[Coral-List] Academia Sinica postdoc fellowship opportunity: conducting coral reef research in Taiwan

[Allen Chen]

Dear coral-listers,

Please help spread the following opportunity for the postdoc 
fellowships application to conduct coral reef research in Taiwan. 
Thanks heaps!

The Research Center for Biodiveristy, Academia Sinica (RCBAS), Taiwan 
is formally established in January, 2004 
(http://biodiv.sinica.edu.tw/en/index.php). One of the major research 
groups is focused on the biodiversity of coral reefs in Taiwan and the 
West Pacific.  Postdoc fellowships are now available for candidate to 
apply in association with the principal investigators of the RCBAS and 
other research institutes in the Academia Sinica. The application is 
open twice a year (February and September). The deadline for the first 
application is due to March 15, 2004. For those who have (or going to) 
PhD degree and are interesting in conducting biodiversity research of 
coral reefs in Taiwan , please feel free to contact me at the following 
address for further information:

Dr. Allen C. Chen
Research Center for Biodiversity
Academia Sinca, Taipei
Taiwan
E-mail:cac at gate.sinica.edu.tw

Herein is some information for Academia Sinica postdoc fellowship:

The Academia Sinica Postdoctoral Fellows Program is designed to meet 
the research needs of the various research institutes as the Academy is 
attempting to raise its academic standards of research by encouraging 
its research staff to open up new areas of intellectual endeavors and 
positioning itself to move its research activities to the international 
level. One of the missions of Academia Sinica is manpower training at 
the post-graduate and postdoctoral level in certain disciplines of 
strategic importance.

There are several categories of postdoctoral fellows under the Academia 
Sinica Postdoctoral Fellows Program:
    a. Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars (accounting for approximately 
1/10 of the total Academia Sinica Program)
    b. Regular Postdoctoral Fellows

Qualifications for each of these postdoctoral appointments:
     a. Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars: Candidates must have 
obtained a Ph.D. degree within the last 4 years from local or foreign 
universities with an outstanding record of publications and 
demonstrated promise of independent research capability.
     b. Regular Postdoctoral Fellow: Candidates must have obtained a 
Ph.D. degree within the last 6 years from local or foreign universities 
with an excellent record of research publications.

Qualified applicants should send Four copies of his/her application to 
the Office of Academic Affairs via the intended host Institute within 
Academia Sinica. Applications should consist of the following 
materials.

     Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars: The applicant should submit a 
completed application form, research plan, curriculum vitae, reprints 
of publications, 3 letters of recommendation, and a letter of agreement 
from the sponsoring principal investigator of the host Institute within 
Academia Sinica.
     Regular Postdoctoral Fellows: Application should be submitted by 
the sponsoring principal investigator from the host Institute within 
Academia Sinica, including a completed application form, research plan, 
curriculum vitae of the perspective postdoctoral fellow, 3 letters of 
recommendation, and reprints of publications.

Review Process:
The Central Academic Advisory Committee will establish a Postdoctoral 
Fellow Review Committee. This Review Committee will invite experts from 
within and outside of Academia Sinica to review the applications. 
Review of the Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars will be based 
primarily on the qualifications and publication record of the 
applicant. Review of the Regular Postdoctoral Fellow will also include 
considerations of the originality and significance of the research plan 
proposed by the sponsoring principal investigator.

Appointment for all categories of postdoctoral fellows will be for a 
two-year-term, renewable for a second term. Reappointment for the 
second term of all postdoctoral fellows will be reviewed near the end 
of their initial appointments.

Salaries and funding sources for the Postdoctoral Fellow program are as 
follows:
A.Schedule of Salaries:
(i) The salary schedule for the Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars 
will consist of 4 grades. The upper limit for each grade is:
648 points for grade 1; 670 points for grade 2; 692 points for grade 3; 
and 714 points for grade 4.
(ii) The salary schedule for the Regular Postdoctoral Fellows will 
consist of 6 grades. The upper limit for grade is：
504 point for grade 5; 520 point for grade 6; 538 points for grade 7; 
560 point for grade 8; 582 points for grade 9, and 604 points for grade 
10.
(iii) The conversion rate for each point in the salary schedule will be 
determined by the amount approved by the contract-personnel’s office 
based on the Personnel budget for that year.
(iv) Rank will commensurate with research experience and 
qualifications.  In the case of Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholars 
traveling from abroad, Academia Sinica will subsidize airfare from home 
country and institution.

B.Funds for the Academia Sinica Postdoctoral Fellows Program will be 
distributed from the budget of the “Main Theme Research and Advanced 
Training for Postdoctoral Fellow” Program.
The deadlines of applications are March 1 for appointments starting 
from July 1, and September 1 for appointments starting from January 1.