As part of its mission, the MRI provides funding contributions for synthesis workshops that bring together global change researchers to address specific topics of interest to the mountain research, policy and practitioner communities. In 2022, the call is thematically dedicated as a contribution from the MRI to the observance of the UN-proclaimed International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development (IYM2022).
Please note that the 30 September 2022 deadline for proposals for this year’s call has passed and is now closed.
Background
The MRI synthesis workshops are community-led activities that bring people together for collaboration, and generate outcomes and outputs that connect and synthesise existing data, information, publications, and/or other forms of knowledge and that have the potential to provide new insights on the state of mountains in a global context, thereby supporting MRI’s vision and objectives. Synthesis activities that support and/or contribute to the work of the MRI Working Groups or the Group on Earth Observations - Global Network on Observations and Information in Mountain Environments (GEO Mountains), are particularly encouraged.
Since 2012, the MRI has funded and supported 12 synthesis workshops, covering a multitude of topics and synthesis of knowledge that are relevant as key inputs to address the challenges and opportunities of global change in mountain social-ecological systems. Explore and learn more about previous MRI Synthesis Workshops here.
Call for MRI Synthesis Workshops 2022
As a contribution to the observance of the UN-proclaimed International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development in 2022 (IYM2022), the MRI is dedicating its 2022 call for MRI Synthesis Workshops to encourage the mountain research community in connecting through synthesis activities and contribute to addressing some of the most pressing and persistent knowledge needs of science, policy, practice and society at large that link to the objectives of the IYM2022, and which fall within the general scope of synthesis of global change research in mountain regions. Proponents may also consider workshops that take a ‘horizon scanning’ foresight approach to anticipate and address key questions that respond to knowledge needs or that have explicit policy and/or societal relevance.
A few recent global assessments and research priority-setting publications describe and substantiate a number of diverse research and syntheses needs that the mountain research community could consider as a basis for possible proposal ideas, such as those outlined in the latest IPCC reports - SROCC (Hock et al. 2019) and the Cross-Chapter Paper Mountains in the WGII contribution to AR6 (Adler et al. 2022) - as well as the outcomes of the International Mountains Conference (IMC) in 2019 (see Price et al. 2022). Given the upcoming IMC in September 2022, we also encourage the MRI community to consider this call for MRI Synthesis Workshops as a means to foster continued scientific collaboration post-conference.
Depending on the scientific merit and calibre of the proposals received, we expect to be able to support up to two synthesis workshops. Under this call, a total contribution from the MRI of up to 6’000 CHF per workshop is the current budget under consideration, depending on the location and scope of the proposed activities.
Outcomes and outputs relating to the proposed workshop activity can include, but are not limited to, systematic reviews, synthesis articles, or perspective/research agenda pieces for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals and/or compilation of relevant/existing data into publishable datasets or databases that can facilitate further research activities; or contribute to the work of MRI Working Groups and/or GEO Mountains. Workshops and related activities and outcomes/outputs should aim at inter-relating or comparing at least two or more different mountain locations or regions, and demonstrate the relevance of the topic/regions being investigated in a global context.
Please download, read, and refer to the full call document, and the General Eligibility and Funding Conditions for MRI Synthesis Workshops therein.
Conditions, evaluation criteria and other considerations
Proposals must adhere to the General Eligibility and Funding Conditions for MRI Synthesis Workshops, including full profile entries by the proposal proponents in the MRI’s Experts Database. Eligible proposals are evaluated by members of the MRI Governing Body against the following five general evaluation criteria:
- Demonstrates high degree of scientific merit and quality in terms of design, methods and analyses, including integration between natural and social sciences and humanities; and consideration for inter- and/or transdisciplinary collaboration, if applicable.
- Adheres to the MRI guiding principles and contributes to the MRI objectives and vision, and responds to an explicitly expressed knowledge need and/or addresses a specific issue of policy and/or societal relevance.
- Includes the participation of early career researchers, as well as ensures genuine steps are taken to achieve gender and geographic balance among workshop participants.
- Scope of the activity includes multiple mountain regions and demonstrates its relevance in a global context.
- The main proponent(s) demonstrate expertise and a scientific track record in the chosen topics, including full profile entries in MRI’s Experts Database.
Given the need to limit greenhouse gas emissions associated with air travel, and the ongoing conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world, proponents are encouraged to also include and demonstrate innovative means for collaboration, including virtual or hybrid meetings and activities to support the planned synthesis work. For this reason, and pending a successful application, the suggested period in which to plan and schedule proposed activities under this call is from January to July 2023.
Application process, key dates, and milestones
Proposals must be submitted via this online submission form. Please ensure all the requested information is provided. Incomplete submissions will not be passed on for evaluation.
Deadline for proposals: 30 September 2022, midnight (23:59) CEST
Key dates and milestones:
- Pre-announcement: 30 June 2022
- Call for MRI Synthesis Workshops 2022 opens: 15 July 2022
- Deadline for proposals: 30 September 2022, midnight CEST
- Confirmation of successful applications: By 31 October 2022
- Suggested period to conduct workshops and/or activities: January - July 2023
For questions, please contact the MRI Coordination Office: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Supported By
MRI's financial support for synthesis workshops awarded in 2022 is made available thanks to the financial contribution from the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) to the MRI.
Cover image by Jeremy Bishop.
