The Regional Secretariat for Science, Technology and Infrastructures (SRCTE), through the Regional Fund for Science and Technology (FRCT), has opened an application for three new fellowships intended to integrate graduates and master's degree holders into Research and Development (R&D) ongoing in the Region. These projects were approved in an open application under the Net-Biome consortium, which brings together 11 outermost regions from 5 European countries.

One of the fellowships is intended to integrate a graduate in the R&D project developed under the theme "MOVECLIM: Montane vegetation the listening posts for climate change." Graduates with a degree in Biology or similar areas are eligible applicants. This project is the first comparative study of tropical biodiversity throughout an elevational gradient in five archipelagos, and will establish an international and multi-disciplinary network for the Mascarene Islands (Réunion), West Indies (Guadeloupe), Pico (Azores), La Palma (Canary Islands) and Tahiti (French Polynesia). The work will be carried out at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of the Azores, based on the island of Terceira.

The second fellowship aims to integrate a master's degree holder in the R&D project "SafePGR - Towards Safer Plant Genetic Resources through improved viral diagnostics" and it is addressed at applicants with proven experience in plant tissue culture and molecular biology. This project aims to improve the understanding of the diversity of viruses infecting of plant germplasm culture banks by using traditional methods and developing new diagnostic methods. The work will be developed at the Azores Biotechnology Centre (CBA), based at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of the Azores island on Terceira Island.

The third scholarship is intended to integrate a master's degree holder in the "SEAPROLIF project: Diversity and functioning of coastal marine biomes under siege: Implications of seaweed proliferations across three oceans." Eligible applicants must hold a Master's Degree in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Marine Sciences or similar areas. The applicant selected for this project will support the works to monitor the interaction between Asparagopsis spp. and invertebrates as well as laboratory works to study the diversity of Symbiodinium spp. associated to corals. The work will be developed at the IMAR Centre - Institute of Marine Research at the University of the Azores, based at the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores in Horta.

The application is open until March 23. The Rules, Public Notice and application forms are available in the area New Applications at http://sctr.azores.gov.pt.