European Funding and Networking Opportunities Dr Paul Egerton Head of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences CASEE Regional Network Workshop, Vienna 20 th May 2010

2 Setting Science Agendas for Europe The European Science Foundation provides a common platform for its Member Organizations in order to: advance European research explore new directions for research at the European level Through its activities, the ESF serves the needs of the European research community in a global context. Its mandate is underpinned by the values of excellence, openness, responsiveness, pan- European, ethical awareness and human values.

3 ESF Member Organisations 79 Member Organisations  research funding organisations  research performing organisations  academies and learned societies in 30 countries

About ESF 4 Established in 1974 Offices in Strasbourg, Brussels, Ostend ESF budget: 58M€ in 2009 including COST 30M€ Staff: equivalent to 170 full time in 2009 including COST Office ESF headquarters, Strasbourg Marine Board, Ostend Research Conferences Unit,15 th floor and COST, 21 st floor, Tour Generali, Brussels

5 ESF covers all scientific domains Standing Committee domains Humanities Social Sciences Life, Earth & Environmental Sciences Medical Sciences Physical and Engineering Sciences Expert Board/Committee domains Marine Sciences Polar Sciences Space Sciences Radio Astronomy Nuclear Physics Materials Science and Engineering

6 Exploratory Workshops Member Organisation Fora Science Policy Briefings Research Conferences Research Networking Programmes Forward Looks Implementing agent for the COST office through EC contract Strategic Plan Coordination of ERA projects Peer Review support Coordination of EUROHORCs projects EUROCORES Research Programmes ESF Activities SCIENCE STRATEGY SCIENCE SYNERGY SCIENCE MANAGEMENT

Range of Instruments Funding available to researchers 7 Exploratory Workshops Conferences RNPs EUROCORES Funding level Number of researchers per instrument k€ 100 k€ 1 m€

8 Forward Looks Medium to long-term scientific perspectives Multidisciplinary topics viewed at a European level Bring together scientists with policy makers Wide consultation Result in major reports and action plans

9 Address science policy issues of key concern to the ESF Member Organisations and the wider scientific community Draw on the advice and expertise of researchers Provide consensus on strategy recommendations to policy makers Science Policy Briefings

10 One-off specialist meetings Spearheading topics ‘Bottom-up’ topics based on open calls Should catalyse significant and strategic activities scientists involved ESF grant per event: 15k€ Exploratory Workshops

11 Output-oriented discussion platforms for Member Organisations to develop joint actions on specific issues, involving others as appropriate Actions: to contribute to Member Organisation strategy development and/or lead to the development of –Best practice e.g. peer review –Common procedures –Cooperative activities Time-limited activities, typically two years ESF Member Organisation Fora

12 Unique investigator-driven collaborative research scheme in Europe covering all scientific disciplines An opportunity for the science community and Member Organisations to submit ideas for medium- to large-scale collaborative research programmes International and joint peer review Research funding remains national, networking funded through ESF Typically channels 5–10M€ over 3 years across 5-15 collaborative research programmes, with up to 80 individual projects EUROCORES (European Collaborative Research Programmes)

13 Networking to enable major scientific endeavours over a four- to five-year period Supported by Member Organisations according to interest Typically include workshops, conferences, exchange visits, summer schools and dissemination Can link to other initiatives, including the EC Framework Programme Financing in the range of 100k€-130k€ per year 6,500 participants per year in programmes Research Networking Programmes

14 Research Conferences Interdisciplinary scheme for Europe implemented in collaboration with high-profile partners Stimulate dialogue between early-stage researchers and scientific leaders worldwide Cover the latest topics, proposed by and for the scientific community Full organisational support by ESF conference organisers Grants of 20-60k€ per conference, including support earmarked for early-stage researchers

15 Science Management ESF serves the academic community in promoting cutting-edge science in Europe by creating synergies between funding agencies and by assisting cross-border cooperation. Peer Review support Coordination of projects for the European Heads of Research Councils (EUROHORCs) Coordination of European Research Area projects Implementing agent for the COST office through European Commission contract

Co European Cooperation in Science and Technology Intergovernmental Framework, governed by its Member States Origin: –Started 1971: Ministerial conference, with 19 Member States Current Participation: –2009: 35 COST Member States and 1 cooperating state (Israel) COST Actions: –Concerted Actions of nationally funded research and development projects –Open networks on a global scale 16

Co European Cooperation in Science and Technology  The Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) is the main decision-making body responsible for the strategic development of COST  Approximately 250 current Actions  Between 65 and 300k€ per year over 4 years  Meetings, workshops, conferences, short term scientific visits, training schools.  Continuous call open to all with collection dates in March and September  Approximately 9 month decision path 17

LESC states its mission to be: “LESC initiates, coordinates, catalyses and fosters research of biological, environmental and Earth systems across time and space emphasizing the complex interactive boundaries between these disciplines and linking to societal issues. It also identifies future research needs and prepares strategies for their implementation, and contributes to training and mobility of young scientists. LESC achieves these goals in concert with Member Organizations and through synergistic actions with other Standing Committees, Expert Committees, COST Domain Committees, the European Commission and international partners.” 18/17

CONTENTS Introduction and framework From Molecules to organisms -The molecular level -The cellular and organism levels From populations and communities to ecosystems Atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere Earth Sciences -The global level Science and society Implementation 19/17

Life Sciences: and-environmental-sciences/about/life- sciences.htmlhttp:// and-environmental-sciences/about/life- sciences.html Currently 38 Funded activities in the Life Sciences Across Research networking programmes, Exploratory workshops and EUROCORES programmes 20

Recommendations RECOMMENDATIONS 1.Follow-up research activities on the whole food system are urgently needed 2.Comprehensive and explorative scenario studies are called for 3.Follow-up studies should include all relevant stakeholders 4.Health and sustainability require due attention 5.Production of safe food for personalized nutrition requires an action plan 6.An important element of follow- up studies is education 7.Cooperation with ongoing activities is required 21/17

Forward Look “Responses to Environmental & Societal Challenges for our Unstable Earth” RESCUE Objectives 22/17 Strategic process for natural, social & human sciences to improve their interdisciplinary synergy and to respond efficiently to societal and policy-relevant needs; New scientific issues related to global change, especially those of trans-disciplinary nature or of major society-driven relevance; New approaches towards interdisciplinary science, & to facilitate the ‘revolution’ in education and capacity building it requires.  help ensuring global sustainable governance

new, emerging, and neglected Science Questions; Collaboration between the natural, social and human sciences in global change studies; Requirements for research methodologies & data; towards a ‘Revolution’ in education and capacity building; Interface between science and policy, communication and outreach. RESCUE Working Groups 23/17

FACEing the Future: Planning the Next Generation of Elevated CO 2 Experiments on Crops and Ecosystems LESC-PESC Science Position Paper - Main Recommendations Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) should proceed beyond descriptive science, and recognise the shift to a mandate to understand and predict the consequences of atmospheric and climatic change on the process and ecosystem level, and to contribute to the design of appropriate strategies to respond to this change. The design of the sites and experiments and their outputs should be closely integrated with modelling approaches, including systems biology, and ecosystem and climate change modelling. A joint plan is needed for crops and natural ecosystems.

Latsis Prize 2010: Biodiversity European Latsis Prize 2010 "Biodiversity" In the context of the International Year of Biodiversity 2010, one of the goals of which is to stop the decrease of biodiversity worldwide, the European Latsis Prize seeks nominations for outstanding contributions to interdisciplinary research on Biodiversity, in its widest meaning, which has had a major impact in this domain. The candidate should have excellent research achievements in aspects of biology and ecology, or perception of society on biodiversity, or human and societal aspects of or vision on biodiversity, economic aspects of biodiversity, both direct (e.g. fisheries, forestry, agriculture) and indirect, which have contributed to this development. The deadline for submission of nominations is 30 June The European Latsis Prize 2010 will be awarded on the occasion of the Annual Assembly of the European Science Foundation on Wednesday 17 November 2010, in Strasbourg, France. 25

26 Open Calls for Proposals ESF issues annual calls for proposals for: Exploratory Workshops Research Conferences Research Networking Programmes EUROCORES themes and projects

Calls for proposals

Calls for Proposals

29 European Science Foundation headquarters 1 quai Lezay-Marnésia  BP Strasbourg cedex  France Marine Board secretariat Wandelaarkaai 7  8400 Oostende  Belgium ESF Conferences 149 avenue Louise, Box 14  Tour Generali 1050 Brussels  Belgium COST office 149 avenue Louise  Tour Generali 1050 Brussels  Belgium