Preparing an ERC Starting Grant Application 11 September, 2008

1. Preparing an ERC Starting Grant Application 11 September, 2008 Karen Fiorini Ideas National Contact Point

2. Procedure • Proposal must be submitted by the PI in conjunction with the HI • In response to a call • Via the Electronic Proposal submission Service (EPSS) • One stage submission 2 stage evaluation CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

3. Starting Grant Application The StG consists of 3 components: • Administrative Forms • Research Proposal • Supporting Documentation CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

4. The Administrative Forms Standard Forms on EPSS • Form A1 – Snap shot of Proposal & PI • Form A2 – Host Institution/s • Form A3 – Financials • Form A1T – Summary of the scientific leadership profile and early achievements CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

5. Form A1& A1T A1 • General info on Proposal such as; title, duration, abstract • Indication of relevant panel for evaluation from the list provided (Primary panel & Secondary panel* in case of interdisciplinarity) • Info on Principle Investigator such as name nationality, name, date of first PhD, etc.. • A1T • Summary of track-record and achievements *The primary evaluation panel will decide whether the proposal requires expertise from other panels CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

6. Physical Sciences & Engineering • PE1 Mathematical foundations: all areas of mathematics, pure and applied, plus mathematical foundations of computer science, mathematical physics and statistics • PE2 Fundamental constituents of matter: particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, and optical physics • PE3 Condensed matter physics:structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences • PE4 Physical and analytical chemical sciences: analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics • PE5 Materials and synthesis: materials synthesis, structure-properties relations, functional and advanced materials, molecular architecture, organic chemistry • PE6 Computer science and informatics:informatics and information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems • PE7 Systems and communication engineering: electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering • PE8 Products and processes engineering: product design, process design and control, construction methods, civil engineering, energy systems, material engineering • PE9 Universe sciences:astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar system; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation • PE10 Earth system science: physical geography, geology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, climatology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

7. Social Sciences & Humanities • SH1 Individuals, institutions and markets: economics, finance & management • SH2 Institutions, values, beliefs and behaviour: sociology, social anthropology, political science, law, communication, social studies of science and technology • SH3 Environment and society: environmental studies, demography, social geography, urban and regional studies • SH4 The Human Mind and its complexity: cognition, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and education • SH5 Cultures and cultural production: literature, visual and performing arts, music, cultural and comparative studies • SH6 The study of the human past: archaeology, history and memory CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

8. Life Sciences • LS1 Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry: molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, biochemistry of signal transduction • LS2 Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology: genetics, population genetics, molecular genetics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, biological modelling and simulation, systems biology, genetic epidemiology • LS3 Cellular and Developmental Biology: cell biology, cell physiology, signal transduction, organogenesis, developmental genetics, pattern formation in plants and animals • LS4 Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology: organ physiology, pathophysiology, endocrinology, metabolism, ageing, regeneration, tumorigenesis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome • LS5 Neurosciences and neural disorders: neurobiology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, neuroimaging, systems neuroscience, neurological disorders, psychiatry • LS6 Immunity and infection: immunobiology, aetiology of immune disorders, microbiology, virology, parasitology, global and other infectious diseases, population dynamics of infectious diseases, veterinary medicine • LS7 Diagnostic tools, therapies and public health: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of disease, public health, epidemiology, pharmacology, clinical medicine, regenerative medicine, medical ethics • LS8 Evolutionary, population and environmental biology: evolution, ecology, animal behaviour, population biology, biodiversity, biogeography, marine biology, ecotoxicology, prokaryotic biology • LS9 Applied life sciences and biotechnology: agricultural, animal, fishery, forestry and food sciences; biotechnology, chemical biology, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, industrial biosciences; environmental biotechnology and remediation; CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

9. Form A2 & A3 A2 • Host institution; info on the organisation • On filling the Participation Identification Code (PIC) some of the A form will be filled in automatically A3 • Summary of financial data • HI must should fill in the different type of costs; personnel, other direct and indirect costs, subcontracting, etc.. CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

10. The Research Proposal Must also be uploaded and submitted via EPSS. It consists of 2 parts: Part B1: Cover Page Section 1 – The PI Part B2: Section 2- The Scientific proposal Section 3 – Research Environment CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

11. Cover Page • Name of PI • Name of PI’s Host Institution for the project • Proposal full name • Acronym • Duration in months • Proposal summary (half page) CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

12. Section 1: The Principle Investigator Scientific Leadership Potential (max 2 pages) • Self-evaluation of early research career achievements; beyond state-of-the-art • Presentation of content of applicant’s early scientific or scholarly contributions to research field • The recognition obtained and diffusion of these early contributions Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages) • Must include a succinct ‘funding ID’ Cont… CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

13. Section 1: The Principle Investigator cont… Early Achievements Track-record list(max 2 pages) • Publications in major internal peer-reviewed scientific journals, peer-reviewed conferences.. • Research monographs, chapters in collective volumes, etc.. • Granted patents, when applicable • Invited presentations to peer-reviewed international conferences or advanced schools • Research expeditions, when applicable • Organisation of international conferences • International prizes/awards/academy memberships, when applicable • Memberships to editorial boards of international journals, when applicable Extended synopsis of scientific proposal(max 5 pages) CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

14. Section 2 – The Scientific Proposal Max 15 pages + ethical issues • Objectives must indicate State-of-the art in the particular field. How is the project imp for the field (open up new horizons) • Description of proposed Methodology, highlight any intermediate stages where results may require adjustments to the project planning • Resources, incl. project costs, describe nature and size of team indicating the roles of key team members. Infrastructure and equipment • Ethical issues CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

15. Section 3 - Research Environment Max 2 pages • PI’s Host Institution, specify what facilities and assistance it will provide to project, illustrating capacity to support project including broader intellectual support. • Additional institutions (additional participants) Justify the scientific added value of using more than one institution CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

16. Supporting Documentation Scanned copies in PDF submitted via EPSS • Supporting statement from HI; on letterhead, signed, stamped and dated by institute’s legal rep (See Annex 3 Guide for Applicants) • PhD certificate in case of requested extension of eligibility period, documentary evidence of maternity, paternity leave national service, illness, unavoidable leave for statutory reasons. See annex 3 in Guide CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

17. THANK YOU! karen.fiorini@gov.mt CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities