Call for applications to our Dr Sylvia Meek Scholarship for Entomology in South Africa

Malaria Consortium is proud to announce its partnership with the University of Pretoria, South Africa, to continue Dr Sylvia Meek’s legacy through the Dr Sylvia Meek Scholarship for Entomology.

The Scholarship for Entomology has been set up in the memory of Dr Sylvia Meek, Malaria Consortium’s Global Technical Director whose untimely passing away in 2016 has left a big void in the fight against infectious diseases, and malaria in particular.

Both Malaria Consortium and University of Pretoria are committed to ensure Sylvia's values are carried on by the future generation of entomologists in Africa. Sylvia was not only a great scientist but someone with great compassion who was an inspiration to her associates and colleagues.

The scholarship, established in Sylvia’s honour by Malaria Consortium, will empower a new generation of public health entomologists and malaria staff in Africa and Asia. Given the limited number of field-oriented vector biologists, and the challenges African countries face in achieving malaria elimination, this scholarship is a great opportunity to support the next generation of public health entomologists in support of this quest.

Malaria Consortium is delighted that the University of Pretoria is hosting recipients of the scholarship. University of Pretoria is one of the leading higher education institutions on the continent. The university’s origins go back to 1908, and while building on a century of experience, it has transformed into the multicultural, multiracial university offering high-quality education it is nowadays. 

The University of Pretoria will be accepting one scholarship student in 2018 for a two-year Master of Science in Entomology based in and supervised by academic staff in the Department of Zoology and Entomology. The MSc in Entomology offered by the Department of Zoology and Entomology is a research-only programme that does not include a coursework component. The successful applicant will start their MSc programme before the end of March 2018.

Who can apply for the Dr Sylvia Meek Scholarship for Entomology at University of Pretoria?

• Nationals from the following countries can apply: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Applicants need to have successfully completed an Honours degree or equivalent in Entomology or a related discipline
• Applicants should have good knowledge of English (the language of instruction)
• Applicants should demonstrate an interest in, and commitment to, entomology and the control of vector borne diseases
• Applicants should be no older than 35 at the time of submission

Application and Selection Procedure

First step

Applicants should send an application to Dr Heike Lutermann at the University of Pretoria ([email protected]), including the following documents:

1. A cover letter not exceeding one A4 page, stating your educational background, the area of medical entomology you intend to specialise in, and
2. A preliminary proposal of no more than 2 pages (including relevant references) for your research project, including project title, background and justification, objectives, methodology, and budget (no more than ZAR50 000 over two years,
   +/- £3,000) with brief justification. The preliminary proposal must focus on public health entomology.
3. Bachelor’s and Honours degree certificates
4. Bachelor’s and Honours degree academic transcripts (grade report where the completed courses are listed, including interpretation of grades when not numeric)
5. English proficiency test result or any other proof of proficiency in English for applicants from countries where English is not the official language

It is advised that applicants contact Dr Lutermann before submitting their application so that she can suggest a suitable supervisor who can help to refine the preliminary proposal.

Please submit these documents no later than 17:00 (Johannesburg time; GMT+2) Friday 29 September 2017.

The University of Pretoria will screen and shortlist applications based on (1) the quality of the preliminary proposal and (2) eligibility for the MSc in Entomology programme. The shortlist will be submitted to a scholarship selection panel comprising of University of Pretoria and Malaria Consortium vector control experts.

Second step

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to send to the scholarship selection panel the following:

1. Personal statement written in English of no more than 500 words indicating why you would like to study public health entomology
2. Two letters of recommendation (can be professional or academic references)

 Shortlisted applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection process by Friday 27 October 2017.

Third step:

The successful applicant will be invited to submit an online application for the MSc in Entomology programme at the University of Pretoria. An admission letter will be processed, which can then be used by successful non-South African applicants to apply for a study visa in preparation for the start of the 2018 academic year. The successful applicant must be registered and commence the MSc in Entomology programme before 31 March 2018.

Financial aspects

The Dr Sylvia Meek Scholarship for Entomology will cover all tuition fees, a research allowance to the total value of ZAR50 000, +/- £3,000, upkeep costs such as accommodation and board, an allowance for travel to South Africa (if non-national) and return home after completion of the programme, health insurance, and stationery costs for the duration of the MSc programme, i.e. a maximum of two calendar years, by which time the students should finish their degree.

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