Announcement of New Research Opportunities 

Center for Atmospheric Research (CAR)

Program Description

1.  About CAR and SERL

The Centre for Atmospheric Research (CAR), situated in Anyigba, Nigeria is one of the seven Research and Development Centers of the National Space Research and Development Agency. CAR is dedicated to understand the atmosphere, the air around us and the interconnected processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor through the ionosphere to the Sun's core.  The Space Environment Research Laboratory (SERL), situated in Abuja – Nigeria, is one of the research laboratories operated by CAR. The laboratory is situated within the premises of NASRDA, Obasanjo Space Center, located along the airport road, Abuja, Nigeria.    

The laboratory offers unique facility, conducive environment, and expert staff support for research in the areas of ionospheric science,space science, environmental science, geomagnetism, geophysics, solar-terrestrial physics, and space electromagnetism.

Facility in the laboratory includes an all-sky optical imager, a fabry-perot interferometer, magnetometers, GNSS receivers, and a cloud detector.

2.  About the Opportunity

As a way of promoting highly applicable research in the field of atmospheric/space science, CAR is opening new opportunities for graduate students (mostly Masters and PhD) registered in Nigerian universities to visit the Space Environment Research Laboratory (SERL) and carry out 1-month intensive research activities within the laboratory.

Practically applicable research projects have been designed by the laboratory scientists, and will be discussed with successfully shortlisted students (and their university-based supervisors). During the application stage, students will be requested to make a brief summary of a project they propose. This will form a good base to decide who is shortlisted. Only students with proposals that are significant to the laboratory’s vision/mandate will be shortlisted. See section 3 for research areas that are significant to the laboratory’s vision/mandate.

3.  Areas of Research Interest

• ionospheric/space science
• environmental science
• geomagnetism/geophysics/space electromagnetism
• solar-terrestrial physics

4.  Application Procedure

University lecturers are welcome to nominate and inform their project students about the fellowship.

Application forms can be downloaded USP Application Form

download the Program Description Program Description

The forms should be completed based on agreement between the student and the university based supervisor.

Completed application forms should be returned electronically to usp@carnasrda.com

To preserve intellectual contribution of the host scientist/supervisor, the host scientist/supervisor will be officially enlisted as co-supervisor on the student’s project.

5.  Short-listing

Students will be short-listed mainly based on the relevance of their proposals to the laboratory’s vision/mandate. Thereafter, the project logistics will be communicated to the students and their supervisors.

6.  Working in the Laboratory

While working within the laboratory, the student will work under the supervision of the laboratory scientists who are proficient in the area of research.

7.  Fellowship Terms and Conditions

• The university based supervisor(s) shall be referred to as the home supervisor(s) while the laboratory based supervisor shall be referred to as the host supervisor.
• To preserve intellectual contribution of the host scientist/supervisor, the host scientist/supervisor will be officially enlisted as co-supervisor on the student’s project.
• The purpose of this fellowship is to carry out practically relevant projects, the laboratory will therefore not approve/support projects that are not contemporarily relevant. Results from the projects are envisaged to be applicable in the real world. Students can opt to choose from the laboratory’s list of already-designed projects when they choose an area of interest on the application form.
• Research results shall be published in repute scientific journals. The host and home supervisors shall be co-authors alongside with the student and whosoever make meaningful contributions to the research. The laboratory shall be first affiliation on the publications, and the student is entitled to use this affiliation for the purpose of publications that emanate from his/her work in the laboratory. The Department/University of the student shall also be an affiliation.

8.  Items Required for Submission

The following items are required for a complete application:

• The completed application form described in 4 above (duly signed by supervisor and HOD)
• A letter of Introduction from the student’s home university signed by the Dean of Graduate School or the Registrar.
• Curriculum vitae
• Brief research proposal (if applicable), not more than one page.

These items should be returned electronically to usp@carnasrda.com

9.  Contact for details/enquiries

For more details and enquiries about the program, contact:

Mrs Ronke Obafaye (+2348034530057) or Dr Daniel Okoh (+2348136094616)

Email: usp@carnasrda.com