The QCBS represents a source of research and training excellence in biodiversity science primarily for the research community but also for regional and provincial governments and citizens. The QCBS training program promotes symposium and workshops organized by and for the QCBS network members, which are also open to a larger audience when space is permitting. The QCBS symposium and workshop series grant are intended for QCBS researchers, and have for objectives to foster a learning environment where graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professionals, a) are exposed to high quality learning environment and to b) have access to stimulating high profile invited speakers and QCBS researchers. The QCBS symposium and workshop series offers up to 3 to 6 grants per year (depending on the amount for each event) to co-fund  the organization of events within the QCBS network. 

General rules

• Geopoles are limited to one awards/event per fiscal year,
• The event shall take the form of a symposium or workshop where one or several invited speakers as well as several QCBS researchers and students present aspects of their research,
• The main symposium or workshop should be open to the public, although it does not preclude the organization of training workshops and specialized seminars for the QCBS members.

Amount of funding

This award co funds symposium and workshops with a QCBS financial contribution not exceeding $2000 for each event.

Eligibility requirements

• Must be organized by a QCBS member;
• Organized in one of the QCBS partner universities;
• Involve several QCBS researchers and graduate students;
• Preference will be given to events which involve collaborations across research axes and or between geopoles.

Evaluation process

The QCBS scientific committee will evaluate applications with regards to the QCBS missions and research axes using the following criteria:

(30%) Importance of the proposed topic within the biodiversity science debate arena

(20%) Collaboration of QCBS researchers locally, but also in the network

(20%) Breath of the topic of symposium and workshop and relevance of the speakers;

(20%) Program feasibility and budget adequacy

(10%) Existence of side activities which will increase the access to the speaker(s) and make the experience more valuable for a broader audience

Award timeline

No application deadline. Send your application to the QCBS coordinator when ready: info@qcbs.ca 
 

Obligations associated with the award

• Recipients should make their association with the QCBS visible on all documents and advertizing materials (e.g. website);
• QCBS will post information about the symposium and workshop on the QCBS website, in accordance with publication regulations and other policies;
• Award recipients will produce a summary report for QCBS within 2 weeks of the completed activity (program, abstracts, power points to be posted on the QCBS website, attendee info, evaluation comments, photos etc.). This is important information for QCBS records.

Please send you application to the QCBS as a single PDF file containing the entire application.

Applications should be emailed to info@qcbs.ca.

SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP AWARD APPLICATION MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

Cover letter (maximum 1 page / less than 400 words)

Cover letter should include the following information:

• Contact information: First and last name, Academic institution, FRQNT Personal Identification Number (PIN, to be obtained from https://www.fqr.gouv.qc.ca/pls/cv/NIP.ins?pOrg=NT ), email address, phone contact.
• The topic and aim of the proposed seminar or workshop and the expected invited speaker(s).
• The information on the expected collaboration and connections by the network at the occasion of the seminar or workshop

Description of the proposed seminar or workshop (> 1 page, or ~400 words maximum);

Please indicate the title of the proposed seminar or workshop and the importance of the proposed topic with respect to QCBS research axes.

Briefly describe how this seminar or workshop will be beneficial for the acquisition and sharing of knowledge by graduate, post-doctoral, faculty within the QCBS network and be of interest for QCBS partners from governments and other institutions.

Link with QCBS research axes and themes (> 1 page, or ~400 words maximum);

Briefly explain how the proposed seminar or workshop is related to the QCBS program and how the proposed event theme is: i) aligned with the mission, vision, and values of QCBS, ii) reflects the QCBS’s research themes and axes, iii) engages a significant audience within the QCBS.

Detailed program for the proposed seminar or workshop (maximum 1 page)

Provide a program and schedule of the syposium or workshop showing the main activity plus any pre or post event activities. Provide information on the expected involvement of other researchers (QCBS and not QCBS) and of grad students and postdoctoral fellows. Give a short description of the outcomes with indicators of success: number participants, etc. Provide an idea of the schedule for the main and side activities.

Table X: seminar or workshop program and schedule

Estimated budget (maximum 1 page)

Provide a budget according to your activity plan. The budget should be in the form of a table showing all the costs of the symposium or workshop. The amount requested column shows the amount of fund you are applying and other sources of funding with their origin. Please use the following table as a template.

Table X: Sample table for requesting extra funding.

CV of the applicant and of the speakers

Please attach a copy of the applicant’s short CV as well as those of the invited speakers, including the QCBS speakers.