Jean d’Alembert Chair Paris-Saclay University – Paris IAS

In partnership with Université Paris-Saclay, the Paris Institute for Advanced Study is offering two 6-month chairs for high level international researchers in the humanities and social sciences (HSS): one  during the academic year 2018-2019, and one during the academic year 2019-2020.

The Paris-Saclay – Paris IAS “Jean d’Alembert” Research Chair gives a researcher the possibility to work on a project in the following fields: “Markets, businesses, work and innovation”, “Heritage, culture and  knowledge”, or “Sciences and society”. He or she will benefit from the work conditions and the scientific environment of the Paris IAS, and will collaborate chiefly with laboratories of Université Paris-Saclay.

Deadline for applications: Friday, August 31^st, 2018, 3:00 pm (Paris, France time)

Applicants may request a 6-month residency starting

– either in January 1^st 2019,

– or between September 1^st 2019 and January 1^st 2020.

RESEARCH THEMES

The Paris IAS and Université Paris-Saclay offer a 6-month research chair in the academic year 2018-2019 and one in the year 2019-2020 on one of the structuring themes supported by the research teams in the humanities and social sciences at Université Paris-Saclay. These cross-disciplinary themes are intended for researchers in all disciplines of the HSS: anthropology, economics, geography, history, law, literature and the arts, management, philosophy, political science, sociology… The chair aims to promote excellent, high risk and/or transdisciplinary research offering new perspectives for the HSS.

Applicants are encouraged to submit a research proposal within one the following themes:

Markets, businesses, work and innovation:

Researches related to work, its diversity, regulations and problems. The proposals can deal with businesses as organizations or institutions, or examine the regulations of companies, institutions, markets and private and public administrations. The dynamics of innovation can also be covered by the proposals.

Heritage, cultures and knowledge:

The proposals can deal with the past or present logics of granting heritage status (“Patrimonialisation”), whether the heritage is cultural, scientific or technical. Reflections on the circulation of knowledge, and in particular scientific and technical knowledge, are welcome, as well as projects investigating more particularly the links between cultures, knowledges and society through the lens of “patrimonialisation” processes.

Sciences and society

As a result of the specialization of the Maison des sciences de l’Homme Paris-Saclay in the interdisciplinary work linking the HSS (including law) and the natural sciences, the present call is extended to include proposals on the relations between sciences and society. Examples include –but are not limited to– themes such as climate change, energy, algorithms, biotechnologies, health, etc.

CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY

Researchers from all countries are eligible.

Applicants who have spent more than a total of 12 months in France during the 3 years prior to the application are not eligible.

This call for applications is open to:

• Senior university professors or researchers holding a position in a university or research institution or emeritus and having a minimum of 10 years of full time research experience after their PhD (at the time of the application). To be considered a senior, the applicant must have received her/his PhD before September 1^st 2008.
• Junior scholars having the status of postdoctoral researcher or holding a position in a university or research institution, and having a minimum of 2 and maximum of 9 years of research experience after the PhD. To be eligible and considered a junior, the applicant must have received her/his PhD between September 1^st 2016 and September 1^st 2008.

The institute is bilingual. Knowledge of English is required. The applicants are also expected to understand written and spoken French, as scientific and social activities are held in French and English.

CRITERIA OF SELECTION

The main criteria of selection are:

• the scientific quality of the project and its innovative character;
• the career path of the applicant;
• the quality of the scientific contacts of the applicant in France, and the applicant’s capacity to collaborate with French scholars and research teams.

THE APPLICATION

The application, in English or French, must be submitted via an online application system (https://paris-iea.fr/). Paper or e-mail applications are not accepted.

The application consists of the following items:

• the completed application form;
• a curriculum vitae (10 pages maximum) including a list of publications and a list of the 5 publications considered as most important by the applicant;
• a detailed research proposal (25 000 characters maximum, spaces included. This count does not include the bibliography). The proposal should include :
  • theme
  • state of the art in the field, innovative character of the proposal
  • methodology or theoretical  framework
  • expected outcomes
  • work planning, timescales
  • existing or planned scientific cooperation and contacts in France
  • bibliography (books and articles cited);
• two summaries of the research project (1500 characters maximum for each, spaces included): one for an audience of specialists of the field of research, and one for non-specialists;
• a letter of cooperation with one or more research teams of Université Paris Saclay, signed by a member of the team. The letter must state the nature of the planned collaboration;
• a list of four topics (not necessarily related to the theme of the research proposal) on which the applicant could give a lecture during the fellowship;
• in the case of Junior Fellows (2 to 9 years after the PhD at the time of the application), two letters of recommendation;

CALENDAR

 Application deadline: Friday, August 31^st 2018, 3:00 pm (Paris, France time)

Preselection: September 2018

Final selection and notification of results: end of November 2018

Starting dates of the chairs:

            – January 1^st 2019 for the 2018-2019 chair

            – Between September 1^st 2019 and January 1^st, 2020 for the 2019-2020 chair.

CONDITIONS OF STAY

The holder of the Paris-Saclay – Paris IAS “Jean d’Alembert” Research Chair benefits from all the advantages the Paris IAS provides its fellows, among which housing in Paris, a monthly remuneration (or complement of remuneration) and the payment of the round-trip ticket to Paris.

Housing

The Paris IAS provides apartments in the Pavillon Victor Lyon at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris. This building, entirely refurbished, offers 1-room to 5-room apartments, a conference room and other services. Depending on the availability of the apartments at the pavillon, other housing options might be offered to the successful applicants

 

Status and remuneration

The holder of the Chair who maintains a status in his/her home institution benefits from a stipend. When it is not the case, the Paris IAS proposes a short term research contract with salary. In all cases, the remuneration depends on the researcher’s personal and professional situation and on whether he or she continues to receive pay from his/her home institution. The benchmark pay scale corresponds to prevailing standards in French academia.

Travel

Travel costs from the fellow’s home to Paris and back are covered by the IAS (economy class).

Insurances

The Chair holder will need to get a personal insurance covering all risks during his/her stay.

Support for research

During their stay, the fellows will have an office in the premises of the Paris IAS, in the 17^th Century Hôtel de Lauzun, with a computer, Internet access, and printer. The IAS provides meeting and conference rooms.

The researcher may receive financial support for his/her work and scientific activities. This includes the organization of events (colloquia, seminars, lectures, etc.) and doctoral training. Help for the translation and publication of their research texts can also be proposed.

The Paris IAS and its partner institutions have signed agreements enabling the researcher to enjoy special access and borrowing privileges in the main Paris university-based research libraries. In addition, he or she can have most books and documents delivered directly from the libraries to the institute.