University of Gothenburg

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HHHEEELLLIIIXXX AAADDDVVVIIISSSOOORRRYYY SSSEEERRRVVVIIICCCEEESSS LLLIIIMMMIIITTTEEEDDD ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

University of GothenburgUniversity of Gothenburg

12 JUNE 200812 JUNE 2008

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ERCERC

STARTING GRANTSSTARTING GRANTS

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ERC

Guiding principles of ERC schemes * Scientific excellence is the sole selection criterion * All fields of research are eligible * Individual teams led by independent PI are supported *Significant funding is provided to attract the best researchers

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ERC Starting Grants last up to five years and provide €100,000 to €400,000 of funding per year, amounting to a total of €0.5 to 2.0 million Euro per grant.

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Research topics totally Research topics totally openopen

No politics at allNo politics at all

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Some examples of Some examples of successful topicssuccessful topicsIn vivoIn vivo imaging of functional imaging of functional

plasticity in the mammalian brainplasticity in the mammalian brain

Protein-activating shiftides: anti-Protein-activating shiftides: anti-cancer lead compounds cancer lead compounds

A combined experimental and A combined experimental and computational approach for computational approach for

quantitative and mechanistic quantitative and mechanistic understanding of transcriptional understanding of transcriptional

regulationregulation

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Deciphering the wiring structure Deciphering the wiring structure of the regulatory networks that of the regulatory networks that

control mRNA decay and control mRNA decay and translationtranslation

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Planets - The Solar System and Planets - The Solar System and BeyondBeyond

Multi-photon Quantum OpticsMulti-photon Quantum Optics

Notes and suggestions on Novel Notes and suggestions on Novel methods in Condensed Matter methods in Condensed Matter

PhysicsPhysics

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The Promise and Limits of The Promise and Limits of International Courts and Tribunals – International Courts and Tribunals –

Exploring the Conditions for Effective Exploring the Conditions for Effective International AdjudicationInternational Adjudication

The Design of International The Design of International Institutions: Legitimacy, Institutions: Legitimacy,

Effectiveness, and Distribution in Effectiveness, and Distribution in Global GovernanceGlobal Governance

Damaged people- the psychological Damaged people- the psychological impacts of abuseimpacts of abuse

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The application structureThe application structure

a)a) The Principal Investigator (PI) The Principal Investigator (PI) (Max. 4 pages)(Max. 4 pages)

i.i. CVCV

ii. Self Evaluationii. Self Evaluation

iii. Funding IDiii. Funding ID

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b) b) The Research Project The Research Project (Max. 10 (Max. 10 pages)pages)

i.i.State-of-the-art and objectivesState-of-the-art and objectives

ii. Methodologyii. Methodology

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The proposal structureThe proposal structureiii. Resources and Budgetiii. Resources and Budget

c) c) Research Environment Research Environment (Max 2 (Max 2 pages)pages)

i. Transition to independencei. Transition to independence

ii. Host institutionii. Host institution

iii. Additional participantsiii. Additional participants

+ Host institution support letter+ Host institution support letter

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STARTING GRANTS

Independence implies that the PI has the authority to:-

○ Apply for funding independently of senior

colleagues;

○ Direct the project, manage the research funding and make appropriate resource allocation decisions;

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ERC Criteria

○ Publishing record as senior author and invite as co-author - only those who have contributed substantially to the reported work;

○ Supervise team members, including research students or others;

○ Have access to reasonable space and facilities for conducting the research.

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ERC

The Principal Investigator does not necessarily need to be employed by the hosting institution at the time when the proposal is submitted.

Can be of any nationality.

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ERC Starting Grant

• PI must have his/her first PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) more than 3 and less than 8 years prior to the deadline.

• The PI must be supported by a legally established hosting institution, which is entitled to receive funds and is the applicant legal entity for the ERC grant.

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Research teams may also involve team members from other research organisations situated in the same or a different country.

Research teams can be of national or trans-national character.*

* Traditional approach of EU consortia proposals is excluded AND VERY FEW AWARDS WERE MADE TO GROUPINGS

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• Average grant requested ~ €1 Million

• Majority (85%) of PIs were EU nationals

• Only 4% were currently based outside the EU – and most of these are European seeking to return

• Majority applicants(87%) had 4-9 years post-PhD experience

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• 24% female; 76% male – but varies across disciplines• 89% of host institutions are in the EU (11% in Associated Countries)• Majority of proposals (89%) involved a single institution• Only 4% of applications had more than 3 institutions involved• High demand on EPSS• Around 350 proposals ineligible; over 250 due to missing or invalid statement of support

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AVERAGE AGE OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

35

TYPICAL AWARDS 1.7MEuro

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LESSONS FROM ERC SO FAR VERY HEAVY EMPHASIS ON STRENGTH

OF THE PUBLICATION RECORD

FOCUS ON BUILDING THE CORE GROUP

NOT JUST ANOTHER PROJECT

BLAST OFF/LAUNCH PAD

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LESSONS FROM ERC SO FAR

THE EVALUATORS TENDED NOT TO LIKE :-

[1] RESEARCH GROUPS THAT WERE BECOMING TOO BIG

[2] WHERE A HIGH PROPORTION OF THE PI’S OWN SALARY WAS INCLUDED

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BEFORE YOU START

THINK ABOUT WHO YOU ARE WRITING FOR.

THINK ABOUT THE PANEL COMPOSITION

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PE5 Materials and Synthesis: materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional and advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry

PE5_1 Structural properties of materialsPE5_2 Solid state materialsPE5_3 Surface modificationPE5_4 Thin filmsPE5_5 CorrosionPE5_6 Porous materialsPE5_7 Ionic liquids

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PE5_8 New materials: oxides, alloys, composite, organic-inorganic hybrid, superconductorsPE5_9 Materials for sensorsPE5_10 Nanomaterials : nanoparticles, nanotubesPE5_11 Biomaterials synthesisPE5_12 Intelligent materials – self assembled materialsPE5_13 Environment chemistryPE5_14 Coordination chemistryPE5_15 Colloid chemistry

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PE5_16 Biological chemistryPE5_17 Chemistry of condensed matterPE5_18 Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysisPE5_19 Characterization methods of materialsPE5_20 Macromolecular chemistry,PE5_21 Polymer chemistryPE5_22 Supramolecular chemistryPE5_23 Organic chemistryPE5_24 Molecular chemistry

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LS3 Cellular and Developmental Biology: cell biology, cell

physiology, signaltransduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation in

plants andanimals

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LS3_1 Morphology and functional imaging of cellsLS3_2 Cell biology and molecular transport mechanismsLS3_3 Cell cycle and divisionLS3_4 ApoptosisLS3_5 Cell differentiation, physiology and dynamicsLS3_6 Organelle biologyLS3_7 Cell signalling and cellular interactionsLS3_8 Signal transductionLS3_9 Development, developmental genetics, pattern formation and embryology in animalsLS3_10 Development, developmental genetics, pattern formation and embryology in plantsLS3_11 Cell geneticsLS3_12 Stem cell biology

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Participation of other legal entities

If it is proposed that other legal entities participate in the project, in addition to the applicant legal entity, is their participation fully justified by the scientific added value they bring to the project?

Very few successful proposals involved more than one institution

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KEY POINTS

• NOT JUST ANOTHER PROJECT

• VISION IN THE RESEARCH

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ADVANCED INVESTIGATOR SCHEME

CANDIDATES AT ANY CAREER STAGE

FULLY INDEPENDENT

ANY NATIONALITY

MUST BE SPONSORED

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ERC Advanced Grants last up to five years and provide €100,000 to €500,000 of funding per year, amounting to a total of €0.5 to 2.5 million Euro per grant*.

*Exceptionally up to 3.5 MEuro

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ERC

Be really adventurous

University of Gothenburg

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