Apply to the Carbon Sequestration Fellowships

About

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT invites MSc and PhD students of all nationalities to apply for the Carbon Sequestration Fellowships 2025. These short-term (4-month) scientific internships aim to advance research on improving soil organic carbon sequestration, a critical component in addressing the global climate emergency.

Who Should Apply:

We particularly encourage applications from women and candidates from Latin America and Africa. Selected fellows can collaborate with leading scientists at the Alliance’s Palmira, Colombia, or Nairobi, Kenya facilities.

Fellowship Focus:

The Fellowship program aims to develop innovative approaches for enhancing carbon storage in tropical soils by improving the deep-rooting ability of tropical forage grasses and rice genotypes.

Key Benefits:

In the program’s third round, 10 MSc and PhD students will receive funding ranging from USD 10,000 to 12,000* to cover living costs during the internship.
Fellows will work on generating original data and enhancing their research skills under the guidance of experienced scientists, contributing directly to their MSc or PhD thesis.
The program offers hands-on training and mentorship within active research teams, ensuring fellows are deeply engaged in impactful agricultural research.

Program Details:

The fellowships are part of the project “Using genetic diversity to capture carbon through deep root systems in tropical soils,” supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. Fellows will actively contribute to field and laboratory studies; desk-based research is discouraged.

How to Apply:

Interested students should submit applications demonstrating their research potential, alignment with the Fellowship goals, and commitment to tackling climate challenges through innovative agricultural science.

Join us in strengthening international agricultural research networks and making a tangible impact on reducing carbon emissions.

*Kindly review the terms of reference, which include a detailed breakdown of the total amount provided here.

Process and Timing

November 29, 2024, to February 4, 2025: Carbon Sequestration Fellowship publishes the call for applications and circulates widely to potential students.
February 4, 2025: Prospective candidates must submit their applications to HERE by 12:00 midnight Colombian Time.
February 5-14, 2025: Carbon Sequestration Fellowship team reviews all submitted applications to ensure they meet eligibility and suitability criteria.
February 15, 2025: The leadership team evaluates shortlisted applications and selects possible candidates for interviews.
March 17-28, 2025: The leadership team interviews shortlisted candidates.
April 1, 2025: The fellowship team notifies selected candidates via email from CarbonSequestrationFellowship@cgiar.org.
April 1-3, 2025: Selected candidates must confirm their participation by responding to CarbonSequestrationFellowship@cgiar.org.
April 7-8, 2025: Successful applicants are publicly announced on the Alliance website and also through social media channels.
April 7 to July 17, 2025: The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT completes internal processes, including document collection, ticket allocation, insurance arrangements, and visa processing.
August 1, 2025: The students start the fellowship program in Palmira or Kenya.
August 4, 2025: A welcome breakfast and induction session introduce the fellows to the program, and teams.
November 3, 2025: Students begin compiling the results of their internship, and the communications team will assist in crafting a poster. This poster will be published on the Carbon Sequestration website at https://carbonsequestration.co/.
November 28, 2025: The students provide an English presentation about the results of their internships to the leaders and teams in Africa and Latin America.
November 28, 2025: The fellowship concludes, and students return to their home countries, completing the program.