JAMAICANS seeking to do further studies in ecology and the environment can access scholarships through the Fulbright-OAS Ecology Programme for the Western Hemisphere, developed under the auspices of the US State Department and the Organisation of American States (OAS).

University or college graduates in pursuit of a master’s degree can apply to do further studies in any field in the natural and social sciences related to the ecology and sustainable development of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Applicants should be both academically promising and have the potential to make a difference in their fields. The programme targets people who have the ability to work across disciplinary lines and national borders to influence environmental policy and practice.

Candidates must be Jamaican citizens with excellent undergraduate degrees who are currently living in the island. They must have demonstrated field experience and ongoing field activity; a regional interest in ecology and sustainable development and an interest in transnational co-operation is also necessary. They should also be policy-oriented with a multi-disciplinary focus and must be nominated by an institution. Candidates must be committed to returning to Jamaica after they have finished their studies.

The Fulbright-OAS Ecology Scholarship include tuition, airline travel to and from the US, monthly stipend and book allowance as well as health insurance.

Application forms can be downloaded at www.laspau.harvard.edu./fbapp. Completed applications should be forwarded to the Office of Public Affairs, US Embassy, 2 Oxford Road, by Friday, July 27.

The Fulbright-OAS Programme is an initiative of the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in conjunction with the OAS and is aimed at increasing environmental preservation and sustainable development across the region.