European Commission

He and his team will carry out funded research at University College Dublin in Ireland.  ERC President Prof. Helga Nowotny was quoted saying:

"It is encouraging and exciting for the ERC to welcome Professor James Heckman, Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economic Science, among our grant holders. This most recent example of an American top researcher attracted by an ERC grant to work in Europe is further recognition of the attractiveness of the ERC. It is a very positive signal for European research in general and for Ireland in particular".

Link to press release: http://erc.europa.eu/pdf/ERC_Press_release_J_Heckman.pdf

In addition, over 1300 online questionnaires were completed during the consultation period.

You can access the responses submitted so far at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/csfri/index_en.cfm?pg=responses

the EC proposal sets out an overarching strategy on intellectual property rights (IPR) which aims to “revamp the legal framework in which IPRs operate” and boost innovation and creativity. As part of the overall strategy on IPR, the Commission will also propose new regulations to reinforce customs actions in fighting the trade of “IPR infringing goods”.

More information on this initiative is available here.

The proposal can be downloaded here.

was to look at the current standing of mobile young people (aged 15 to 35) in Europe in terms of education and employment, along with how they view the attractiveness of different education settings (including higher education).

It looked at their main concerns when seeking jobs and their willingness to set up a business, and whether they’re considering searching for work outside their home countries.

About three-quarters (76%) of interviewees thought that higher education was an attractive option for young people in their country. The highest proportions of young people who expressed this view were seen in Turkey, Slovakia, Norway, Iceland and Denmark (88%-91%).

More information, click here.
Download the full report here.

In terms of doctoral degrees, statistically 54 percent of math degrees, 60 percent of computer science degrees, and 65 percent of engineering degrees awarded in the United States go to foreign nationals. “Unfortunately, the United States educates the world’s best and brightest and then tells them to go home to compete against us,” said Josh James, vice president, research and industry analysis, TechAmerica Foundation. “U.S. employers find it increasingly difficult to obtain visas and employment-based green cards for these highly skilled individuals graduating from American universities.  As a result, U.S. innovation and competitiveness often suffer.” The report offers a set of recommendations enabling U.S. companies to access the best and brightest talent from around the world.

This report was published as the 36th edition of the TechAmerica Foundation’s ongoing Competitiveness Series, which is dedicated to providing timely, regular reports on relevant issues to the tech industry and to U.S. competitiveness in a global economy.

Read more at http://www.techamericafoundation.org/..CS_Visa_Reform_20111.pdf

(Source: TechAmerica Press Release – 29 March 2011)

Academic entrepreneurship—the formation of companies based on intellectual property generated by faculty members—is of particular interest given the publicized success of companies such as Lycos from Carnegie Mellon University and Silicon Graphics and Genentech from Stanford.

The recent and rapid growth of spinoffs is promising. According to the Association of University Technology Managers, the number of companies spun out of universities in the U.S. more than doubled between 1996 and 2005—from 200 to nearly 450. Research shows that these companies are not only more likely to attract venture capital and have an initial public offering, but they also have a higher propensity to survive over time compared to non-university startups.

Consequently numerous universities have created incubators, venture funds, and other programs to encourage spinoff establishment and growth. While these developments are important, recent research exploring the motivations and growth aspirations of university academic entrepreneurs is cause to moderate expectations of spinoffs for economic development.

Read more at http://www.nyas.org/Publications/..c-4726-af6a-ae37313530cd (Source: The New York Academy of Sciences, 21 April 2011)

The New Vienna School of Cognitive Ethology' by Prof. Kurt Kotrschal, the Austrian 'Scientist of the Year 2010.'  The event will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2011, from 6:15 pm, at the Embassy of Austria, 3524, International Court, NW, Washington, DC. 

Please find further details in the official invitation at  http://ostina.org/...Invitation_Kotrschal.pdf

To RSVP, please visit http://www.ostina.org/rsvp/....97da629b098b75c294dffdc3e463904. 
 
The lecture is part of the European Science Series in collaboration with EURAXESS. 

Please feel free to share this information with colleagues who might also be interested in the event. 

The event, featuring ERC representatives, will introduce research grants from the European Research Council.

The program will include the following presentations:
Introductions by Professor Marek Konarzewski, Science Counselor, Embassy of Poland 
“Opportunities of the 7th Framework Program for EU Research: The European Research Council and its funding schemes” by Massimo Gaudina, Head of Communication, ERC
"ERC Starting Grant" by Dr. Eleni Zika, Research Program Officer, ERC
"ERC Advanced Grant" by Dr. Vaida Bankauskaite, Research Program Officer, ERC

Ample time will be allowed for questions and discussion with ERC representatives. We strongly encourage everyone interested in applying for the ERC research grant to attend the event. More information will be provided in early June.

Over the 5 days of July 11th-15th 2012, Dublin will host the Euroscience Open Forum, Europe’s largest general science conference.  

ESOF2012 is looking for creative and exciting session proposals targeted at a general scientific audience.

The call for scientific session proposals will close on the 30th of June. To submit a proposal, please follow the above link. You will find a copy of the call with instructions on how to make a submission.

to discuss ways to innovate ‘knowledge transfer’ in all its aspects. “The event has shown that skilled, creative and curious people cooperating in empowering environments are key to better technology transfer, knowledge exchange and valorisation of creativity”, concluded Sven Schade, the responsible project officer in DG Enterprise and Industry. The contributions during the sessions and workshops showed many examples of such new empowering environments.

Patents are an important source of technical information enabling technology transfer. In his opening speech Francois Hannart, principal director of the European Patent Academy, highlighted that "Patents are an important and underutilised source of information. Innovation policy makers are unaware of the possible role patents can play for innovation processes and patent specialists are seldom aware of the challenges of innovation policy". Nikolaus Albert Thumm, chief economist of the European Patent Office, gave examples of the efforts undertaken to make European and overseas patents more easily accessible.

In the conference keynote address, Ivanka Visjnic of the Cambridge Service Alliance demonstrated how the transformative power of service innovation is realised through the partnering of public and private actors to assure new and better services to citizens and industry and looking to provide systems solutions rather than individual service innovations. An introductory interactive workshop animated by Eckehard Moritz, SportKreativeWerkstatt GmbH, on approaches to innovate in the field of mobility challenges came to a very similar conclusion: “Demonstrators that allow various stakeholders to realise an agreed vision are the most promising format for innovation in complex environments”.

The session dedicated to technology transfer addressed an important topic in the current political debate: the development of 'IP markets' aimed at using patents and patent portfolios as collateral for funds. The discussion concluded that the design of such IP markets would have to carefully balance the opportunities and risks for entrepreneurs and the European economy.

The following session broadened the approach to innovation by looking into new approaches to better utilize knowledge and experience for innovation in SMEs. Jari Konttinen (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) reported from a recent Finnish study on knowledge transfer in service development focusing on how the need for end-user involvement increases further down the knowledge transfer process toward the commercialization stage. This raises the need for support from public policies to customer- and target oriented development projects, partnership networks and user communities. It was highlighted that it is therefore important to raise the absorption capacity of companies to process new knowledge and to better utilize the ideas coming from their employees.

In the session on ‘Web-based innovation support’, Reinhard Büscher (Head of Unit D2 on Support for Innovation at DG Enterprise and Industry) opened by citing results from a peer review, which indicated that: “information no longer sells, as people can get what they want over the Internet.” Consequently there is a risk that information brokerage will no longer be worth selling either. Following Mr. Büscher’s opening, Neil Rathbone of Daventry House reported on experiences with animating web-based knowledge and technology networks in the UK. He highlighted that such communities can be very successful in catalysing innovation activities provided that the moderators develop the skills to 'automate or animate' by making the best use of technology while maintaining a human touch. Contributors to the session agreed that innovation agencies and companies would have the opportunity to develop new services delivered through the internet when skills in SMEs rise with the 'Facebook generation’ as it takes up jobs in enterprises.

In his introduction to the session ‘From knowledge transfer to co-creation’, Thorsten Posselt of the Fraunhofer Centre for Central and Eastern Europe demonstrated how co-creation processes can be realized on very diverse platforms with customers, suppliers, administrators and students. Crowd sourcing on dedicated IT platforms is only one option; while closed, secure environments offer additional opportunities. Discussion among participants arose on the issue of the ownership of results of co-creation exercises depending on the activities and under what contexts they are launched (e.g. educational).

The conference concluded that very different approaches and policies are needed to facilitate traditional technology transfers, enable broader knowledge transfers and ease the use of creativity to innovate and to promote more co-creation with end customers. The conference saw a need for instituting a broad set of measures to support all of these transfer processes.

For a further view on the presentations from the PRO INNO Europe® partnering event (Munich, 5-7 April 2011), please check out: http://www.proinno-europe.eu/anual-partnering-events

Deadline: 15 September. Further Information: KNAW http://www.knaw.nl/Pages/DEF/27/244.bGFuZz1FTkc.html

The event will take place from 11 to 13 July at the Congress Center of AREA Science Park in Padriciano, Trieste.

Deadline for applications: 17 June.
Further Information: CBM http://summerschool2011.cbm.fvg.it/

The "GEW 50" will be announced on Oct. 15, 2011, with those companies then competing for the top honors and prizes. Startup Open is a featured competition of GEW, an initiative founded by the Kauffman Foundation to spur new ideas, ingenuity, and firm creation through local, national, and global activities in more than 100 countries.

The competition, now in its second year, is open to entrepreneurs who have a "startup moment" between GEW 2010 and GEW 2011 (Nov. 22, 2010 to Nov. 20, 2011). A startup moment is defined as any action related to launching a new business, such as incorporating a company, officially opening the doors for business, completing a first sale, or securing outside funding.

Startup Open applicants will be judged on concept, growth projections, and knowledge of their industry. A handful of companies winning the top honors and prizes will be announced on Nov. 14 as GEW 2011 gets underway.

Startup Open applicants will have until Sept. 15 to submit their startup moment. For more information on how to enter and the 2010 winners, please visit www.startupopen.com.  
Read more

Successful candidates complete stays of up to 12 months in Norway. Applications should be submitted from a Norwegian research institution.

Deadline: 31 August.
Further Information: Research Council of Norway http://www.forskningsradet.no/../1195592883125

Deadline: 27 June.
Further Information: FCT http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/concursos/individuais2011

The Foundation is especially interested in applications from gifted postdoctoral candidates who can demonstrate that:

1) they are qualified for and intend to pursue an academic career, and
2) have already spent part of their education in Switzerland or have other strong ties to Switzerland.

Deadlines: 31 July and 31 October 2011.
Further information: http://www.swissbiomedical-foundation.ch/travel.html

Deadline: 30 June 2011.
Further information: The Royal Society http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/international-exchanges/

Microelectronics, nanosciences and nanotechnologies; Energy, environment and climate change; Science and technology of high performance computing; Life sciences and biotechnology; High energy physics, high energy density physics and astrophysics.

The Incoming CEA Fellowships (ICF) financially support scientists selected by the program to initiate and carry out an innovative research project in one of the CEA laboratories.

The exact funding period will depend on the length of the research project, but it is expected that around 65 “2-year fellowships” may be funded during the period of the program.

Application deadline: 30 June.
Further information: http://eurotalents.cea.fr/

The ERC grant will provide funding of up to €150,000 to enable ERC grant holders to take ideas to a pre-demonstration stage where potential commercialization opportunities can be identified, allowing for the preparation of a "package" to be presented to venture capitalists or companies that may invest in this technology and take it through the early commercialization phase.

It has been recognized for some time that Europe has had limited opportunities for funding at the earliest stage of innovation, where a potential commercial concept may need verification through testing or prototypes, the identification of a potentially appropriate market or the creation of protectable intellectual property rights or other forms of protection.

Further Information:
European Research Council
European Research Council, Press Release on Proof of Concept
European Research Council, Proof of Concept Call for Proposals (click on IDEAS)

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. The 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).

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).

Aimed at experienced researchers (with at least 4 years full-time postgraduate research experience or a doctoral degree) of any nationality who have spent less than 12 months of the last 3 years outside the country of their proposed host organization. The applicant should apply with the proposed host organization.

Applications are due on 6 September 2011.

More information can be found at: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls/ (click on PEOPLE).

The following calls are currently open under the Ideas program.

The following calls are open under the Cooperation program:

• Information and Communication Technologies / 2 Open calls
• Joint Technology Initiatives (Annex IV-SP1) / 2 Open calls

Participants from the United States are eligible to join research proposals under the Cooperation scheme. 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.

The following calls are open under the Capacities program.

• Research Infrastructures / 2 Open call

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/

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/index
Also visit our website: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/usa/funding_opportunities_en.htm

These openings are in fields related to land management, fisheries, climate change, agricultural resources. Deadlines: Various.
The JRC also offers 16 E&IA grant holders posts (deadline: 15 June 2011).  

Further Information: JRC website: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm?id=3720

The call for experts is open both for individuals and for organizations.
Further information

 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

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

• FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-1 with 32 topics and indicative deadline 04 October 2011
• FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-2 with 3 topics and indicative deadline 27 September 2011, and
• One ERA-NET topic for the single stage ERA-NET call with indicative deadline 28 February 2012.

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/health/

ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/health/docs/fp7-health-2012-orientation-paper-20110506_en.pdf

It is a working document, and is not legally binding. Indicative publication date for all documents including the final work program is 20 July 2011.

All related documents will then be accessible via http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm