PICES Visiting Scientist Program
(Approved October 12, 2001; Revised October 20, 2012; Revised October 19, 2013)

Rationale

Scientific activities sponsored and/or conducted by PICES have increased significantly since its inception in 1992, as has its production of scholarly works. Growth was achieved by making efficient use of national contributions and by attracting external funding for PICES activities. In addition, the new PICES FUTURE Scientific Program, which began in 2009, will require a great deal of scientific involvement, oversight, and collaboration in order to be successful. This will involve the need to deliver timely, high quality scientific products to the PICES community and beyond. PICES is seeking ways to enhance the ability of the Organization and the Secretariat to support the increasing demand. Establishing a PICES Visiting Scientist Program will allow national agencies and/or other international science organizations to contribute “in kind” toward achieving PICES goals, and improve the way the Organization functions.

Objectives of the program
  1. to provide for and enhance collaborative projects among PICES member countries;
  2. to strengthen the capacity of the Organization to develop and implement projects that have high priority for PICES and member countries, particularly those linked to integrative science programs of PICES;
  3. to provide professional development of marine scientists and managers from PICES member countries.
Nature of the program

Each visiting scientist (expert) will be made available to PICES through secondments from national agencies and/or other international science organizations. He/she will be given a specific task that is important to PICES and is also in the interests of his/her agency/organization. The secondment should be governed by a mutual agreement developed between PICES and the seconding agency/organization. The agreement spells out the terms of reference for the tasks, responsibilities, duration, as well as the legal terms.

The expert will perform the given task either at the PICES Secretariat, at their home institution, or at an institution of another PICES country that has agreed to host the expert, while the expert remains on the payroll of his/her agency/organization. The expert’s agency/organization shall pay the salary, allowances, and expenses incurred in travel to and from the place of residence and the location of the secondment. Since the expert will continue to be an employee of his agency/organization while working on their collaborative project, his/her expenses relating to taxes, medical and life insurance coverage, and any other benefits to which the expert is entitled, will remain the responsibility of his/her agency/organization.

PICES or the hosting institution shall provide appropriate facilities, including office space and administrative services. Travel expenses associated with the expert's work under the collaborative project will be shared by PICES or the hosting agency and the expert’s agency/organization as agreed upon in the MOU.

Qualification

Senior Scientist: The expert should be an experienced individual (Ph.D. or master’s level scientist with over 5 years of post-master’s degree experience) with good scientific writing and oral communication skills in English. The particular qualifications will depend on the tasks outlined for the collaborative project.

Junior Scientist: The scientist should be an early career Ph.D. scientist or a master’s level scientist with at least 2 years of experience, and in either case has demonstrated scientific writing and oral communications skills in English. The particular qualifications will depend on tasks outlined for the collaborative project.

Duration and starting date

The program will be implemented following approval by the Governing Council and identification of potential tasks by the Science Board. The expert’s term will start after approval of the specific MOU. Duration of the term will depend on the specific task. The expert may be onsite for as little as two weeks to as long as visa requirements allow. Applicants may identify a host institution or PICES will help identify hosts.

Information required from potential host institutions

Institutions interested in hosting a PICES Visiting Scientist should provide the following information, in a short proposal describing the visiting scientist’s term at the host institution: