EPICATCH Cost Action CA19125 opens the First Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs). The aim of STSMs shall be to contribute to the scientific objectives of a EPICATCH. The objective of EPICATCH is to update, define and develop scientific knowledge and methodology on the study of plant epigenetic adaptation responses to climate change. Indeed STSM should deal with any aspects of plant epigenetics/epigenomics and/or integration with other tartegeted/omic molecular approaches. These Missions (Exchange Visits) are aimed at strengthening the existing networks by allowing scientists to go to an institution or laboratory in another COST Country to foster collaboration, to learn a new technique or to take measurements using instruments and/or methods not available in their own institution/laboratory.
The STSMs are intended for any researcher, although especially directed for young researchers, i.e., PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. The duration of a standard STSM is between 5-90 days and the grant is 2500€ maximum. In addition, Early Career Investigators (ECI, i.e., a researcher with less than 8 years since obtaining the PhD/doctorate) can apply for a STSM up to 180 days and a maximum grant of 3500€. The award usually covers economy travel and accommodation/subsistence, however the financial support is a contribution to the costs of a STSM and may not necessarily cover all the costs. Note, the STSM does not support research costs. The application has to be submitted by the applicant. More information on STSMs can be found at: https://www.cost.eu/cost-actions/cost-actions-networking-tools/ .
In this call, applications can be submitted for Short-Term Scientific Missions, minimum one week (5 working days), maximum 3 months. STSMs should be carried out during the first grant period of the COST Action, i.e. stays should start any time from now and finish before September 15, 2021.
The applications for STSM are assessed on an “as received” basis (not by fixed collection date) by the STSM Committee of the COST Action. The STSM Coordinator is appointed by the MC committee of COST Action to receive applications and liaise as necessary between the applicant, the STSM Committee and the Grant Holder. The STSM Committee will make the scientific and budgetary assessment and take the final decision which will be communicated to the Applicant by the STSM Coordinator. The STSM coordinator informs the Grant Holder that the proposed STSM has been approved. PhD students and Early Career Investigators (ECI, less than PhD + 8 years) will be given preference in the approval.
STSM application procedure will be conducted on line VIA E-COST PLATFORM and, in parallel, by E-MAIL TO THE STSM COMMITTEE.
SUBMISSION TO STSM COORDINATOR:
The applicants should send an e-mail to the STSM Coordinators (George Manganaris, email: george.manganaris@cut.ac.cy, Pilar Testillano, email: testillano@cib.csic.es) with cc. to Chair and Vicechair of EPICATCH (Federico Martinelli email: federico.martinelli@unifi.it, and Eirini Kaiserli email: Eirini.Kaiserli@glasgow.ac.uk,) with the following documents:
- STSM proposal (Applicant’ details and contact information, Host institution and supervisor, Planned dates and length of stay)
- Work plan (max. 2 pages, background and rationale, aims of the STSM, proposed experiments, motivation for the visit, predicted added value it will bring to EPICATCH).
- Host agreement letter (letter of support from the home institute with the period of the visit, clearly accepting the work plan of the applicant)
- Letter of support from your PI (in the case of PhD students)
- CV (max. 1 page)
- Planned budget: Travel (up to 900€, and Daily allowance, up to 160€/day)
Applicants can ask for templates for all documents to the STSM coordinator.
-ON LINE SUBMISSION VIA E-COST PLATFORM: In parallel to emails, the applicant must use the on-line registration tool and register the STSM application by loging into e-COST (https://e-services.cost.eu/user/login/STSM).
Final decisions on the approval of the STSM applications will be made one month after each submission, at the latest. The application with the approval of the STSM Committee have to be sent to the Grant Holder at least 4 weeks before the STSM starts (this is mandatory) using the online registration tool.