Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Academic and Professional Excellence – India

The Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships are designed to build long-term capacity to address climate change-related issues in India and the U.S.

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship fields include, but are not limited to: clean energy technologies and energy transition; climate and health; climate finance; climate justice and equity; climate resilience, mitigation, and adaptation; climate-smart agriculture; climatology; critical and emerging technology (including applied AI for climate/agriculture, harnessing high-performance computing/quantum computing for climate mitigation, and biotech); critical minerals supply chains; disaster resilience; green mobility, green buildings and construction; oceanography; renewable energy; sustainability.

These fellowships aim to provide Indian faculty, researchers, and professionals the opportunity to teach, conduct research, or carry out a combination of teaching and research at a U.S. institution. These fellowships are for four to nine months.

• Research: Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of the proposed research to India and/or the U.S., its benefit to the applicant’s institution, the feasibility of accomplishing the research goal within the stipulated period, and the need to carry out the research in the U.S.
• Teaching: Indian academics and professionals contribute to the internationalization of the curriculum at their U.S. host institutions and the understanding of recent developments not just in India but globally. The recipient will teach courses individually or team-teach.
• Research and Teaching: Applicants will carry out a combination of research and teaching activities at the U.S. host institution. They must specify the percentage of the grant for each activity and define this in the project statement. For instance, if the plan is to spend 60 percent of the grant duration for research and 40 percent for teaching, the project statement should demonstrate this allocation. Teaching could include courses (individually or team-taught) or a series of seminars at the U.S. institution.

Grant Benefits

• These fellowships provide J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class air travel between India and the U.S., a modest settling-in allowance, and a professional allowance.
• Subject to availability of funds, a dependent allowance and international travel may be provided for one accompanying eligible dependent provided the dependent is with the grantee in the U.S. for at least 80 per cent of the grant period.

Affiliation

• The selected candidate will be affiliated to one U.S. host institution.
• USIEF strongly recommends all applicants to identify institutions with which they wish to be affiliated, and to correspond, in advance, with potential host institutions. If the applicant has secured a letter of invitation from a U.S. institution, it should be included as a part of the online application. The letter of invitation should indicate the duration of visit, preferably with dates.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant:
  • must be a responsible Indian citizen who can contribute to a full and fair picture of the culture and civilization of India, and thereby help to promote understanding and friendship between the peoples of the United States of America and India;
  • must not be residing in U.S. during the recruitment and placement cycle (February 2024-July 2025);
  • Indian citizens with active permanent resident status in foreign countries are not eligible to apply;
  • must have a high level of academic/professional achievement;
  • must demonstrate proficiency in the English language to undertake the proposed project/program and adjust to life in the U.S.;
  • must inform USIEF well in advance if the applicant needs to travel abroad (e.g., conference, fellowship etc.) during the application cycle Feb 2024 – July 2025;
  • must be eligible for leave, if employed;
  • must not be applying for or holding permanent residence (green card) in the United States; and
  • must give an undertaking to return to India on the completion of the fellowship.
• Faculty/researchers must have a Ph.D. degree with at least five years of relevant teaching/research/professional experience;
• Professionals outside academe must have a master’s degree with recognized professional standing and at least five years of relevant experience;
• The applicant should upload a recent significant publication (copy of paper/article) in the online application (not exceeding 30 pages); and
• If the applicant is employed, they must follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. The applicant must obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the Letter of Support from Home Institution.
• Note: In the application, the applicant is required to indicate the period in which they can complete the proposed project in the United States. The applicant must determine grant duration carefully. Should they be selected for a grant, it will be for the period specified in their application. The duration cannot be changed.
• Note: Preference will be given to candidates who have not had extensive recent U.S. experience.

For more information, visit USIEF.