On this page applicants can find additional resources to prepare their Degrees Modelling Fund (DMF) project proposals.
About the DMF experience
The DMF experience is about much more than research funding. Through DMF, the Degrees Initiative is trying to build a global community of SRM experts—something that we think is an essential precondition for the good governance of SRM. Degrees therefore places an emphasis on community-building and supports activities to allow the DMF teams to interact with each other and with SRM experts around the world.
Research planning workshop
The DMF journey begins with a research planning workshop—either online or in-person—usually attended by two members from each team as well as their research collaborators and other researchers from the DMF research community. At the workshop, the teams will learn more about SRM and present their research plans for review and discussion. Perhaps most importantly, the scientists will get to know each other as they join a growing international community of SRM experts.
Research collaborator scheme
One of the unique benefits of the DMF is its research collaborator network. Each team will be connected with a pair of research collaborators who are some of the world’s most experienced SRM modellers. The research collaborators work cooperatively with the teams, helping them to understand the complexities of modelling SRM, making sure that they can access the data that they need, and in turn learning more about local climate impact modelling from the DMF scientists. The costs associated with the research collaborator scheme will be met by the Degrees Initiative.
The teams are free to define how they work with their collaborators, and there is no obligation to work with them at all. But most of the DMF teams have reported that it is one of the best parts of the DMF experience, with a number of the scientists continuing to work together outside their DMF projects—for instance by submitting joint proposals to other funders or by working on other projects outside their DMF research.
Community-building
The Degrees Initiative organises monthly calls that allow DMF teams to stay in touch with each other and the latest SRM news, and to present their work for discussion and feedback. Every project receives funding to send scientists to conferences and DMF researchers have been invited to participate in numerous panels, conferences and expert processes. There was even a special research residency for DMF researchers at Harvard University.
Degrees plans to organise more workshops in the future for the DMF teams to meet in person.
FAQs
I work in one of the countries eligible for DMF grants, but I am not a citizen of a developing country or emerging economy. Can I apply?
No. Only people who are both citizens of an eligible country and residents in an eligible country (although it doesn’t have to be the same country) are able to receive DMF funding. However, you could be part of a DMF research team as long as you do not receive any salary support from DMF.
I receive a full salary from my university. Can I still apply for salary support from DMF?
Yes, you can apply for salary support, but you will need to explain in your application why this is necessary.
Can the Degrees Initiative recommend SRM experts to join us in our proposal?
No, we link up DMF research groups with expert research collaborators once we have allocated grants. At the applications stage, we are looking for people to demonstrate that they have expertise in the impact analysis that they are proposing, and that show promise to progress as an SRM researcher.
All DMF studies to date have modelled stratospheric aerosol injection. Does my DMF proposal have to focus on this, or can I study marine cloud brightening?
You certainly can propose to study marine cloud brightening, and applications will not be marked up or down for choosing stratospheric aerosols or marine cloud brightening as their focus. However, if you are unsure which technique you would prefer to study, there may be advantages to choosing stratospheric aerosol injection because it is the more researched technique and most of the other teams will be studying it, making it easier to discuss your research with your colleagues worldwide.
Can I complete my DMF application in another language?
With apologies, our operation is not yet sophisticated enough to accommodate teams who do not speak good English and all applications must be completed in English.
In addition, please note that sufficient command of English is essential to benefit from this international programme, which involves exchanging and collaborating with people from over twenty countries.
The application requests the details of all team members, but some people might move on to other jobs before the DMF projects start. Can we find other team members later to replace them if needed?
Yes, you do not need a solid commitment from all proposed researchers to apply for a grant. Ultimately, it is the principal investigator’s job to ensure that the research can be carried out to a high standard within financial and time constraints, and they can change the team as needed.