The Spanish Society for Neuroscience (SENC) an the Host Society Committee (HSC) are pleased to announce the IBRO-sponsored Early Career Training Program (ECTP). This program facilitates opportunities for ECRs wishing to advance their careers by experiencing a different research environment

Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from around the world can apply to visit and work in a Spanish host laboratory for 2-3 weeks preceding the 11^th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience in Granada (9-13 September 2023). Host labs are located throughout Spain, and those ECRs selected to undertake these placements will receive up to €1250 courtesy of IBRO to help cover the costs of the visit. The 20 successful applicants will meet with senior and junior scientists in the host lab, learn new techniques and data analysis pipelines, possibly establish collaborations, as well as experience a different working culture.

The selected ECRs will present their research activity in the host laboratory during the pre-meeting symposium.

Awards of up to €1250 will be made available to successful applicants. Awards are need-based, meaning the amount requested must be justified and adapted to the applicant’s country of origin.

Applicants must be Early Career Researchers (ECRs): predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers (BSc, MSc, MD, Ph.D., or assistant/trainees) in basic or clinical research. The applicants shall be within 10 years of the award of the Ph.D. or currently Ph.D. students when starting the fellowship. This period will be extended in case of maternity leave or other justifiable leaves of absence.

Applicants must not be currently working in a Spain laboratory. Spain nationals based at non-Spain institutions may apply if they have been working outside of Spain for at least 12 months.

Applicants must have a first author abstract (poster or oral) submitted to the 13th IBRO World Congress 2023.

Applicants must be registered to attend the 13th IBRO World Congress 2023.

• Proof of ECRs status, registration, abstract submission, and application form.
• Recommendation letter from a current supervisor (300 words max), including name, affiliation, address, and contact details, along with this application.
• Curriculum vitae, maximum 2 pages, including education and degrees earned, technical skills, current research projects/techniques used, publications/abstracts/presentations, and any other relevant information.
• Application form, which includes the first and second option labs and a motivation statement, where they should indicate what they expect from the specific lab they are applying to.

All applications will be screened by the ETCP committee to ensure eligibility requirements are met. The committee will preselect and score the top 40 candidates based on CV, and motivation. The selection process will ensure achieving gender balance and equitable geographical representation.

The ECTP committee will then contact the labs selected by the students in order of scores from the best to the worse. If the lab accepts the student, it would be considered a “perfect match” and the student will be granted. If there are 2 equally excellent students applying to the same lab, the lab will be given the opportunity to select one of them. The ECTP will then contact the second option lab of the student not selected.