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PRIORITY • COST ACTION CA20101

Grants

One of the main aim is to create and coordinate a team of scientists and experts to address the challenges in the field of environmental nano- and microplastic pollution.

Grants

STSMs

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) within the PRIORITY Action:

  • 5th Call for Short Term Scientific Missions
  • PRIORITY 3rd Grant Period
  • This call applies to the STSM period from 01/06/2024 to 31/10/2024. The STSM should absolutely end before 31/10/2024. No derogation possible.

What are STSMs?

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) are exchange visits aimed at supporting individual mobility, strengthening existing networks and fostering collaboration between researchers.

A STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the ‘Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY’ – PRIORITY’ CA20101 COST Action, and must directly fit within the scope of any of the Working Groups.

STSMs are great opportunities for researchers to share/learn techniques, gain skills, gain access to specific data, instruments and/ or methods that may not be available at their home institution or laboratory.

In the third Grant Period (01/11/2023 to 31/10/2024) of the COST Action PRIORITY, there is two STSM calls, first for STSMs starting between 01/02/2024 to 31/05/2024, and secondly for STSMs starting from 01/06/2024 to 31/10/2024.

  • To consolidate existing networks and to create new ones, through joint research, submission of collaborative proposals, writing of manuscripts, organization of conferences/workshops or schools, etc.
  • To facilitate the transfer of knowledge and the training to new techniques, research equipment, etc.
  • To provide opportunities for career development for Researchers, through their mentoring by qualified researchers.

View here the briefs of previous STSMs.

The experimental work plan in the STSM proposal must fit within the scope of any of the Action Working Groups:

  • WG1 – Impacts and risks on human health and environment related to N/MPs.
  • WG2 – Monitoring and sampling MPs
  • WG3 – Instrumentation, modelling, data evaluation, software, and analytical procedures
  • WG4 – Nanoplastics
  • WG5 – Remediation, recovery and development of sustainable alternative to plastic materials
  • WG6 – Metrology and standardization
  • WG7 – Develop new strategies to increase the synergies with society and education

Check the information here

  • Launch of the call: 19/03/2023
  • Application deadline: 23/04/2023 (noon, Paris/France Time)
  • Expected decision: 07/05/2024
  • Start of the STSM between 01/06/2024 and 31/10/2024
  • End of the STSM before 31/10/2024

This call is open to Researchers aiming at visiting a host organization located in a different country than the country of affiliation for carrying out specific work for a determined period of time. An affiliation is considered as any form of recognized relationship between the individual and a legal entity. Any researcher affiliated to a legal entity located in a COST Full/Cooperating Member, a Near Neighbour countries (NNC) or a European RTD can apply for STSMs. The activity of STSMs can take place anywhere in the world. Priority will be given to Young Researchers. A Young Researcher is a researcher under the age of 40.

The applicant and the host institution must be aware that the STSM has to be carried out entirely within the same Grant Period, including the travels, no minimum number of days being fixed.

The STSM grant provides a contribution for travelling, accommodation and subsistence expenses. The financial support should be considered as a contribution to the costs of the mission and may not cover all the costs associated to the mission. The calculation of the financial contribution for each STSM must respect the following criteria:

  • Up to a maximum of EUR 2400 in total can be afforded to each successful STSM applicant.

The grants are paid by the Grant Holder after the completion of the activity and approval of the scientific report. This amount is subject to availability of funds and to Grant Holder approval. Requests must be addressed by email to the Grant Holder Manager and Grant Awarding Coordinator.

The applicant must develop the proposal jointly with a Host organization. An applicant may choose to contact any research team participating in the Action. A non-exhaustive list of teams that have indicated an interest in hosting an STSM can be found here.

The applicant should complete and upload via the dedicated COST online tool at https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants/add:

  • The COST STSM application form available at https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants after registration in the e-COST system at https://e-services.cost.eu/
  • A motivation letter
  • The CV of the applicant has to be uploaded directly to the e-cost profile of the applicant
  • A letter of invitation from the Host institution, stating that the STSM can be performed on the given dates should the application be approved.
  • A letter of support from the Home institution
  • The requested budget (travel, accommodation, subsistence)

In the application, the applicant has in particular to synthetically describe the goal of the proposed STSM, the description of the work to be carried out, as well as how the expected outputs contribute to the objectives of the PRIORITY COST Action (either research coordination and/or capacity building objectives). The start and end dates of the STSM have to be clearly mentioned.

Please remember that the applicant is responsible for obtaining an agreement with the Host institution, before submitting the application.

The STSM grantee is required to submit, within 30 days after the end date of the STSM or 15 days after the end of the Grant period, whichever date comes first, a report to the Host institution, Action Chair, Vice Chair, appropriate Working Group Leader and Grant Awarding Coordinator for approval. The report should contain:

  • A scientific report using the template available through the e-COST platform, and describing the work carried out, the main achievements and the planned future follow up activities.
  • An official letter/confirmation by the host institution of the successful execution of the STSM

The Action Chair and STSM Coordinator are responsible for approving the scientific report. The failure to submit the scientific report within 30 days will effectively cancel the grant. Once the report is approved and the payment request submitted, the payment of the STSM grant will be carried out by bank-to-bank transfer to the grantee.

Please be aware that the grantee will be asked to present the results of the STSM during internal meetings or events organized by the COST PRIORITY (eg. Management Committee or Working Group meeting). If applicable, when results from STSM visit will be published in a scientific journal or presented at any national or international conference (oral or poster), please acknowledge the support of the COST Action CA20101 PRIORITY according to the COST guidelines on visual identity, as follows: “This article/publication/contribution is based upon work from COST Action CA20101 Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY – PRIORITY, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). www.cost.eu” Posters should also include the COST and EU logos as specified in the guidelines on visual identity (see COST visual identity).

Open access fees for scientific publications, along with proofreading, editing, translation, and layout expenses, are eligible costs that PRIORITY can cover under specific conditions. If these costs arise as a result of an STSM funded by the Action, and if co-authorship includes participants from at least two different COST Member countries within the Action, you may submit a request to the Action Chair (stefania.federici@unibs.it) for consideration of cost coverage.

For more information and enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator:

  • Dr. Nicolas Kellernkeller@unistra.fr
    ICPEES – CNRS – University of Strasbourg, France

Grants

ITC Conference Grants

Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) within the PRIORITY Action:

  • 3rd Call for ITC Conference Grants
  • PRIORITY 3rd Grant Period
  • This call applies to the ITC Conference Grants period from 01/02/2024 to 31/10/2024

What are ITC Conference Grants?

ITC Conference Grants aim at supporting Young Researchers affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NNC) to attend and present their work in international science and technology related conferences not specifically organized by the COST Action PRIORITY.

The conference can take place anywhere in the world, face to face or virtually. They serve COST Excellence and Inclusiveness Policy.

One single call for ITC Conference Grants is open per each Grant Period.

  • To support Young Researchers affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NCC) to establish new contacts for future collaborations.
  • To support them to develop a strong network and to increase their visibility in the research community through sharing their work and to gain knowledge.
  • To contribute to the increase in the visibility of the COST Action PRIORITY.
  • Launch of the 3rd ITC CG call: 15/11/2023
  • Opening of the dedicated COST online tool at https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants/add : 15/11/2023
  • PRIORITY operates through a unique open call, until the availability of fundings.
  • The applications received will be promptly evaluated within 3 weeks and financial support will be awarded based on available budget.

The Applicant is a Young Researcher (under the age of 40) affiliated in an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NNC). Updated lists can be found under “Country and Organisations Table” at https://www.cost.eu/funding/documents-guidelines/

COST Inclusiveness Target Counties are as follows: Full Members that are EU Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary*, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), EU Member States Outermost Regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion Island and Saint-Martin/France, Azores and Madeira/Portugal, and the Canary Islands/Spain), Full Members that are not EU Member States (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine).

* Applications from Hungary are eligible whether the individual applicants are not affiliated as primary affiliation to any Hungarian legal entities implied by the Council Implementation Decision 2022/2056 for the execution of COST Actions and COST activities. For any doubts, please contact Dr. Stefania Federici, Chair of the PRIORITY Action at stefania.federici@unibs.it

COST Near Neighbour Countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, The Faroe Islands, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia.

  • The applicant must directly contribute to the conference through an oral/poster presentation, on-site or virtually, and must be listed in the official event/conference program. The main subject of the presentation at the conference must be on the topic of the Action PRIORITY.
  • The work presented during the conference must mention explicitly and acknowledge the support of the COST Action CA20101 PRIORITY according to the COST guidelines on visual identity.The Action can be acknowledged as follows: “This article/publication/contribution is based upon work from COST Action CA20101 Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY – PRIORITY, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). www.cost.eu”. Posters should also include the COST and EU logos as specified in the guidelines on visual identity.
  • The attendance at the conference and the application process must start and end during the same Grant Period.

Please note that the awarded grant will be paid only after attending the Conference – therefore you must have approval and prior financial support e.g., from you own institution. The reimbursement can be paid either to a private or to an institutional account, should the institution give prior financial support.

The main subject of the oral/poster presentation at the approved conference must be aligned with the topics of the COST PRIORITY, and must fit within the scope of any of the Working Groups:

  • WG1 – Impacts and risks on human health and environment related to N/MPs.
  • WG2 – Monitoring and sampling MPs
  • WG3 – Instrumentation, modelling, data evaluation, software, and analytical procedures
  • WG4 – Nanoplastics
  • WG5 – Remediation, recovery and development of sustainable alternative to plastic materials
  • WG6 – Metrology and standardization
  • WG7 – Develop new strategies to increase the synergies with society and education

The ITC Conference Grant is used to providing a contribution to the costs of the mission, for travelling, accommodation and subsistence expenses, registration fee, printing of scientific poster and overall effort for implementation and reporting. It may therefore not cover all the costs associated to the mission. Travel and subsistence costs are concerned only for face-to-face activities.

The financial contribution for each ITC Conference Grant is taking into account the actual conference fee, the duration and the location of the Conference. It must respect the following criteria:

  • Up to 1400 EUR per grant for face-to-face conferences
  • Up to 500 EUR for virtual conferences

Starting from 15/11/2023, the applicant should complete and upload via the dedicated COST online tool at https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants/add:

  • The COST ITC Conference Grant application form available at https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants after registration in the e-COST system at https://e-services.cost.eu/
  • The title of the presentation
  • The Conference title, date (within the active Grant Period) and country
  • The budget requested, with justification
  • If available, the acceptance letter from the conference organizers for the work to be presented. If not available, the evaluation of the application can be processed by uploading a screenshot of the conference website indicating the expected date of notification of abstract acceptance. However, the upload of the acceptance letter will be mandatory for the final attribution of the grant.
  • A copy of the abstract
  • The CV of the applicant has to be uploaded directly to the e-cost profile of the applicant
  • ID student card and approval of supervisor in the case of a PhD student

These documents should be submitted through the e-COST platform.

In the application, the applicant shall describe the relevance of the conference topic to the Action and the motivation describing the potential for impact on the applicant’s career.

The evaluation of the applications is performed under the lead and responsibility of the Grant Awarding coordinator, with the assistance of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, and, if necessary, of the Working Group Leaders and the Young Research Representative.

The evaluation criteria consider the scientific scope of the results to be presented, how they fit into the Action PRIORITY and contribute to the achievement of its scientific objectives, as well as how the attendance at the conference will contribute to the professional development of the applicant. Also, geographical balance and gender balance will be considered. We will also aim at achieving a balance of granted ITC Conference Grants among the different Working Groups.

The Grant Holder will inform the successful applicants by e-mail by sending them a Grant letter with an official approval of the ITC Conference Grant application, a “Payment Request” (to be completed after approval of the ITC Conference Grants report) and the level of the financial grant given. The Applicant has to confirm the acceptance of the grant by returning the Grant letter with his/her signature. In case of rejection, the Grant Awarding coordinator will directly inform the applicant by e-mail.

The grantee is required to submit, within 30 days after the end date of the Conference or 15 days after the end of the Grant period, whichever date comes first, a report to the Home Institution, Action Chair, Vice Chair, and Grant Awarding Coordinator for approval. The report should contain:

  • A report on the outcome of the presentation in terms of grantee’s visibility, including the establishment of new contacts for future collaborations.
  • The certificate of attendance.
  • The programme of the conference or book of abstracts/proceedings indicating the presentation (oral or poster) of the grantee.
  • A copy of the given presentation/poster.

The Action Chair and Grant Awarding Coordinator are responsible for approving the report. The failure to submit the scientific report in due time will effectively cancel the grant. Once the report is approved and the payment request submitted, the payment of the ITC Conference grant will be carried out by bank-to-bank transfer to the grantee.

Please be aware that the grantee will be asked to present the results disseminated through the ITC Conference Grant during internal meetings or events organized by the Action PRIORITY (eg. Management Committee or Working Group meeting). They can also be used as part of the communication strategy of the Action.

For more information and enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator:

  • Dr. Nicolas Keller, nkeller@unistra.fr
    ICPEES – CNRS – University of Strasbourg, France