EURAXESS Links USA NEWS – March 2011
EDITORIAL MESSAGE
Dear Colleagues,
Several new calls for proposals have been launched under the FP7 PEOPLE program, among them the Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship (IIF) and the International Outgoing Fellowship (IOF). You can read more about those, and other opportunities in the Funding section of this newsletter.
The News in Brief section in this issue provides insights into the results of the recent European Research Council’s Starting Grant competition, along with updates on the new EU joint patent, and a draft petition submitted to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) requesting changes to the rule for resubmitting grants. We also bring news on the world’s first crowdfunding website and a new service from the Kauffman Foundation, teaming up with StartupDigest, for expanding the reach of Entrepreneurial Network.
The In Focus section presents the BILAT USA and Link2US projects funded under FP7 to foster transatlantic cooperation in science and technology. You can contact the Link2US service desk to obtain information about U.S. funding programs open to European researchers.
In the Past Event Reports section you will find information about the European presence at the AAAS Annual Conference in Washington, DC, 17-22 February 2011, including details about a workshop titled “Funding Opportunities in Europe for Creative Minds from Anywhere in the World.” The workshop was organized by the European Research Council in cooperation with the Marie Curie Actions and EURAXESS Links USA on 19 February 2011 during the AAAS conference. We welcome all new EURAXESS links members, who joined our network at the conference!
As always, we invite you to visit the EURAXESS Jobs portal regularly if you are interested in exploring current openings. in research across Europe and Associated Countries.
We look forward to any news you would like to share with our community.
The EURAXESS Links USA team
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/usa/index_en.htm
http://www.eurunion.org/policyareas/science.htm
NEWS IN BRIEF
EU Moves Forward on Joint Patent, Without Spain and Italy
The decision made by competitiveness ministers in Brussels on 10 March means the European Commission can now come forward with detailed proposals in the coming weeks, potentially bringing an end the region's fragmented and costly system of protecting intellectual property.
However Spain and Italy have opted out of the European patent idea as it currently stands, and remain concerned that its three official language options (English, French or German) will disadvantage their businesses with extra translation costs. A patent validated in 13 EU countries costs as much as €20,000, of which nearly €14,000 arises from translation expenses, the commission estimates. This makes the procedure far more expensive than in countries such as Japan or the U.S. (SOURCE: EUOBSERVER)
More information: http://euobserver.com/9/31966/?rk=1
IMI Announced a New Total of 23 Unique Projects to Boost Drug Innovation
which address key areas including cancer, immune-mediated diseases, infectious disorders and electronic health. With 23 projects currently up and running, over €450 million is now committed by the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) on a uniquely large scale to shape the current and future research and development of innovative drugs in Europe. With a budget of €172 million, 8 new IMI projects are commencing in March and April.
More Information: www.imi.europa.eu
New Report on European Participation in U.S. Federal Science & Technology Research Funding Programs
NIH is the largest U.S. program engaging in direct funding of EU-based researchers/institutions.
The report, “European Participation in U.S. Federal Science & Technology Research Funding Programs: Survey of Researchers and Institutions on National Institutes of Health Grant Funding”, contacted grant administrators to survey respective researchers and institutions in the EU that received direct NIH awards during U.S. fiscal years 2003-2010.
For more up to date information please visit the website at: http://www.EuUsScienceTechnology.eu/bilatusa
http://www.EuUsScienceTechnology.eu/Link2US
World’s First Crowdfunding Website Launched
Crowdcube aims to make access to finance easier for entrepreneurs of newly formed and growing small businesses. Instead of competing for limited business angel or venture capital funding, start-ups can use Crowdcube as a platform to connect with a nation of ‘armchair dragons’ to find investment.
A similar idea has previously been applied to the music industry, with Dutch-German website Sellaband, having successfully used crowdfunding to enable a number of underground or unsigned artists to raise money in order to finance an album.
Crowdcube offers entrepreneurs the chance to showcase their business and investment potential to thousands of micro-investors by uploading a ‘dragons’ den’ style video pitch, images and supporting documents. Spreading the word about a pitch is made easy via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter sharing links on their dedicated Crowdcube webpage. People can support an idea, person or business by investing small amounts of money – from as little as £10 – in exchange for shares in the business.
More information: http://www.crowdcube.com/
Kauffman Foundation Teams Up with StartupDigest to Expand Reach of Entrepreneurial Network
...connecting the worldwide startup and tech ecosystem by informing individuals of startup events, job opportunities, and educational content in their areas. Since its inception in November 2009, StartupDigest has grown from 22 subscribers in one city to more than 120,000 subscribers in more than 50 cities.
Kauffman's commitment will assist in furthering StartupDigest's reach and builds on the Foundation's recent work to support the startup ecosystem through organizations such as Startup Weekend and Venture Hacks.
Read more
Frustrated Researchers to Petition NIH to Change Rule for Resubmitting Grants
More than 1000 researchers signed (or at least agreed by e-mail to sign) the petition, written by Robert Benezra at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
The petition is a response to a rule change instituted in 2009 allowing investigators to resubmit a rejected grant application only once instead of twice. Any subsequent submission "is expected to be substantially different in content and scope."
In a 2008 announcement of the rule change, NIH said it was intended to reduce the number of submissions per investigator and reduce delays in funding successful applications.
(SOURCE: Science Insider - 15 February 2011)
Fourth ERC Starting Grant Call Attracted 4080 Proposals
The distribution by the three ERC domains was as follows: 1690 proposals in "Physical Sciences and Engineering", 1440 in "Life Sciences" and 950 in "Social Sciences and Humanities." This represents a 42% increase in demand compared to the last Starting Grant call when 2873 proposals were submitted (1205 in "Physical Sciences and Engineering", 1029 in "Life Sciences" and 639 in "Social Sciences and Humanities").
More information: ERC website: http://erc.europa.eu
Number of submissions in the third ERC Starting Grant: http://erc.europa.eu/pdf/NewsRelease_StG3_submissions.pdf
IN FOCUS
U.S. Public's Knowledge of Science: Getting Better But a Long Way to Go
In 1988, only 10 percent of U.S. adults understood basic scientific ideas sufficiently enough to read the Tuesday Science section of The New York Times, according to Jon Miller, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). By 2008, 28 percent of adults scored high enough to understand scientific ideas at that level. Despite the improvement, the American public has a long way to go, says Miller, who contributed to the latest publication of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Science and the Educated American.
"America's democracy depends on having a larger number of scientifically literate citizens," said Miller, who directs the ISR International Center for the Advancement of Scientific Literacy and has pioneered methods of assessing comparative levels of scientific understanding over time. "Today's political agenda includes debates over global climate change, embryonic stem cells, future energy sources, and the possibility of a viral pandemic. And as the twenty-first century progresses, scientific issues are only likely to become more prominent features of the political landscape."
Read more at http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=8265
Fostering Transatlantic Science and Technology Cooperation: A Transatlantic Dialogue Platform Offers Hands-on Information and Assistance
research cooperation network: Link to the United States” are two strategic projects funded by the European Union’s 7th Framework Program.
The objectives of these complementary projects are to enhance EU-U.S. Science & Technology (S&T) cooperation through information sharing, dialogue, and network creation among the different stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic in the scientific research and policy communities. The outcome of these activities will contribute to overcoming barriers to cooperation, developing cooperative research policies and topics, and formulating respective 7th Framework Program projects.
Coordinated by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), respectively, and in cooperation with TETALAP Hungary, APRE Italy and Intrasoft Luxemburg, BILAT-USA and LINK2US have started operations in October 2009 for a duration of 3 years.
Promoting scientific excellence is an important part of the work of “BILAT-USA”, which is supported by organizing thematic workshops, conferences and symposia on cross-cutting multidisciplinary S&T issues. It also helps to establish new research partnerships by promoting and disseminating information on S&T cooperative activities in the EU and the U.S. “LINK2US” has been established to enhance EU-U.S. S&T cooperation activities by increasing awareness of European researchers to participate in U.S. research funding schemes.
A key factor for building successful cooperation is not only having a great idea and finding the best suitable partners, but also knowing about the context, opportunities and experiences for developing cooperative research projects. Therefore, BILAT-USA and LINK2US have produced the following overviews:
Knowing about current S&T priorities: the Report and analysis of S&T priorities in public research in the EU and in the U.S. provide insight into the S&T priorities setting process, decision making and current S&T priorities on both sides of the Atlantic.
Learning from experiences through the analysis of participation patterns of U.S. organizations in the EU Framework Program, as well as the administration of questionnaires targeting U.S. participants and EU contractors who included U.S. participants in their consortiums.
Providing an overview of existing collaborations and increasing their visibility by compiling an inventory of existing thematic task forces and working groups between the EU and the U.S. Information on U.S. funding programs has been provided by the inventory of U.S. funding programs and agencies.
The core activity of the BILAT-USA project is a series of complementary events that contribute to sharing experiences and building cooperation between Europe and the U.S. These events include broader policy forums in order to promote issues identified by existing dialogues and initiatives, such as EU-U.S. Summits between scientific communities and policy makers in the U.S. and in EU Members and Associated States. The first BILAT-USA Policy Forum was held in the context of the AAAS Science Policy Forum in May 2010; Symposia on crosscutting, multidisciplinary issues touch upon relevant topics of a horizontal nature. The first Symposium on Large Scale Research Infrastructures was held in Rome in October 2010 in close cooperation with the European Commission, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the BILAT-USA project. Specific thematic workshops linked with brokerage events provided pragmatic info on working together in specific thematic fields. Training workshops deepened knowledge and understanding in the fields of contractual issues and IPR, as well as innovation and technology transfer management.
The following web portal provides comprehensive information on the above activities, results, documents and news. A quarterly newsletter is available upon subscription. You find it all at: http://www.euussciencetechnology.eu/
For further information:
Dr. Sabine Herlitschka, Coordinator BILAT-USA Project, FFG – Austrian Research Promotion Agency, Austria: Sabine.herlitschka@yahoo.com
Dr. Tom Wang, Coordinator LINK2US Project, AAAS – American Association for the Advancement of Science, U.S.A.: twang@aaas.org
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Portuguese-American Postdoctoral Association’s Annual Event, 16-17 April 2011, New York
A series of sessions will include “Science: The Way Forward", "Impact of the Diaspora on the Portuguese Economy" and "Portugal: The Brand", backed up with prominent leaders from several fields of the globalized Portuguese Academia, Industry and Society. Please check the Program page for more information. On Sunday morning the PAPS General Assembly will take place, electing a new team that will lead PAPS during the next year.
Speakers include: Rogério Candeias (PAPS President), Nuno Brito (Ambassador of Portugal to the USA), José Mariano Gago (Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education), Manuel Heitor (Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Higher Education), João Caraça (Director of the Science Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation), António Cunha (Rector of University of Minho), Aires Soares (Minister-Counselor, Science, Technology & Education, at the EU Delegation in Washington, DC), Izabella Zandberg (Project Manager, EURAXESS Links USA), Mário Crespo (SIC), António Simões (HSBC, Global Head of Strategy), António Câmara (YDreams, CEO), José Graça Medeiros (M.C. Graça, Executive Director), Onésimo T. de Almeida (Professor at Brown University), Rui Boavista Marques (AICEP New York Director), André da Loba (Illustrator) and Carlos Coelho (Ivity Brand Corp Founder and CEO).
Visit the event website for the full program: http://www.papsonline.org/forum2011
PAST EVENTS REPORTS
“Science Without Borders”: European Presence at the AAAS Annual Conference in Washington, DC, 17-22 February 2011
to explore a broad range of recent discoveries and looming global challenges. This year's theme was 'Science without Borders'. Videos of the plenary lectures are posted on the AAAS website at www.aaas.org/meetings/2011/program/plenaries, topics ranging from environment, space exploration, energy, to biosecurity, bioengineering, viruses and education.
European stand at the AAAS conference exhibit hall,
Washington Convention Center (Photo: ERC)
The Commission services (DG RTD, INFSO, SANCO, JRC, ERC and REA) were present and both Directors General Robert-Jan Smits (Research and Innovation) and Dominique Ristori (Joint Research Centre) participated. Major EU events included 14 JRC or RTD-organised scientific symposia and a press breakfast, where R-J. Smits presented recent research and innovation policy developments in Europe, the mobilisation of resources for research and innovation (e.g. healthy aging), and Europe as a global partner.
A symposium chaired by R-J. Smits on the topic: 'When Borders Dissolve, Which Standards and Mechanisms Prevail?' sought to highlight some of the issues where increasing international cooperation in S&T may require development of a common approach to ensure fairness, trust and mutual benefit: IPR, ethics, publishing, virtual research environments. The EU was also strongly represented at the AAAS exhibition with a stand which covered all research activities.
In addition to his participation in the AAAS, Robert-Jan Smits gave a speech at the European Institute on 18 February to discuss Europe’s new Innovation Union strategy. Found lagging on key innovation indicators, Mr. Smits said, “Europe has come to realize that research and innovation are the key for advanced economies both to remain competitive and to secure social and economic progress.” Under the Innovation Union Strategy, Europe is taking important steps to remove barriers and implement a coherent framework to spur innovation. Among the EU’s priorities: the removal of barriers for venture capital funds by 2011; a valorisation of international property rights so as to create a sort of “EU-wide eBay for patents and knowledge”; a review of public procurement policies to boost innovation; and an increase in Research and Development funding. Ultimately, Mr. Smits concluded, Europe will be a “tough competitor” for innovation-based economic growth.
The ERC participated once again in the AAAS annual meeting, running a symposium in which Professor Helga Nowotny, the President of the ERC, and other speakers including the President of the Canadian National Sciences and Engineering Research Council and an ERC Advanced Grantee offered their perspectives on the ERC and on the importance of funding frontier research. They provided insight into upcoming challenges and the ERC's possible future direction and the internationalization of science, while highlighting examples of funded projects. The ERC also held a press briefing, a stand at the EU booth, and a separate workshop targeted at early-career researchers. The briefing covered Marie Curie and EURAXESS programs and included testimonials by an ERC Starting Grantee and a Marie Curie Fellow (see below the report from this workshop). (Source: Highlights, February 2011)
Funding Opportunities in Europe for Creative Minds from Anywhere in the World: Workshop at the AAAS Annual Conference, 19 February 2011, Washington, DC
The workshop, held on Saturday, 19 February 2011, was open to all conference registrants as well as to EURAXESS Links members who wanted to attend it.
The ERC/MCA/EURAXESS workshop at the AAAS
conference in Washington, DC (Photo: ERC)
It was designed to inform early-career researchers about the two funding schemes of the European Union -- Marie Curie Actions and the European Research Council -- and also to introduce the EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion initiative.
Among the presenters were Louise Byrne, Research Executive Agency; Samantha Christey, European Research Council, and Izabella Zandberg, EURAXESS Links USA. The speakers introduced funding opportunities for first-class up-and-coming researchers who are keen to develop and fast-track their careers in Europe. The Marie Curie Actions (MCA) and the European Research Council (ERC) offer such funding in a complementary way: whereas MCA provides fellowships for career development at the post-graduate and post-doctoral level for excellent mobile researchers, ERC offers attractive grants to promising post-doctoral researchers enabling them to establish or consolidate themselves as independent leaders of a research team. Answers were provided to practical questions such as: How can the ERC, MCA, and EURAXESS support research careers? What are their main features? What are the selection criteria and how long is the selection process? How does the application process work? How many researchers are funded each year? What are the chances of success? Where can one find information on the EURAXESS portal?
Also presenting at the event were Dr. Dr Jean-Luc Lehners, ERC Starting Grantee (Max-Planck Institut, Germany), and Dr. Ilja Voets, Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow (Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Switzerland), who shared their experiences with these funding initiatives.
Upon the conclusion of the workshop, a networking reception was held at the EU stand in the Conference Exhibit Hall. All workshop participants were cordially invited to attend. We welcome all new members who joined the EURAXESS Links USA network at the event!
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND FELLOWSHIPS
Fellowship Programs to Support Innovative Research in Clean Energy
The Postdoctoral Fellowships Program and the SunShot Initiative Fellowships Program are designed to prepare budding scientists and engineers for careers in clean energy.
Under the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, DOE is seeking up to 20 postdoctoral fellows whose academic careers have focused on specific topics in the following technology areas: building efficiency, industrial efficiency, vehicles, fuel cells, biomass, geothermal, solar energy, and wind or water power. The Postdoctoral Fellowship Program will support research and development of breakthrough technologies over a two year period. Applications for EERE Postdoctoral Fellowships are due by June 30, 2011; Fellowships will begin by mid-November, 2011, and last up to two years.
The SunShot Initiative Fellowship Program will select either recent Masters or Ph.D. graduates to focus on critical technology innovations that will advance the SunShot goal of reducing the total cost of solar energy systems by about 75 percent so that by the end of the decade they are cost competitive with other forms of energy without subsidies. More information is available on the SunShot Initiative website. Applications for the SunShot Initiative Fellowships Program are accepted on a rolling basis.
Non-US citizens are eligible to apply as long as they have Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status.
For more information about eligibility requirements please visit:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/postdoctoral_fellowships/eligibility.html
Detailed information about requirements and benefits can be found under the “Fellowship Information” in the left navigation panel.
2011 Edition of the New England Technology Venture Accelerator (NETVA): Help France’s Most Innovative Start-Ups Facilitate Their Development in the U.S.
NETVA aims at facilitating and accelerating development in the US of French High-Tech Start-ups through a single intensive entrepreneurial training and business development week in Boston. After a highly competitive selection process by a Franco-American jury in May 2011, the best French start-ups will be granted placement in this accelerator week following a two-day preparation seminar in France given by entrepreneurs and experts of early stage start-ups internationalization. NETVA is designed for high potential innovative France-based startups which need training and exposure to the US market to become global leaders.
The NETVA program has been awarded “Best Research & Innovation Program” at the French Economic Initiatives Competition, rewarding projects fostering competitiveness and partnerships. If you are a US-based entrepreneur or a high-level business / technology professional interested in joining the NETVA mentors community, please contact us. If you are a French start-up and would like to evaluate your potential on the US market and accelerate your development, don't wait any longer and apply before April 30 here. Sponsorship opportunities are offered to US and European Companies. For more information, please contact David Boucard-Planel and visit www.netvafrance.com
Human Frontier Science Program
Topics range from molecular and cellular approaches to systems and cognitive neuroscience. A clear emphasis is placed on novel collaborations that bring biologists together with scientists from fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science and engineering to focus on problems at the frontier of the life sciences.
HFSP offers different funding mechanisms, including research grants, career development awards and postdoctoral fellowships. Scientists from all countries may participate in the Research Grant and Fellowship programs. However, there are some restrictions that affect applicants from non-member countries.
More information: http://www.hfsp.org/funding
Calls for Proposals from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research: Overview
Call for proposals |
Launched |
Deadline |
Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship |
16 March 2011 |
11 August 2011 |
Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship |
16 March 2011 |
11 August 2011 |
MARIE CURIE CAREER INTEGRATION GRANTS (CIG) |
20 October 2010 |
6 September 2011 |
The following calls are currently open under the Ideas program.
Call for proposals |
Launched |
Deadline |
ERC Advanced Grant for the domain Social Sciences and Humanities (SH) |
04 November 2010 |
06 April 2011 |
The following calls are open under the Cooperation program:
Information and Communication Technologies / 3 Open calls
Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies / 1 Open call
Energy / 1 Open call
Transport (including Aeronautics) / 1 Open call
Joint Technology Initiatives (Annex IV-SP1) / 3 Open calls
Participants from the United States are eligible to join research proposals under the Cooperation scheme. To do so, these programs require at least three partners in three different EU or associated countries, plus a partner in the United States. With the exception of Health proposals, there is no funding from the European Union for U.S.-based partners unless the participation of the U.S. partner is deemed necessary for the success of the program. Cooperation schemes in the area of Health provide for full funding of the U.S.-based partners.
No calls are currently open under the Capacities program.
To access a full list of currently open calls for proposals launched by the European Commission, and for full details of the calls, go to: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/
International Incoming Fellowship (IIF)
The application process is open to researchers with at least four years full-time postgraduate research experience or a doctoral degree. Proposals from all areas of scientific and technological research of interest to the European Community are welcome.
Proposals are submitted by the researcher in liaison with the organization that will host him/her in a Member State or Associated Country.
Proposals are then evaluated by external independent experts against a series of predetermined criteria. Financial support will be provided to the best proposals for a period of one to two years, and eventually for an additional return phase of one year if the researcher originates from an International cooperation partner country.
Funding includes, in particular, a salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research-related costs.
The call opened on 16 March 2011, and applications are due on 11 August 2011.
More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).
International Outgoing Fellowship (IOF)
Applications are open to researchers from a Member State or Associated Country in possession of a doctoral degree or at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience following the successful completion of a program of study qualifying them to pursue a doctorate (it is however expected that researchers will have more experience).
Proposals from all areas of scientific and technological research of interest to the European Community are welcome. Proposals are submitted by the researcher in liaison with the return host organization in a Member State or Associated Country and evaluated by external, independent experts against a series of predetermined criteria. Financial support will be provided to the best proposals for a period of up to three years, including an initial outgoing phase (one to two years) in a third country and a mandatory reintegration phase.
Funding is provided for advanced training on the basis of a “personal career development plan” established by the researcher with his/her supervisor in the host organization. It includes a salary for the researcher and a contribution towards research-related costs.
The call opened on 16 March 2011, and applications are due on 11 August 2011.
More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).
European and Other Funding and Grants with Open or Continuous Calls
Calls for Tenders Related to the Directorate-General for Research
RESEARCH CAREERS AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Become an Expert Evaluator for FP7
The call for experts is open both for individuals and for organizations.
Further information
EURAXESS Portal
There are 3 options:
- Do you want to upload your CV? Login into your account MyEURAXESS:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/res/index - Did you forget your password? Recover it with a simple click:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/passwordRecovery - Do you want to delete your account? Click here:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/res/deleteAccount
The European Job Mobility Portal
Other Research Career Sites
Find A Postdoc: http://www.findapostdoc.com/
Career.edu: http://www.career.edu/index.php
Nature.jobs: http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/index.html
Jobs.ac.uk: www.jobs.ac.uk
Research Jobs in the Netherlands: http://www.academictransfer.org/org/
Brainpower Austria: http://www.brainpower-austria.at/webfiles/home.asp
Euro Science Jobs: http://www.eurosciencejobs.com/
Elsevier Jobs: http://www.recruitment.elsevier.com/register/default.aspx
RESOURCES
List of U.S. Funding Programs Open to European Researchers
Link2US has initially identified fourteen funding programs within six U.S. federal government entities open to European Union researchers. This information is now available on the Link2US website in database form. Additional programs and entities will be added and updated annually.
Access the database
Virtual Help Desk for Link2US
The Virtual Help Desk provides answers to your questions about U.S. funding programs open to European researchers, and assists with the details of applying for funding. Assistance is provided via telephone on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Washington DC time (approximately 2:00–4:30 p.m. European time) at +1-202-326-6663.
For all questions and comments outside of the scheduled office hours, please contact info@link2us.eu
