GODFREY HEWITT MOBILITY (GHM) Award - Call for Applications

Godfrey Hewitt (1940-2013) was President of the European Society for 
Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) from 1999-2001. He was exceptionally 
influential in evolutionary biology both through his research and 
through his mentoring of young scientists. He was also a great believer 
in seeing organisms in their environment first-hand and in exchanges of 
ideas between labs. Therefore, ESEB annually offers mobility grants for 
young scientists in his name.

DEADLINE: SATURDAY, 31 JANUARY 2026.

ELIGIBILITY

The award is open to PhD students or postdoctoral scientists who are, at 
the closing date for applications, within 6 years of the start date of 
their PhD and ESEB members. In addition, applicants will be considered 
who are more than 6 years from the start of their PhD if they have had 
career breaks, worked part-time, or for other reasons have not worked 
continuously. Applicants who have previously received a Godfrey Hewitt 
mobility award are not eligible. The maximum single award will be 2,000 
Euros.

SCOPE

The Godfrey Hewitt mobility award supports fieldwork or a period of 
research at a lab that you have not previously visited. There is no 
restriction on the country of residence or nationality of the applicant. 
A report will be required after one year.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Your application should be sent as a single PDF file to Ute Friedrich at 
the ESEB office, office@eseb.org. It should include your name, current 
status and institution, your PhD start date, your ESEB membership 
number, a description of the work to be carried out (maximum 500 words), 
an outline budget with brief justification (maximum 100 words) and a 
signed statement from your PhD supervisor or postdoctoral adviser 
(maximum 100 words) explaining why the work cannot be funded from your 
home institution or your proposed host institution.

Applications will be considered by a committee chaired by Andrea 
Betancourt. The aim will be to announce decisions before the end of 
March 2026. The committee will consider the following key criteria:

1. The value of the proposed mobility in terms of its expected output 
and impact on the applicant's career. The committee prefers projects 
that are:
    a. Not a core component of the applicant's existing PhD or 
postdoctoral project, but a new venture.
    b. Clearly based on the applicant's own initiative
    c. Likely to be completed and have definable output within the 
award period
    d. Have the potential to lead to larger future projects or to 
enhance the applicant's career in evolutionary biology

2. The need for the GHM award, i.e. the potential for the funding 
provided by ESEB to make a difference, in relation to resources already 
available through the home or host institution.

Please endeavour to address these points in your application. For 
further guidance from the committee in shaping your proposal, see the 
GHM award application guidance at 
https://eseb.org/prizes-funding/godfrey-hewitt-mobility-award/.

Best wishes,
Ute Friedrich, ESEB Office Manager

European Society for Evolutionary Biology
Homepage: eseb.org
Email: office@eseb.org

ESEB Office <office@eseb.org>

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