Funding programs
The NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials offers the following programs to promote equal opportunities, foster the career of young women in science, and support female and male researchers with family care duties:
Research Fellowship Program for Women in Science
The fellowship seeks to support the professional development of outstanding female researchers who have already demonstrated excellence early in their careers and wish to pursue an academic career. The fellowships support the residency of researchers in the laboratory of one of the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials research groups. The program funds original research ideas of the applicants. Further information can be found here.
Pregnancy support grant
This grant supports PhD students and postdocs from the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials who cannot work in laboratories during pregnancy. PhD students can use it to extend their contract beyond the usually anticipated end date by at most half of the time of their pregnancy during which they are not allowed to carry out experimental work. Postdocs can use the grant to hire support staff to perform their lab work for a portion of their pregnancy during which they are not allowed to carry out experimental work. If you are interested in applying for this grant, please get in touch with the Scientific Coordinator.
Flexibility grants for NCCR participants
The grant provides more flexibility to PhD students and postdocs of the NCCR Bio-inspired Materials at a critical stage of their career and needing to take care of their children. It allows researchers to reduce their work-time percentage and hire a support person for the same period to minimize delays in their research work. The grant may also be used to cover childcare costs. If you are interested in applying for this grant, please get in touch with the Scientific Coordinator.
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) offers a range of funding schemes to contribute to gender equality in research.