University of Gothenburg 12 JUNE 2008

ERC STARTING GRANTS

ERC Guiding principles of ERC schemes * Scientific excellence is the sole selection criterion * All fields of research are eligible * Individual teams led by independent PI are supported *Significant funding is provided to attract the best researchers

ERC Starting Grants last up to five years and provide €100,000 to €400,000 of funding per year, amounting to a total of €0.5 to 2.0 million Euro per grant.

Research topics totally open No politics at all

Some examples of successful topics In vivo imaging of functional plasticity in the mammalian brain Protein-activating shiftides: anti- cancer lead compounds A combined experimental and computational approach for quantitative and mechanistic understanding of transcriptional regulation

Deciphering the wiring structure of the regulatory networks that control mRNA decay and translation

Planets - The Solar System and Beyond Multi-photon Quantum Optics Notes and suggestions on Novel methods in Condensed Matter Physics

The Promise and Limits of International Courts and Tribunals – Exploring the Conditions for Effective International Adjudication The Promise and Limits of International Courts and Tribunals – Exploring the Conditions for Effective International Adjudication The Design of International Institutions: Legitimacy, Effectiveness, and Distribution in Global Governance Damaged people- the psychological impacts of abuse

The application structure a) The Principal Investigator (PI) (Max. 4 pages) i. CV ii. Self Evaluation iii. Funding ID

b) The Research Project (Max. 10 pages) i. State-of-the-art and objectives ii. Methodology

The proposal structure iii. Resources and Budget c) Research Environment (Max 2 pages) i. Transition to independence ii. Host institution iii. Additional participants + Host institution support letter

STARTING GRANTS Independence implies that the PI has the authority to:- ○ Apply for funding independently of senior colleagues; ○ Direct the project, manage the research funding and make appropriate resource allocation decisions;

ERC Criteria ○ Publishing record as senior author and invite as co-author - only those who have contributed substantially to the reported work; ○ Supervise team members, including research students or others; ○ Have access to reasonable space and facilities for conducting the research.

ERC The Principal Investigator does not necessarily need to be employed by the hosting institution at the time when the proposal is submitted. Can be of any nationality.

ERC Starting Grant PI must have his/her first PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) more than 3 and less than 8 years prior to the deadline. The PI must be supported by a legally established hosting institution, which is entitled to receive funds and is the applicant legal entity for the ERC grant.

Research teams may also involve team members from other research organisations situated in the same or a different country. Research teams can be of national or trans- national character.* * Traditional approach of EU consortia proposals is excluded AND VERY FEW AWARDS WERE MADE TO GROUPINGS

Average grant requested ~ €1 Million Majority (85%) of PIs were EU nationals Only 4% were currently based outside the EU – and most of these are European seeking to return Majority applicants(87%) had 4-9 years post-PhD experience

24% female; 76% male – but varies across disciplines 89% of host institutions are in the EU (11% in Associated Countries) Majority of proposals (89%) involved a single institution Only 4% of applications had more than 3 institutions involved High demand on EPSS Around 350 proposals ineligible; over 250 due to missing or invalid statement of support

AVERAGE AGE OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES 35 TYPICAL AWARDS 1.7MEuro

LESSONS FROM ERC SO FAR VERY HEAVY EMPHASIS ON STRENGTH OF THE PUBLICATION RECORD FOCUS ON BUILDING THE CORE GROUP NOT JUST ANOTHER PROJECT BLAST OFF/LAUNCH PAD

LESSONS FROM ERC SO FAR THE EVALUATORS TENDED NOT TO LIKE :- [1] RESEARCH GROUPS THAT WERE BECOMING TOO BIG [2] WHERE A HIGH PROPORTION OF THE PI’S OWN SALARY WAS INCLUDED

BEFORE YOU START THINK ABOUT WHO YOU ARE WRITING FOR. THINK ABOUT THE PANEL COMPOSITION

PE5 Materials and Synthesis: materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional and advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry PE5_1 Structural properties of materials PE5_2 Solid state materials PE5_3 Surface modification PE5_4 Thin films PE5_5 Corrosion PE5_6 Porous materials PE5_7 Ionic liquids

PE5_8 New materials: oxides, alloys, composite, organic-inorganic hybrid, superconductors PE5_9 Materials for sensors PE5_10 Nanomaterials : nanoparticles, nanotubes PE5_11 Biomaterials synthesis PE5_12 Intelligent materials – self assembled materials PE5_13 Environment chemistry PE5_14 Coordination chemistry PE5_15 Colloid chemistry

PE5_16 Biological chemistry PE5_17 Chemistry of condensed matter PE5_18 Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis PE5_19 Characterization methods of materials PE5_20 Macromolecular chemistry, PE5_21 Polymer chemistry PE5_22 Supramolecular chemistry PE5_23 Organic chemistry PE5_24 Molecular chemistry

LS3 Cellular and Developmental Biology: cell biology, cell physiology, signaltransduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation in plants and animals

LS3_1 Morphology and functional imaging of cells LS3_2 Cell biology and molecular transport mechanisms LS3_3 Cell cycle and division LS3_4 Apoptosis LS3_5 Cell differentiation, physiology and dynamics LS3_6 Organelle biology LS3_7 Cell signalling and cellular interactions LS3_8 Signal transduction LS3_9 Development, developmental genetics, pattern formation and embryology in animals LS3_10 Development, developmental genetics, pattern formation and embryology in plants LS3_11 Cell genetics LS3_12 Stem cell biology

Participation of other legal entities If it is proposed that other legal entities participate in the project, in addition to the applicant legal entity, is their participation fully justified by the scientific added value they bring to the project? Very few successful proposals involved more than one institution

KEY POINTS NOT JUST ANOTHER PROJECT VISION IN THE RESEARCH

ADVANCED INVESTIGATOR SCHEME CANDIDATES AT ANY CAREER STAGE FULLY INDEPENDENT ANY NATIONALITY MUST BE SPONSORED

ERC Advanced Grants last up to five years and provide €100,000 to €500,000 of funding per year, amounting to a total of €0.5 to 2.5 million Euro per grant*. *Exceptionally up to 3.5 MEuro

ERC Be really adventurous