Watkins Scholarship to Offer Role With FIA Safety Team

Candidates are invited to apply for the latest Sid Watkins Scholarship, which will offer a fully-funded role directly in the FIA Safety Department for the first time.

The winning candidate will be able to contribute to important safety research across all levels of motor sport, from Formula One to karting.

The FIA and FIA Foundation are jointly funding the scholarship, which aims to identify and encourage the next generation of medical and engineering experts in the field of motor sport safety. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to conduct research and engineering projects at the FIA’s head office in Geneva.

The recipient of the scholarship will be selected by a panel of experts – Formula One Managing Director Ross Brawn, German Motor Sport Federation Medical Director Michael Scholz and FIA Safety Director Adam Baker.

FIA Medical Commission President Gérard Saillant said: “This is the fourth time we have awarded the highly coveted Watkins Scholarship, but the first time the role will be directly within the FIA Safety Department. The recipient will have the opportunity to work on various high-level projects at the heart of motor sport safety.”

The initiative was established in 2015 and is named after the late Professor Sid Watkins OBE, who is regarded as one of the leading pioneers of safety in motor racing. It pays tribute to his efforts to implement higher safety standards worldwide and the countless lives it has saved thereafter.

The last winner of the scholarship was Dr Naomi Deakin, who is a Clinical Research Associate in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Cambridge, and became the first doctor to win the scholarship. Deakin has since launched RESCUE-RACER, the largest concussion survey which aims to establish guidance for when competitors return to racing.

Applicants will be expected to have recently completed an advanced tertiary qualification (e.g. a Masters Degree or PhD), and be able to demonstrate a high level of academic success. They must be highly motivated with a strong interest in motor sport, either in the medical or engineering fields, as demonstrated by previous academic work, professional engagements or extra-curricular pursuits.

To apply, email: safety@fia.com