Short Term Scientific Missions

01 Apr Short Term Scientific Missions

TO BE Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM)

Call for the 4th grant period (1st May 2017 – 30 April 2018)

Objectives

The aim of a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) is to contribute to the scientific objectives of the TO-BE COST Action. STSMs are exchange visits which aim at strengthening the TO-BE network, by allowing scientists to: visit other institution in different countries; foster collaborations; learn new techniques; access instruments and/or methods not available in their own institution/laboratory.

STSMs Eligibility

A STSM applicant must be engaged in a research programme as a PhD Student or postdoctoral fellow or be employed by, or affiliated to, an Institution or Company or legal entity which has within its remit an association with performing scientific research on transition metal oxides. Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) recently renamed as Early Career Investigators (ECI) – defined as young scientists that obtained their PhD degree less than 8 years ago – are typically envisaged as the major beneficiaries of this programme. However, PhD students and senior scientists are also encouraged to apply.

Under the above conditions, eligibility of a STSM grant application depends on the country of the Researcher’s primary affiliation as registered on their e-COST profile/STSM application/C.V. and where they are currently performing their main strand of research (Home Institution), and on the country of the Institution that is intended to host the STSM applicant (Host Institution). The eligibility conditions of STSM applications in term of Home and Host Institutions are detailed in the following table:

Where:

All COST Countries and Cooperating states are defined here: http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/cost_countries
COST countries, NNC Institutions , IPC institutions, Specific Organizations participating to the TO-BE Action are listed here http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/MP1308?parties.
At the publication date of this call, no NNC/IPC organization of Specific Institution have yet been approved into the Action.
NNC (Near Neighbour Countries) are listed here:
http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/cost_countries/international_cooperation/nnc.
International Partner countries are listed here:
http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/cost_countries/international_cooperation/ipc
Specific Organizations are the European Commission, other EU Institutions and EU Agencies, European RTD Organizations and International Organizations.
RTD (Research and Technological Development) Organizations are CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, European XFEL, ILL, EFDA JET;

Organizational and financial aspects

Eligible STSM can have duration of minimum 5 working days and maximum 60 calendar days. The financial support will be allocated in the form of a fixed grant. The grant should cover only travel and subsistence (lodging and meals, see below). The financial support on offer is a contribution to the overall expenses incurred during the STSM and may not necessarily cover all of the associated outgoings.

The following funding conditions apply and must be respected:

The maximum total amount requested to the Action for each grant should not exceed EUR 2500;
2. For accommodation and meal expenses, we kindly ask each applicant to request a maximum amount of EUR 100 per day for mission of up to 8 days, and EUR 80 per day for missions longer than 8 days is established.
STSM activities within this call must be completed within March 10, 2018
The amounts granted for each individual STSM will be determined during the evaluation process by the nominally appointed person(s). The selection of applicants is based on the scientific scope of the STSM application which must be clearly in line with the overall objectives of the Action. The Action Core group, under suggestion of the STMS committee, might redefine for each approved grantee the duration of the STSM and the amount to be allocated, also on the base of the cost of living in each respective country and of the duration of the stay. It is assumed that for stays of several weeks, cheap and possibly self-catering accommodations can be found with the help of the Host Institution.