Time is money and money is time for more research
‘I believe that children can also be very happy when they realise that their parents have something important to do that they enjoy, and I don’t think you should let mothers-in-law or others make you feel guilty for seeking help an not cleaning every corner yourself.’
– Angela Merkel on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the CNV Foundation
Who. How. What.
1. Who can apply?
- The CNV Foundation supports outstanding female scientists in the fields of experimental natural sciences and basic medical research.
- Female PhD students of all nationalities from the second year of PhD studies onwards, whose thesis is still in the practical phase and who are conducting research at universities and research institutes in Germany.
- Postdoctoral female researchers of all nationalities who are either conducting research at universities and research institutes in Germany or who obtained their PhD at a German university and are continuing their research abroad. Preference is given to those who have switched their field of study after completing their PhD. There must be compelling reasons for continuing the thesis project.
It is assumed that the female scientist (PhD student or postdoc) works full-time during the funding period, and that full-time daycare for the child(ren) is ensured and financed. During any parental leave of the scholarship holder or her partner, the funding will be suspended.
Senior scientists, junior professors, heads of independent research groups, as well as women in permanent full-time positions are not eligible to apply.
2. How to apply?
- Applications are open from 1st September to 30th November each year.
- Applications can be written in German or English.
- The online portal will guide you step by step through the application process. You can save your entries at any time and continue your application at a later date.
- Each application requires two letters of recommendation.
- Once we have received your complete application, it will be reviewed by members of the board and the advisory board. If you are shortlisted on the basis of your written application, you will be invited to an interview. These interviews usually take place in the second half of February, approximately two months after the application deadline. We will notify you by email as soon as a decision has been taken.
3. What support is provided?
- The funding amounts to €500 per month for a period of one year. The funding starts the month following the acceptance.
- At the end of the funding period, the CNV Foundation requests a brief report on the project phase during the funding period and on how the funds were used.
- Once a year, there is a foundation meeting with all scholarship holders, at which you will be asked to introduce yourself and your scientific work in the form of a short lecture.
- In justified cases, an extension of up to one year may be granted. To do so, please submit a brief report on the progress of the project phase funded and describe the planned further course of the project. Applications for an extension, including a reference from the supervisor and a brief explanation of how the funds will be used, must be sent to franziska.castell@cnv-stiftung.de by the end of the year in which the scholarship was awarded.
4. Note for referees
The aim of the foundation is to support young, promising female scientists in Germany who are at risk of jeopardizing their scientific careers due to the additional burden of children, even though they have clear and above-average potential for success. The foundation will not finance the applicant’s living expenses, but will provide a grant of €500 per month to relieve outstanding female PhD students and postdocs with children from domestic tasks. Unfortunately, the foundation cannot help all young female scientists in this situation. Instead, it aims to support women who have the best chances of achieving their goal of becoming independent researchers. We therefore ask for critical and differentiating evaluations based on similar criteria to those applied to elite scholarships (e.g. Studienstiftung, EMBO, Schering Foundation, Boehringer-Ingelheim Scholarship). An informal report is sufficient. The following questions might assist you to provide a helpful evaluation for the selection process:
- How do you rate the applicant in comparison to all the other (male and female) scientists in your laboratory and institute?
- How would you assess the applicant’s originality, intelligence and creativity? Is she able to independently design and execute a scientific project? To what extent does she depend on her environment and on guidance?
- How would you rate her motivation, determination and commitment to pursue an independent scientific career?
Please submit your reference by 30th of November of the respective year at the latest. To do so, please use the link provided by the applicant to access our application portal. There you can write or upload your reference.