Application Procedure

Selection Criteria

HOW TO APPLY

Within COST Innovator Grant IG17121, applications should be submitted according the procedure detailed below:

Step 1 – Formal agreement and on-line registration by the applicant

1. Obtain a written agreement of the host institution, before applying.

2. The applicant starts an STSM application by logging into e-COST: https://e-services.cost.eu/ and clicking on the Grants and STSM application tab.

3. The Applicant must use the on-line registration tool to register their request for an STSM, at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the STSM.

Step 2 – Formal STSM application and annexes

After encoding the information and pressing the “submit” button the online registration tool will issue a formal STSM application that will reach immediately the STSM coordinator. The Applicant must submit by e-mail the supporting documents include an STSM proposal (described below), CV, list of publications, motivation letter, letter of support from the home institute, letter of support from host institute) to the STSM coordinator:

1. Detailed work plan / project description

2. Motivation letter

3. Letter of support from the HOME institute

4. Letter of support from the HOST institute

5. Curriculum Vitae with list of publications (if applicable)

If the STSM coordinator wishes to approve the application, the STSM coordinator must confirm that the work plan is in line with the Action’s objectives, decide the level of the Grant that can be awarded, and confirm that the supporting documents are valid.

Step 3 – Assessment of the STSM

Upon each STSM Call Closing date, the COMULIS STSM Evaluation Committee will perform the scientific and budgetary assessment of the applications considering the Action objectives and the previously defined evaluation criteria. The committee will also define an acceptable funding level for the approved applications. The amount of the awarded Grant can never be higher than what the applicant requested.

If the application is rejected, the STSM coordinator must provide a justification to guide the applicant in her/his resubmission.

Step 4 – Approval from the STSM coordinator and Chair of the Action

The STSM coordinator and Chair informs the COST and the Grant Holder that the proposed STSM has been approved.

The selection of applicants is based on the scientific scope of the STSM application which must clearly comply with the overall objectives of the Action, considering always the combination of two or more imaging modalities to gather information about the same type specimen. Applications that contribute to the fulfillment of the Action deliverables will be given priority. Applications which advance the overall objectives of COMULIS will be also considered on their merit and contribution, as far as the STSM funding is available. Action members are encouraged to promote their projects to potential STSM applicants thus encouraging collaboration between institutions whilst strengthening the Actions outputs and network.

 STSMs SELECTION CRITERIA

1. The application serves the goal of fostering collaboration in the field of Correlative Multimodal Imaging (CMI), in particular, establishing new scientific contacts.

2. The STSM serves for the exchange of know-how, meaning that researchers either exchange expertise due to the planned scientific visit, get practical skills by learning unique “technology” not available in their home institution and/or learn new theoretical methods or experimental approaches

3. The scientific quality of the proposed STSM is high, its timeliness is justified, and the work plan for its realization is well founded.

4. The application should be financially justified meaning that the estimate of expenses is reasonable.

 Please note: The final selection of the applicant is the responsibility of the STSMs coordinator and the Chair of the Management Committee of the Action (MC mandate on 12th October 2018).

SCORE (FOR ALL APPLICANTS)

SUBCATEGORY (A or B)

CRITERIA CONSIDERED FOR FINAL DECISION AFTER EVALUATION

• If the applicant was involved in a previous COMULIS STSM

• Geographical distribution of applicants across the same STSM call

• If applicant is Early Career Investigator or PhD student

• Gender balance across the same STSM Call

After The STSM

Formal report after the stsm

Successful applicants must submit a scientific report to the Host Institution and to the STSM Coordinator within 30 days from the end date of the STSM, and they will be responsible for acquiring from a senior researcher affiliated to the Host Institution confirmation of formal acceptance of the scientific report. The report should describe:

• Purpose of the visit (Statement of the project aim(s) and objectives)

• Description of the work carried out (Describe the work that was undertaken)

• Description of the main results obtained (Describe the main outcomes of the work)

• Future collaboration with host institution (Describe any likely follow-on work with the host institution arising from the visit- if applicable)

• Projected publications/articles resulting or to result from the STSM (Mention any publications that may arise from the visit - if applicable)

• Confirmation by the host of the successful execution of the mission (Provide a brief affirmation by the Host researcher -with their signature- that the STSM was carried out successfully. It can be included in the report or as a separate accompanying document)

• Other comments (if any)

Applicants are required to submit to the MC Chair, and STSM coordinator the report within 1 month of the STSM visit. No payment will be made from the COST Office until this report is submitted. The scientific report will also require the approval of STSM Coordinator in order to affect the payment of the Grant.

Publications resulting from STSM activities should acknowledge COST Innovator Grant IG17121 (COMULIS) support.

Successful applicants will be asked to submit a brief of the STSM outputs for the Action’s website describing in summary the scientific report which will also be made available online, and be prepared to participate in the Action’s events with a poster about their STSM when applicable or when requested by the STSM coordinator.

A brief synopis for the COMULIS website containing

• Name

• Institution

• Research Interest (one sentence)

• Summary of research completed in STSM (<400 words)

• Synthesis and application [of research?] (<100 words)

• Wider benefit of the STSM to the participant (<200 words)

• Key Outputs

• If possible, please include a photograph of you alongside your collaborators and a short quote describing your experience

• A Poster on the STSM when attending Action events or when called upon by the Action Chair or STSM Coordinator