SoilCritZone Introduction Vamos Workshop near Chania ESR Training September 2008 Vala Ragnarsdottir

Importance of Soil Research Young people will inherit the Earth It is imperative that there is a strong community world- wide that works on soil restoration This is why we have here 50 young soil scientists The future of this planet is up to you! There are not many jobs on Earth that are more important!!!

Problems arise when people loose sight of the “big picture” Is this you?

New paradigm for soils: a sustainable system Soil problems Healthy soil Silo/box thinking Holistic/cyclic thinking Work against nature Work with nature Soil restoration Vision Baseline Backcasting Steps Degradation, salinisation, erosion… Everything in system linked…

Looking for a pos doc Search on the web Ask people you like at conferences whether they have a position EU portal Marie Curie individual fellowships ESR programmes

EU portals FP7 – People – Has all Marie Curie Programmes Individual fellowships Initial Training Programmes – Cooperation Environment (including climate change) Energy Nanosciences Socio-Economic Sciences Food, Agriculture, biotechnology Health

Marie Curie opportunities actions/opportunities/opportunities_en.html actions/opportunities/opportunities_en.html

Other Framework 7 programmes Ideas – European Research Council Capacities – Infrastructure – International cooperation INCA

Writing an EU proposal Marie Curie individual fellowships Environment programme

Individual Fellowships Decide where you would like to go and to work for whom to him/her and ask whether their institute will host them Find a place if you can where there already are EU funded post docs Quality of institution is important

Individual fellowships Follow the guidelines very carefully Find a successful proposal through contacts and write a better one! Read the evaluation criteria BEFORE you write the proposal – also DURINNG and AFTR Ask trusted colleagues to read the proposal for comments Don’t write the proposal at the last minute Your host institution has to submit proposal

Environment Programme 7 th framework – Calls every year in June Read the overview of the programme to anticipate what may come next – Workprogramme – Guide for applicants Formulate a team of people that are fun, reliable and you get along with Check European assistance within your institution

Environment Programme Best if the team can meet Follow the guidelines carefully Choose a coordinator who is organised Read the evaluation criteria Join the review team – by filling in your details on the 7 th Framework website Split work into work-packages giving roles to partners Make sure that partners interact

Evaluation Proposal evaluated by 3-4 people Evaluation in Brussels or remotely Then meeting in Brussels to discuss proposals write a evaluator reports Each proposal has a rapporteur Report sent to applicants

Successful Proposals Contract negotiations – Based on application and comments from evaluators Partnership agreement Annual reports – Scientific achievements – Partner activities Partner meetings – Management – Accounts audited

Its fun!!!!!