European Funding and Networking Opportunities Dr Paul Egerton

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

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. www. esf. org 2

ESF Member Organisations 79 Member Organisations research funding organisations research performing organisations academies and learned societies in 30 countries www. esf. org 3

About ESF • Established in 1974 • Offices in Strasbourg, Brussels, Ostend • ESF budget: 58 M€ in 2009 including COST 30 M€ • 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 www. esf. org 4

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 • Radio Astronomy • Marine Sciences • Nuclear Physics • Polar Sciences • Materials Science and • Space Sciences Engineering www. esf. org 5

ESF Activities Strategic Plan 2006 -2010 SCIENCE STRATEGY SCIENCE SYNERGY SCIENCE MANAGEMENT Forward Looks EUROCORES Research Programmes Peer Review support Science Policy Briefings Research Networking Programmes Coordination of EUROHORCs projects Exploratory Workshops Research Conferences Coordination of ERA projects Implementing agent for the COST office through EC contract Member Organisation Fora www. esf. org 6

Range of Instruments Funding available to researchers Funding level EUROCORES 1 m€ RNPs 100 k€ Conferences 15 k€ Exploratory Workshops 10 www. esf. org 30 100 Number of researchers per instrument 7

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 www. esf. org/flooks www. esf. org 8

Science Policy Briefings • 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 www. esf. org/spb www. esf. org 9

Exploratory Workshops • • One-off specialist meetings • • 25 -30 scientists involved Spearheading topics ‘Bottom-up’ topics based on open calls Should catalyse significant and strategic activities ESF grant per event: 15 k€ www. esf. org/workshops www. esf. org 10

ESF Member Organisation Fora • 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 www. esf. org/mo-fora www. esf. org 11

EUROCORES (European Collaborative Research Programmes) • 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– 10 M€ over 3 years across 5 -15 collaborative research programmes, with up to 80 individual projects www. esf. org/eurocores www. esf. org 12

Research Networking Programmes • 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 100 k€-130 k€ per year • 6, 500 participants per year in 45 -50 programmes www. esf. org/programmes www. esf. org 13

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 -60 k€ per conference, including support earmarked for early-stage researchers www. esf. org/conferences www. esf. org 14

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 www. esf. org 15

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

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

18/17 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. ”

19/17 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

Life Sciences: • http: //www. esf. org/research-areas/life-earthand-environmental-sciences/about/lifesciences. html Currently 38 Funded activities in the Life Sciences Across Research networking programmes, Exploratory workshops and EUROCORES programmes www. esf. org 20

Recommendations RECOMMENDATIONS 21/17 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 followup studies is education 7. Cooperation with ongoing activities is required

22/17 Forward Look “Responses to Environmental & Societal Challenges for our Unstable Earth” RESCUE Objectives • 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. à help ensuring global sustainable governance www. esf. org/rescue

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

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 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 2010. 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. www. esf. org 25

Open Calls for Proposals ESF issues annual calls for proposals for: • Exploratory Workshops • • Research Conferences • EUROCORES themes and projects Research Networking Programmes www. esf. org/calls www. esf. org 26

Calls for proposals 2010 www. esf. org 27

Calls for Proposals 2010 www. esf. org 28

European Science Foundation headquarters 1 quai Lezay-Marnésia BP 90015 67080 Strasbourg cedex France +33 3 88 76 71 00 Marine Board secretariat Wandelaarkaai 7 8400 Oostende Belgium +32 59 34 01 63 ESF Conferences 149 avenue Louise, Box 14 Tour Generali 1050 Brussels Belgium +32 2 533 20 20 COST office 149 avenue Louise Tour Generali 1050 Brussels Belgium +32 2 533 38 00 www. esf. org 29