XIEG Holds 35th Salon for Scientific Exchange

The Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, held the 35th “Salon for Scientific Exchange" (SSE) on February 21. The salon featured presentations by Dr. Paul Rummy, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS, and Dr. Akash Tariq, Associate Researcher from XIEG. They shared their experiences of applying for the "Research Fund for International Scientists (RFIS) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The event was attended both in person and virtually by foreign scholars and international students from XIEG.

Dr. Paul Rummy shared his experience securing RFIS support and provided a detailed overview of the project application process, highlighting key considerations for foreign experts. He noted, “The proposal should capture the attention of reviewers within five minutes.” He also emphasized the importance of having the Chinese abstract, technical route, and innovative points translated accurately and professionally with the help of Chinese experts.

Dr. Akash Tariq pointed out the significance of applying for this funding, highlighted the budget planning and shared his own RFIS proposal. Following this, Mr. LV Haixiang, administrative staff at XIEG, discussed upcoming changes to the NSFC fund application process for 2025, stressing that international scientists should pay attention to real-name authentication, consistency between Chinese and English documents, and outcome indicators in their research proposals. The speakers then addressed questions regarding project titles, accurate translation of Chinese abstracts, and budget planning.

The event was carefully crafted to respond to the requests of several foreign experts at XIEG and was strategically scheduled just before the NSFC application deadline. Many participants remarked that the event was highly beneficial for their funding applications.

Dr. Paul Rummy, Malaysia, associate researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), CAS. His research is focusing on Mesozoic ichnology and the phylogeny of Mesozoic crocodylomorphs. He has published multiple papers in prestigious academic journals under Nature and Cell Press. He is currently funded by the NSFC's Research Fund for International Scientists (RFIS) and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation's Foreign Scholar Program. He serves as an editor for the journal “Integrative Zoology”.

Q&A session at the event (Image by LV Haixiang)

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn