The mission of the Crustal Ocean Biosphere Research Accelerator (COBRA) is to accelerate the research on the structure, function, resilience, and ecosystem services of the crustal ocean biosphere to inform decision making and to train the next generation of leaders in ocean exploration, science, and policy. In pursuit of this mission, we award small accelerator stipends for early career participants to accelerate their training.

Accelerator stipends can be used for any type of training activity, such as – but not limited to – learning a new skill or getting a new experience, visiting a lab to learn a new method or analyze samples, or attending a professional society conference or policy-maker meeting. These stipends are for early career members of the community – including senior graduate students, postdocs, junior faculty, or junior professionals – that would like to gain new skills and experiences that can be applied to COBRA themes. These training opportunities are expected to establish direct linkages among individuals, which are intended to result in a more well-connected community and the development of future COBRA researchers and leaders.

We anticipate ~10 awards of US$2,500 in 2024 (Year 3 of COBRA). This stipend funding is available to individuals sponsored in both US institutions and abroad. For individuals not based at a US institution, the training opportunity must be tied to a US-based organization or activity. COBRA must consider appropriate balance in funding to reflect that the funding is US-based.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, there is no deadline to apply. We anticipate making decisions on funding within 3 months following submission, with successfully proposed activities starting between 1-10 months following notification.

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