Call for Synthesis Science Working Group Proposals

As part of a joint call from a consortium of international synthesis centers around the theme of interactions between biodiversity and climate change, the Just Transformations for Sustainability Initiative (JTS) at University of Notre Dame and the Institute for Global Change Biology (IGCB) at the University of Michigan, announce a new open call for proposals to form Synthesis Working Groups.

Driven by the recognition that scientific syntheses and subsequent actions based on the best available knowledge are necessary to solve complex problems, we invite Notre Dame researchers, U-M researchers, and their external colleagues to submit proposals for interdisciplinary Synthesis Working Groups.

In light of the global nature of the tightly linked climate and biodiversity crises, and multiple calls for syntheses that recognize and respond to climate-biodiversity intersections, several synthesis centers around the world have joined forces to synthesize knowledge linking the biodiversity and climate change crises.

Different centers have identified different focal issues they are most interested in supporting within this wider realm. This particular Notre Dame-Michigan call for proposals is for working groups that will commence in late 2025 or early 2026. Please refer to the documents below for a detailed description of the objectives and rules of this call.

The JTS Initiative and IGCB will support two types of Synthesis Working Groups: 1) joint IGCB- JTS Initiative Working groups and 2) Joint Cross-Institute Working Groups with other synthesis centers.

IGCB- JTS Initiative Working groups

Synthesis working groups will focus on the nexus of climate, ecological, and social sciences to address central challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and how they may be addressed. Teams must include U of Michigan and Notre Dame faculty members. Working groups may include relevant investigators from other higher education and research institutions. Support will cover travel, food, lodging and incidentals for participants for two to three meetings over a two-year period. The budget may include support for one postdoctoral fellow for one to two years with justification for the need.

Joint IGCB- JTS Working Groups with other Synthesis Centers

IGCB and JTS Initiative will each fund a two-year postdoc to support the activities of Synthesis Working Groups funded by the other Synthesis Centers (see Table in linked document below). Funded WGs will submit proposals to IGCB-JTS for postdoc support. The postdoc will be on-site at UM and University of Notre Dame and be co-mentored by faculty member(s) identified by the working funded groups (who will be a participant in the WG).

Pre-proposal deadline is 27 March 2025 (11:59 PM EST).

Important Links

---