NSF Student Travel Fellowship for DYNAMO Field Campaign

 
Published: 21 December 2010

As part of the DYNAMO (Dynamics of the MJO) field campaign, which includes the AMIE-Gan campaign, several student travel fellowships funded by the National Science Foundation are available for advanced graduate students and recently graduated postdoctoral associates, especially those from under-represented groups. DYNAMO is the US contribution to the international field program CINDY2011 (Cooperative Indian Ocean Experiment on Intraseasonal Variability in Year 2011), which will take place in the equatorial central Indian Ocean region October 1, 2011–March 31, 2012.

During the DYNAMO field campaign, observations will be collected from the atmosphere, ocean, and their interface by a multi-platform observational network consisting of islands, research vessels, moorings, and aircraft. This field campaign is designed to improve our understanding of key initiation processes for the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and our ability to predict MJO initiation. It is supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Office of Naval Research, the Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

DYNAMO will provide an excellent opportunity for young scientists to gain firsthand experience in a modern, international field experiment, broaden their scientific background, and interact with scientists outside their home institutes. The fellowship will cover expenses of airfare, lodging (shared rooms), and food for 30 days for each recipient, who should receive regular stipend/salary support from their home institutes. Qualified candidates must have made excellent progress toward their graduate degrees, be in good health to travel to and work in remote locations during the field campaign, and be able to perform well at both day and night shifts on land and onboard ships. Their participation in the DYNAMO field campaign must not negatively affect their academic progress toward earning their degree and will need approval from their advisors. Fellowship recipients will provide needed assistance to the field operation, including, but not limited to, sounding launches, radar operation and data retrieval, and in-field data analysis. Each fellowship recipient will work closely with a senior mentor during the field campaign.

To apply for the fellowship, send both a completed application form and a recommendation form to czhang@rsmas.miami.edu and jmoore@ucar.edu. Applications are due by by January 30, 2011. Selection decisions will be made in late February. The DYNAMO Project Office will make travel arrangements to the field.