OBJECTIVE
The objective of the proposed Ambassador Program is to create an opportunity for graduate students (the Student Ambassador {SA}) from Asia-Pacific geographical regions to hone bioinformatics-based research skills through a student exchange program and to contribute to APBioNET’s activities.
BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAMME
The benefits of this programme are multifold: –
- Educating young minds in the Asia-Pacific region through cultivation of bioinformatics-based research skills.
- Foster international collaborations between institutes/organizations in the Asia-Pacific region by leveraging students as the frontrunners to catalyze next generation leadership.
- Increase in APBioNET membership of young and skilled students. Select students will be awarded complimentary APBioNET membership.
- Students act as ambassadors in promoting APBioNET and its activities.
- Ad hoc support to the APBioNET secretariat in its activities. Students would be required to assist in select APBioNET activity during the program.
MENTORS AND HOST INSTITUTIONS FOR STUDENT EXCHANGE
Members of APBioNET and its affiliate organizations may consider offering themselves to be listed as mentors under the SAP. If in-person student exchange is possible, it is the responsibility of the SA and the mentor to work together in meeting the necessary requirements (such as visa, travel, and accomodation, among others) for a successful stint at the host institution.
APPOINTED MENTORS
2022:
RAGOTHAMAN M YENNAMALLI, PH.D
SASTRA Deemed to be University, India
BIPIN SINGH, ph.d
Bennett University, India
aditya Kumar, PH.D
Tezpur University, India
KIYOKO F. AOKI-KINOSHITA, PH.D
Soka University, Japan
RANJEEV HARI, PH.D
Siemens, Singapore
Deepak Kumar, PH.D
Amity University, Japan
Seema Mishra, Ph.D
University Hyderabad, India
DURATION AND ELIGIBILITY
The SAP term would be for one year, while the duration of the student exchange must be minimally for a month (shorter duration may be allowed on case-to-case basis). All bona fide registered postgraduate students of an accredited academic institution in Asia-Pacific regions, who have completed at least one year of studies are eligible to apply for the programme. The number of awards per year are to be determined by the APBioNET Outreach Committee.
TIMELINE:
Call for APBioNet SA applications: Every year (frequency may change depending on the availability of mentors and/or demand from the students)
Sending out invitation to potential mentors: May
Finalizing mentors: June
Call for SAP applications: May
Award Notification: End of June
Research exchange start: August onwards
FINANCIAL:
Limited financial support from APBioNET may be provided for in-person student exchange, depending upon availability of funds and on a case-to-case basis, to be decided by the Outreach committee.
DUTIES OF THE AMBASSADOR
The SA would be responsible for meeting any deadlines and schedule of deliverables set by the mentor, host institution and APBioNET. Deliverables for APBioNET may include and not limited to writing articles, copywriting social media posts and media, disseminating APBioNET information on Social Media channels, recruiting student members, participating in bioinformatics awareness campaigns, and hosting cross-country leadership meetings. Before the end of the programme, it is a must for the SA to write a debrief report on their experience as part of the programme and to contribute to APBioNET’s newsletter, which will also be published under the organisation’s Medium publication: APBioNET Bytes. It is hoped that the research exchange would lead to publication in a credible journal, with APBioNET and the programme mentioned as part of the acknowledgement.