Applications are open for the second edition of the FLAD Atlantic Security Award, a partnership between the Atlantic Center, the National Defense Institute and FLAD – Luso-American Foundation for Development, which aims to stimulate and distinguish research of excellence in the themes of Security and Defense in the Atlantic.

The award aims to distinguish two proposals of high academic quality. Applications are open to doctoral researchers of all nationalities. In one of them, a preference will be set for a national candidate.

Applications are open between April 19th and July 15th, 2022. The winners will be announced until October 3rd.

The winning projects will receive funding of EUR 20,000 each and will be developed over a nine-month period throughout 2023.

The Atlantic Centre will organize a training session for the development of research proposals on June 2th, at 14:00 (UK TIME, UTC+01:00), in virtual format, open to all potential candidates. Registration must be made through the form available at the following link: https://bit.ly/3KcTv89.

The Atlantic Centre is an inniative from the Portuguese government, developed by the Minister of National Defense, dedicated to the promotion of security and cooperation in the Atlantic and it’s open to the participation of every state and multilateral organization of this region. It’s activities are centered around political dialogue, scientific research and defense capacity building.

The Institute for National Defense core mission is to support national strategic thinking, assuring the study, research, investigation and publishing of security and defense issues. The National Defense Institute is a part of the Ministry of Defense since 1982, and has scientific, pedagogical and administrative autonomy.

Winners of the 2021 edition

Susana Ferreira is professor in the Department of International Relations at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija (Madrid) and won the award with the project “The Transformation of Border Regimes in the Atlantic. From securitisation to a human-centred approach in South-western Europe”, which aims to assess how the European process of outsourcing borders affects the maritime security of the Member States of the European Union and the safety of migrants. The project aims to develop a little studied area of border regimes and their impact on neighbouring countries and third countries, with a particular focus on the reality of the Atlantic.

Frank Mattheis, Research Fellow at United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), with the project “Maritime Regional Security Mechanisms in the Atlantic: A Comparative Study”, a comparative study of maritime safety mechanisms in eleven different regional organizations, which seeks to understand what motivates the creation of the different safety mechanisms. The project will help to promote greater cooperation between regional organisations in detecting the first signs of conflict in the Atlantic, preventing increased violence.

Objetive

This competition aims to select two research projects that demonstrate the ability to contribute to progress in knowledge on issues related to current challenges in the field of Security and Defense in the Atlantic area.

Possible topics:

  • Comparative analysis of sectoral public policies with an impact on atlantic security and defense;
  • Connection between enviroment, sustainability and development;
  • Transnational threaths;
  • Capacity building, support and exercise of sovereignty;
  • Dynamics of cooperation and competition in security on a global scale;
  • Maritime safety, ocean management and ocean infrastructure security.
  • Local, national and regional cooperation and competition dynamics,
  • Maritime safety, ocean management and ocean infrastructure security.

This list is indicative only. Topics not in this list WILL be accepted.

Jury

  • Ana Santos Pinto, Professor at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, NOVA University of Lisbon;
  • Patricia Daehnhardt, resident researcher at the National Defense Institute;
  • Inês Marques Ribeiro, integrated researcher at the Center for International Studies of ISCTE (CEI-ISCTE).

Candidates:

  • The applicant must have completed his or her’s PhD, or equivalent degree, no more than 10 years ago;
    (In the case of motherhood, the number of years after obtaining the doctor’s degree is reduced by 18 months for each child born after obtaining the degree. In the case of paternity, the months of proven leave taken, shall also be taken into account. Parenthood will be taken into account for counting this limit. )
  • The applicant must present high-quality independent investigative evidence;
  • The research proposals submitted must be part of the general category of Security and Defence in the Atlantic.

Selection criteria

  • Academic background and qualifications of the researcher;
  • Relevance and originality of the research project;
  • Scientific value of the proposed project with clear identification of objectives, relevant milestones, results and planned timing of the research;
  • Inclusion of relevant fieldwork to be developed and prediction of participation, by the researcher, in meetings or conferences;
  • Potential of the researcher and the project;
  • Proven ability to carry out independent research.

Award

Each winner will receive 20,000 euros.

Applications

The competition is open between April 19 and July 15, 2022, at 23:59 (UK Time, UTC+01:00). Applicants will be notified of the decision by 3 October 2022.

Aplications must be submited through the following link.

 

Please read the notice of this award (NOTICE – FLAD Atlantic Security Award), for more information on the requirements of the application.

If any further question arises, please contactleonor.barroso@flad.pt