TIRIS and Welcoming American Researchers

A Commitment to Open and Free Science

In the face of the threats and drastic, targeted budget cuts that have brutally struck scientific research in the United States, Toulouse’s higher education and research establishments are keen to reaffirm the values they uphold of free, open and multidisciplinary academic research. The TIRIS program, supported by the French government and the Occitanie region, plays a key role in welcoming threatened researchers, providing a safe and conducive environment for them to pursue their scientific work.

Threats to science in the United States are multiplying, endangering whole swathes of scientific research. TIRIS, in line with the program’s scientific priorities, aims to provide a safe haven for threatened researchers, particularly in the humanities, climate, health and space sciences.

The role of TIRIS

TIRIS coordinates and finances the reception of American researchers, offering specific facilities to meet their needs. The program is deployed in particular in 4 threatened fields in the United States: humanities, health, climate and space. These themes also correspond to the strategic pillars of TIRIS, reinforcing our commitment to supporting interdisciplinary research projects with a strong societal impact.

Humanities

Understand and improve living conditions and the societal impacts of global transformations.

Health

Analyze and respond to the challenges of public health, well-being and medicine.

Climate

Study the impacts of climate change and solutions for an ecological transition.

Space

Exploring innovations and challenges related to space and space technologies.

Reception facilities

The Toulouse Safe Place for Science program, currently open primarily to researchers from the USA (of all nationalities, including French), comprises four schemes. These are part of the TIRIS program for hosting researchers and equipping research laboratories.

Welcoming Researchers : This program enables us to welcome researchers who are Associate Professors or Professors in the USA. Funding from TIRIS will follow the salary scales in force at the recruiting institution, and may be supplemented by other sources of funding. The academic stay will last between 6 and 24 months. At the host’s request, TIRIS partner establishments may offer permanent placements. The guest will benefit from the Toul’Box* support program for incoming researchers.
Welcoming Post-docs : This scheme enables us to welcome post-doctoral fellows whose post-doctoral studies would otherwise be prevented in the USA. TIRIS will provide funding in line with the salary scales in force at the recruiting institution. The academic stay will be between 6 and 24 months. Hosted post-docs are strongly encouraged to apply for open positions at TIRIS partner institutions. The post-doc will benefit from the Toul’Box* offer, which provides support for the arrival of post-docs.
Welcoming Teams : This scheme enables teams comprising at least one full researcher and one doctoral or post-doctoral student to be welcomed. Each team member must complete a Welcoming Researchers or Welcoming Post-docs application form, indicating that he or she is applying under the Welcoming Team scheme. In this case, the applications will be assessed as a whole.
Welcoming Data : The aim of this scheme is to secure access to data critical to scientific research. This may involve data that is currently being acquired, or is in the process of being acquired, and whose hosting and/or use are not constrained by a consortium agreement. The sensitive nature of this type of request will require case-by-case processing and appropriate financial analysis.

Each person will be under contract with one of TIRIS’ partner establishments for the duration of their stay.

Selection process

The selection process will take place in two phases. Candidates must first send a CV and cover letter to welcome-tiris@univ-toulouse.fr. Candidates selected for the second phase are encouraged to send a full application within 10 days of the announcement of their selection for phase 2.

Informations and contact

For further information, please contact the TIRIS team : welcome-tiris@univ-toulouse.fr

Press contact : presse@univ-toulouse.fr

Toul’Box is a tool for international students, PhD students, teachers and researchers to help them settle in Toulouse and the surrounding area : https://toulbox.univ-toulouse.fr/en.