The European Research Council FP7 – Bringing Great Ideias To Life Sheila Vidal, IGC Margarida Trindade, IMM Information Session 5th of November 2008

FP: The EU`s Framework Programme for Research Tecnhology and Development

+ FP7, Specific programmes Cooperation – Collaborative research Ideas – Frontier Research People – Human Potential Capacities – Research Capacity + JRC (non-nuclear) Euratom

The FP7 “Ideas” Programme European Research Council Creates European Research Council (ERC) - a pan-European funding organisation designed to encourage the highest quality research in Europe through support to investigator-initiated frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence. ERC will complement other funding schemes in Europe such as those within the 7th Framework Programme and those of research funding agencies operating at the national level.

European Research Council Frontier Research A new understanding of basic research avoiding distinctions: 􀃖 between “basic” & “applied” research 􀃖 between “science” & “technology” 􀃖 between “traditional” disciplines The term “frontier research” reflects: 􀂾 going beyond these categories 􀂾 absence of disciplinary boundaries 􀂾 intrinsically risky character of ground-breaking research (highrisk/high-gain research) at/& beyond the frontiers of knowledge 􀂾 opening new opportunities & directions in research including those of a multi- & inter-disciplinary nature

European Research Council Strategic Aims Boost European excellence in frontier research 􀂃 by investing in the best researchers and ideas 􀂃 through competition at European level 􀂃 on the basis of excellence as the sole criterion 􀂃 raising incentives towards quality and aspirations of individual researchers 􀂃 providing benchmarks and leverage towards broader (structural) improvements in European research

ERC Actors The Scientific Council Independent scientific governance 22 members individually selected by an independent identification committee to reflect the full scope of European research and scholarship The Executive Agency Practical implementation and management of operations The European Union Providing the financial means and is the guarantor of ERC’s autonomy

Funding Schemes

ERC Grant Schemes Two grant schemes: ERC Starting Grant Support researchers at the stage at which they are starting or consolidating their own independent research team 1st call for proposals, 2007 2nd call for proposals, published 24 July 2008, deadline Life Sciences Panel 10 December 2008 17h00 Brussels time (ERC-2009-StG) ERC Advanced Grant 1st call for proposals 2007/08 2nd call for proposals, will be published 19 Nov 08 , deadline Life Sciences Panel 6 May 2009

ERC Starting Grants Support researchers at the stage at which they are starting or consolidating their own independent research team (you should clearly indicate your situation) Each StG may request up to 2 000 000€ for a period of 5 years (100 000 - 400 000 € /year) + 20% overheads Grants are: Financially attractive - to attract the very best researchers Flexible in application - easy to adjust during execution & portable Administration simple and transparent - fast preparation of grant agreements without “negotiations” Short reports (every 1,5 years) plus detailed final report

ERC Starting Grants Summary of results of 1st Call Taxa sucesso: 3,4% Taxa sucesso PT: 1, 7%

ERC Starting Grant Requirements PI 3-8 years since completion of PhD/24 july 2000-2005 official docs Special circumstances will be taken into account, such as maternity/paternity leave, military/civil service (+3 years max.) Individual Research Teams Headed by the PI Can be of national or transnational character PI and Team Members Any nationality One ERC Grant per investigator only may be active at any one time Hosting Institution Located in a EU member state or associated country Intra-European grant portability allowed

ERC Starting Grant I am eligible? How to count years after PhD? Date of Publication of call You are eligible if your PhD was awarded within the following intervals: 2nd Call – Open on the 24 July 2008 24 July 2005 -------- 24 July 2000 3nd Call – Open on the ?? July 2009 ?? July 2006 -------- ?? July 2001 4nd Call – Open on the ?? July 2010 ?? July 2007 -------- ?? July 2002 5nd Call – Open on the ?? July 2011 ?? July 2008 -------- ?? July 2003 6nd Call – Open on the ?? July 2012 ?? July 2009 -------- ?? July 2004 3 years -------- 8 years Note: Special circumstances will be taken into account, such as maternity/paternity leave, military/civil service (+3 years max)

ERC Starting Grant Requirements Re-applications rules PIs evaluted bellow the threshold (8/10) cannot apply to the next Starting Grant Call This rule does not apply to applicants of the ERC-2007-StG

ERC Grants Operational Principles Application in response to calls for proposals Submission via EPSS only (no paper submission) One-step application procedure Two step-evaluation, including interview in step 2

ERC Starting Grants Evaluation

ERC Starting Grants Peer Review Evaluation 25 high level transversal panels in 3 domains Physical Sciences and Engineering (10 panels) Life Sciences (9 panels) Social and Humanities (6 panels) + pool of remote referees Pre-allocation of indicative budget (295 762 000 Euro) Physical Sciences and Engineering (39%) Life Sciences (34%) Social and Humanities (14%) Interdisciplinary (13%)

European Research Council ERC Grants Peer Review Evaluation Life Sciences (Annex 1 Guide for Applicants) Panel LS1 - Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry Panel LS2 - Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Panel LS3 - Cellular and Developmental Biology Panel LS4 - Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology Panel LS5 - Neurosciences and Neural Disorders Panel LS6 - Immunity and Infection Panel LS7 - Diagnostic Tools, Therapies and Public Health Panel LS8 - Evolutionary, Population and Environmental Biology Panel LS9 - Applied Life Sciences and Biotechnology

ERC Starting Grant Panel Structure Each panel consists of one Panel Chair and 10-15 Panel Members Panel Chair oversees evaluation process for the proposals assigned to her/his panel A pool of referees is used for remote evaluation Each proposal is assessed by at least 3 reviewers

ERC Starting Grants 2-Step Evaluation Proposal Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 + Host Institution Support Letter Eligibility Check Individual assessments Individual marks Panel Meetings Ranking Interdisciplinary flag Interview SUBMISSION STEP 1 (Panel) STEP2 (Panel+Remote) PI+synopsis project Project Host institution Note: at the interview you don´t know yet the referees comments on your proposal

Evaluation Criteria Scientific Excellence is the sole Criterion Potential of Principal Investigator ?/5 Quality of research project ?/5 Research Environment and Resources Pass/Fail Referees and panels evaluate and score criteria 1 and 2 numerically: 0-5 points, in increments of 0.5 Threshold 8 / 10 Criteria under 3 will be considered as "pass/fail" and commented but not scored

A trilogy of excellence Principal Investigator ERC Starting Grants What are the Evaluators looking for? A trilogy of excellence Principal Investigator Research Project Host Institution

ERC Starting Grant What are the evaluators looking for? Principal Investigator: Potential Quality of research Publications of PI in high quality peer reviewed journals or the equivalent? Papers of PI demonstrative of independent creative thinking and capacity to go beyond the state-of-the-art? Intellectual capacity and creativity Records of research, collaborations, project conception, supervision of students and publications demonstrative of new productive lines of thinking?

ERC Starting Grant What do you need to provide The PI (Section 1a.) Scientific leadership potential (máx 2 pages) Self Evaluation of early career achievements demonstration potential to go significantly beyond the state of the art Context of the early scientific scholarly contributions Recognition and diffusion that early contribution have received from other (publications, citations, additional funding, students, prizes, etc) CV (máx 2 pages) Principal scientific activities and responsibilities Participation in research projects & experience Experience in scientific collaboration international experience Funding ID: Current research grants and ongoing applications for work related to proposal. Describe how you envisage an ERC grant will complement any existing funding. Early Achievement Track Record (máx 2 pages) Benchmark: list publications as main author in peer reviwed publications Benchmark: list publication without the participation of the PhD supervisor (last author, at least 1?) Other publications, patents, invited presentations at conferences, organization of international conferences, international prizes, memberships to editorial boards of international journals

ERC Starting Grant Hints and tips on the PI session Brainstorming Exercise: what do you think the evaluators will be looking for in each sub-section? Consider how to use the additional page effectively Sell yourself! Clarify specific points to strengthen your application: explain career breaks, loss of productivity years Most evaluators are generalists! The evaluators will review the PI on the basis of their experience and information they provide in the application form!

ERC Starting Grant What are the evaluators looking for? Quality of the research proposal Ground-breaking nature Is the proposal challenging? Does it go substantially beyond the current state of the art (e.g. including trans-disciplinary developments and unconventional approaches)? Potential scientific impact Does it open new and important, scientific, technological or scholarly horizons? Methodology Is the outlined scientific approach feasible? Is the proposed research methodology comprehensive and appropriate? Are the envisaged goals to be achieved within the timescales? Are proposed resources and the level of risk adequate to the challenging research project?

ERC Starting Grant What do you need to provide The Project (Section 1b.synopsis/Section 2) Extended synopsis (máx 5 pages) It is the only information regarding the project that evaluators will see during 1st stage of evaluation! Present consisely the proposal Show ground-breaking nature andhow it may open new horizons and opportunities for research Scientific Proposal + Budget (máx 15 pages) State of the Art and Objectives: Objectives and context of the state of the art How and why is important for the field Impact, such as how it may open new horizons or opportunities for science, technology or scholarship Specify challenging or unconventional aspects, including multi or inter-disciplinarity Methodology Explain including intermadiate goals Explain in relation to the state of the art, including novelty or unconventional aspects Highlight intermediate stages where results may require adjustments Resources Size and nature of team and roles of key players Infrastructure, equipment Reasonable estimate of project costs +20% indirect costs Calendar Ethical Issues (no limit)

ERC Starting Grant Hints and Tips Consider what excites you about the research and conveyed this in your application. Explain how the research will open new horizons or opportunities. Provide a clear, concise work-plan with detail of the immediate goals. Highlight intermediate stages where you may need to adjust your project planning. Clearly explain how you will manage and disseminate your project. Justify the resources you need for your research proposal and ensure the resources are appropriate. Highlight multidisciplinary or inter-disciplinary aspects Explain how the project came about: is it an idea that accompanies you for long but that seemed to ambitious for other types of funding? Is it an idea that involves the coordination of a multidisciplinary team and thus only a large funding could make it happen? Explain high risk/high gain

ERC Starting Grant What are the evaluators looking for? Research Environment Transition to independence Is the consolidation or the transition to independence guaranteed? Host institution Is required infrastructure available? Is appropriate intellectual environment and infrastructural support provided? Participation of other legal entities Check of justification for participation of other legal entities

ERC Starting Grant What do you need to provide Research Environment (Section 3, máx 2 pages) PI’s Institution Describe facilities and assistance to the project Illustrate capacity to support project, including intelectual support Combine your knowledge with information already available at your institution! Contact M. Trindade (IMM) or Sheila Vidal (IGC)

ERC Starting Grants Hints and Tips on Research Environment • Explain why you have chosen your host institution . • Describe the way your institution will support your transition to independence. Ask your institution text on administrative support, research critical mass and adequate core facilities

ERC Starting Grants Case studies (1st Call)

ERC Starting Grants 1st Call Scholars Julia Kempe German, 34 Quantum Computers Tel Aviv Univ. School of Computer Science Israel EUR 744 000 60 months Mobility Top education

Solid record of research achievements ERC Starting Grants Henrique Veiga-Fernandes - PT Solid record of research achievements

Solid record of research achievements ERC Starting Grants IVO Boneca - PT Solid record of research achievements

ERC Starting Grants Tips of successful applicants Writing courses Interview training/reharsal Search help from support officers at host institution Do your budget according to your needs/avoid overbudgeting – 2007 projects ranged from 300 000 € to 2 million € Choose well your panel and panel descriptors Generally, the interview helps to level English competence between candidates (push people up) Combine methods and new approaches (multidisciplinarity) Adventurous projects (1/3) but feasible (2/3) Highlight potential applications of research Quick reactions, concise answers; be yourself, relax and enjoy (interview) Go for it!

Thank you for your attention! Sheila Vidal svidal@igc.gulbenkian.pt (EXT: 202) & Margarida Trindade (EXT: 47023) mtrindade@fm.ul.pt The European Research Council for a policy of excellence: the first award winners pave the way” - Paris 7th October 2008 http://www.canalc2.tv/evenements.asp?annee=2008&page=1&idEvenement=423

HOW TO FIND AN FP7 CALL?

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html

(Electronic Proposal Submittion System) HOW TO APPLY? REGISTER IN EPSS (Electronic Proposal Submittion System)

PIC: 999813339 Org. Short Name: IMM

You may change in the real application Title, Acronym & Abstract & Panel

You will receive in your email Username & Password

2) PREPARE ONLINE APPLICATION HOW? FORMS?

2.1) A FORMS (A1, A1T, A2 & A3)

Form A1 – General information on proposal + candidate + host institution

To be filled with by host Institution (M Trindade/ S Vidal) Form A1 – General information on proposal + candidate + host institution To be filled with by host Institution (M Trindade/ S Vidal) Form A1 – General information on proposal + candidate + host institution Form A1 – General information on proposal + candidate + host institution

Form A1 T – Track record information of candidate - CV To be filled by candidate you may ask support of host Institution Leadership profile + scientific achivements

Publications, Monographs, Patents, Chapter of Books, Proceedings ISI web of knowledge

Expeditions, steering committes, prizes, editorial boards

Form A2 – General information on host institution Both to be filled with support of host Institution (M Trindade/ S Vidal) Form A3 – Budget

2.2 UPLOAD DOCUMENTS: B – FORMS (B1 & B2) PHD CERTIFICATE HOST SUPPORT LETTER

Part B – PROPOSAL B1 B2 PhD certificate (PDF) Host Support Letter (M Trindade/ S Vidal)

Part B1 General info (1 page) PI (6 pages) Proposal Synopsis (5 pages)

Part B2 Project (14 pages) + budget (1 page) Ethical issues Host Institution (2 pages)

HOST SUPPORT LETTER (M.Trindade / S Vidal)

To SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL: 1. Click “Submit NOW” to start the final steps of submission 2. The EPSS performs an automatic validation of the proposal 3. If list of problems appears, submission is blocked until corrected 4. If ok, press “Press this button to submitt the proposal” You may continue to modify the proposal and submit revised versions overwriting the previous one right up until the deadline! Make sure you don’t submit too near the close of the close of the call. If uploading is not concluded at the close date the “SUBMIT NOW” button becomes inactive and you can no longer submit the proposal!

Thank you for your attention! Sheila Vidal svidal@igc.gulbenkian.pt (EXT: 202) & Margarida Trindade (EXT: 47023) mtrindade@fm.ul.pt The European Research Council for a policy of excellence: the first award winners pave the way” - Paris 7th October 2008 http://www.canalc2.tv/evenements.asp?annee=2008&page=1&idEvenement=423