02, the University's total researchincome, excluding annual government grants, was more than ￡99 million.We have an unusually wide spread of research excellence across subjectsin the sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities, and manyof those subjects contributed substantially to the total.

The Environment Division
This project is being lead by the Environment Division, one of 8thematic research divisions at the University.  The Division actsas an overarching body to its 13 member departments to coordinateinterdisciplinary research.  The fellows will find themselveswelcomed into a thriving community of excellent researchers with a highlevel of commitment to interdisciplinary research.  The definingfeatures of the Environment Division are as follows:
Scale and diversity - Thirteen departments are engaged in EnvironmentDivision activities, spanning the Faculties of Pure Science,Engineering, Social Science, Arts, Law and Architectural Studies,making the Division the most interdisciplinary of all the University'sResearch Divisions.  These departments contain 278 faculty staff,of which over 80 are involved in environmental research.
Success - Income for environmental research to departments representedin the Environment Division in calendar years 2002 and 2003 amounted to￡13M.  This places The University of Sheffield 5th nationally forresearch council income for environmental research.
Interdisciplinary Research Activity - A number of interdisciplinaryresearch projects have received substantial external funding and thisnumber is on the increase.  In addition, there are 12 crossdepartment research centers recognized by the University.
Coordination and Management - The employment of a Project Officerallows the Division to stimulate and support the preparation of fundingapplications.

Sheffield's cultural environment
Fellows will find it easy to feel at home in Sheffield (UK's safestCity (UK government, 2001)), and will benefit from the diverse mix ofnationalities and cultures of graduate students at theUniversity.  In the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences alone,more than 23 different nations are represented.  The Universityhas been independently ranked 1st for its social life rating (Virgin2003 Alternative Guide to British Universities) and our Students Unionservices. The sports facilities are equally outstanding rated 1st inthe Sunday Times University Guide 2003