Crossing the Bridge - November 2012

by Nilay Papila

A New Call From the European Research Council (ERC) and  TÜBİTAK's First Call to Support TTO's in Turkey

The first call for ERC Consolidator Grant (CoG) is now open. This program is an excellent opportunity for researchers/scientists, who wants to be employed or spend up to five years in Europe, while doing research. Consolidator grant is for researchers who have been awarded their first PhD over 7 and up to 12 years prior to the publication date of the call. 


ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support researchers/ Principal Investigators (PI) at the stage at which they are consolidating their own independent research team or program. The objective is to provide appropriate and adequate support to excellent researchers, whatever their nationality, located in or moving to the EU Member States and Associated Countries (including Turkey).

Guiding principles of the ERC Consolidator Grant

• Scientific excellence is the sole evaluation criterion.
• Projects in all fields of research are eligible for funding.
• Individual research teams led by a single PI are supported.
• Significant funding is provided to attract exceptional research leaders all around the world.
• Grants are awarded to the host institution that engages and hosts the PI. The PI will be employed by the host institution.
• The host institution guarantees the PI’s independence and provides the research environment to carry out the project and manage its funding.

A competitive Consolidator Grant PI should have already shown research independence and evidence of maturity. For example, it is expected that applicants will have produced several important publications without the participation of their PhD supervisor. Applicants should also be able to demonstrate a promising track-record of early achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage, including significant publications (as main author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals, or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals of their respective field. They may also demonstrate a record of invited presentations in well-established international conferences, granted patents, awards, prizes etc.

Consolidator Grants can be up to a maximum of EUR 2 000 000 for a period of 5 years (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, in exceptional cases, an additional amount of up to EUR 750 000 funding can be made available. The deadline for the call is February 21, 2012.

For more information, please visit here.
 

ERC’s “GOING GLOBAL” ACT:
CONNECTING YOUNG U.S. TALENT TO ERC GRANTEES AND THEIR TEAMS

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the ERC have decided to cooperate to bring the best researchers together and encourage ‘brain circulation’. The agreement signed in July between the European Commission and the NSF, will help early-career NSF researchers to spend some time in Europe and join the teams of ERC grantees.

According to this new initiative, young NSF scientists can be part of ERC-funded teams for six to twelve months. They will be supported by the ERC grant in the same way as any other team members, whereas the NSF will cover their and their families’ travel costs. All ERC grantees can participate in this program on a voluntary basis and invite U.S. researchers to their teams.

This agreement is a great addition to the strong transatlantic cooperation in the field of research. Connecting U.S. and European researchers with shared interests and complementary strengths through such agreements will advance the frontiers of science and engineering and address societal challenges.

TUBİTAK's First Call to Support TTO's in Turkey

TUBITAK has issued a new call for proposals to support Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) in Turkey. The call is open for the top 50 Entrepreneurial and Innovative Universities of Turkey (*) and will provide annual funding of 1 M TL for up to five years. Within this call, ten TTOs will be supported. These new TTOs are expected to transfer University’s technologies to the market effectively to maximize their impact and benefit not only to the University itself, but also to the society. These TTOs are supposed to provide support for at least three of the following five activity areas:

1. Awareness, publicity and training
2. Support for national/international grant proposals development
3. Development and management of University-industry cooperation projects
4. IP management and technology licensing services
5. Support for the entrepreneurial activities

For more information on the TTO call, you may contact Nilay Papila at nilaypapila@gmail.com

(*) The full list of top 50 Entrepreneurial and Innovative Universities of Turkey can be found here.

UPCOMING CALLS FOR PROPOSALS

Comments or Suggestions?