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ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
ERC Advanced Grant
How to Approach and
optimize your application
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Stage 1
Understand the ERC
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
What is the ERC
What is the European Research Council (ERC)?
•New pan-European funding organisation
•Supports the best in Europe -scientists, engineers and scholars
•Funding of €7.51 billion (2007-13)
What are the aims of the ERC?
•Encourage highest quality research in Europe
•Excellence is the sole criterion
•Competitive, flexible funding
•Retain, repatriate and recruit (career support)
What are the ERC Grant Schemes?
•Currently -Starting Grants and Advanced Grants
•Support for a PI and (if necessary) team members
•Investigator-initiated frontier research across all fields of research, on the
basis of scientific excellence
•New (pilot) scheme –2012 Work Programme in Spring 2011?
•The ERC also has calls for tender for studies on the ERC itself
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
WRG Europe Ltd
ERC Spending Profile
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Advanced Investigator Grants
The ERC Advanced Investigator Grants
Encourage substantial advances at the frontier of knowledge by supporting
•excellent, Leading advanced investigators
•to pursue ground breaking, high-risk/high gain research
•Now 50% of Annual ERC Call Budget
•Annual calls: open late spring and close in autumn
•Grants of up to €3.5 million over 5 yrs (but normally €2.5 million)
CallDate
Deadlines
ERC-2011-Adv
02 November 2010
PE: 09 February 2011
LS: 10 March 2011
SH: 06 April 2010
Call Value €M 661
Result late Spring/Summer 2011
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Eligibility
•Normally 10 publications as senior author (or in those fields where alphabetic order of
authorship is the norm, joint author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary
scientific journals, and/or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals and peerreviewed conferences proceedings of their respective field.
•Normally 3 major research monographs, of which at least one is translated into another
language. This benchmark is relevant to research fields where publication of
monographs is the norm (e.g. humanities and social sciences).
Other alternative benchmarks that may be considered (individually or in combination) as
indicative of an exceptional record and recognition in the last 10 years:
• Normally 5 granted patents
• Normally 10 invited presentations in well-established internationally organised
conferences and advanced schools
• Normally 3 research expeditions led by the applicant
• Normally 3 well-established international conferences or congresses where the
applicant was involved in their organisation as a member of the steering and/or
organising committee
• International recognition through scientific prizes/awards or membership in well
regarded Academies
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Funding
Funding Levels and Duration of Grant
Normally
•Up to €2.5 million over 5 years ERC contribution (or pro-rata for
shorter projects)
Can be higher, but only to cover:
•eligible “start-up” costsfor PIs moving from a third country to the EU
or an Associated Country
•the purchase of major equipment.
If so, up to €2.5 million over 5 yrs ERC contribution (or pro-rata)Limit
includes direct and indirect cost
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Team Concept
Individual Team‟ Concept-Team MembersTeam Members (if needed)
•Constitution of individual research team is flexible, commonly includes:
•other researchers from the PI‟s research group or institution (senior researchers, post docs, graduate and PhD
students…)
•non-academic staffsuch as technicians/support staff can also be funded
•Normally, the PI's host institution will be the only institution
•But could have team members from other institutions in the same or different countries
–If in EU/AC -can be funded
–If outside EU/AC –GFA says ERC only fund if they do “not dispose of sufficient own financial resources to finance
the participation in the ERC project” (new, but not part of the evaluation –looked at afterwards if you are successful)
•Also, if separate legal entities are involved their participation (and funding) will
–be assessed during peer review –“is their participation fully justified by the scientific added value they bring to the
project?”
•Team (including any team members at other institutions) led by, and centred around, the PI so
NOT a traditional network or research consortium
•PI has freedom to choose appropriate team members
•Team members can be of any age, nationality & country of residence (not just EU/AC)
•Team members do not need to be independent
•Smaller role in application forms and review than the PI
•Named v‟s un-named?
•Resubmission rules do not apply to team members
•Institution (s) where team based sign up to Grant Agreement
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Assessment Criteria
1. Principal Investigator
Intellectual capacity and creativity:
To what extent is the Principal Investigator's (and any Co-Investigator if applicable) record of research, collaborations,
project conception, supervision of students and publications ground-breaking and demonstrative of independent creative
thinking and the capacity to go significantly beyond the state of the art?
Commitment:
Is the Principal Investigator strongly committed to the project and willing to devote a significant amount of time to it (they
will be expected to devote at least 30% of their working time to the ERC-funded project and spend at least 50% of their
total working time in an EU Member State or associated country)?
2. Research project
Ground-breaking nature and potential impact of the research:
To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges at the frontiers of the field(s) addressed?
To what extent does it have suitably ambitious objectives, which go substantially beyond the current state of the art (e.g.
including inter- and trans-disciplinary developments and novel or unconventional concepts and/or approaches)?
Methodology:
To what extent does the possibility of a major breakthrough with an impact beyond a specific research domain/discipline
justify any highly novel and/or unconventional methodologies ("high-gain/high-risk balance")?
To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible? (assessed at step 1)
To what extent is the proposed research methodology (including the proposed timescales and resources) appropriate to
achieve the goals of the project? To what extent are the resources requested necessary and properly justified?
(assessed at step 2)
If it is proposed that team members engaged by another host institution participate in the project is their participation fully
justified by the scientific added value they bring to the project? (assessed at step 2)
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Stage 2
Understand
Grantmanship
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
General Introduction
Your Objectives –
Research
--------------------Career & Livelihood
Funding Objectives -
--------------------Research Strategic Aims & Objectives
It is important to remember that although you are structuring the
project from a primary research/technical interest the funding
programme will be as interested (maybe more interested) in the
rationale supporting the project, its need and resultant benefits.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
11
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
General
Introduction
Each funding authority has a STRATEGIC remit
Primary Message
Answer the REMIT question !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An Application is more than a research proposal –
It is a document providing arguments for the justification of
the Grant and the benefits arising.
A sound science base is obviously essential but the
emphasis throughout the document must be justification for
the need for the project and associated excellence,
Against the Strategic Aims of the Funding Authority
Answer All the Questions
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Will support
•
•Excellent, innovative and investigator-initiated research projects
•
•Flexible projects to promote substantial advances in „frontier research‟ such as: knowledge
pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge
•
•any field of research
•
•interdisciplinary proposals crossing the boundaries between different research fields
•
•pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research
•
•proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions
•
•but must have a significant impact on science, scholarship or engineering
•
•reviewers understand the high-risk/high-gain profile
•
•should aim to broaden scientific and technological knowledge
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Conclusions
Grant Writing Primary
Conclusion
…………NEVER set out to Write and Application
Grant Applications must be BUILT
Block by Block………Brick on Brick
Argument by Argument……..Justification on Justification
Explain everything -- Attack the call remit
-- Don’t let the Assessors have to think !!!!
SELL YOURSELF and your PROJECT
But Remember – Different Calls have Different Buyers
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
How to Optimise
Your proposal
Explain all Arguments – Assessors are Human Too !!!
When presenting you arguments in each section don’t assume
that the assessors are highly familiar or directly experienced in
your area (they are more likely not going to be)
--- and remember
that for European projects English is almost certainly not
going to be their first language. Assessors will not want to
think about what you are saying or implying, nor will they
have the time, so if it is not stated it is not counted – no matter
how obvious to you.
If anything is implied it will not be counted – therefore you
have to qualify every statement – effectively with “what,
how and why (and/or benefit)”
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
How to Optimise
Your proposal
You are not writing a research description or proposal !!
An Application is effectively a sales document aimed at
convincing the assessors to fund your application
rather than any other.
Generally proposers do not sell themselves that well and
fail to maximise their arguments.
Don’t undersell yourselves – words like probably,
maybe, we seek, possibly, intend, etc. etc. should all be
replaced by definitive statements, - normally “will”.
You must give the impression that you know exactly in
detail what you are doing and why
Inspire Confidence
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
How to Optimise
Your proposal
Point 1. An Obvious but often forgotten point is to make it easy to read as
layout on the page is very important because large blocks of text are
intimidating and difficult for the assessor to extract points of information
from so that it is necessary to use separate paragraphs for each point you
are making and wherever possible bullet the key aspects in simplistic
terms before justification.
Point 1. Obvious -- but often Forgotten
Make it easy to read
¾ Layout on the page is very important (large blocks of text are
intimidating and difficult for the assessor to extract points of
information from).
¾ Use separate paragraphs for each point you are making and
wherever possible bullet the key aspects in simplistic terms before
justification.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Structure
Phase 1 – Justifying the Project.
MOST PROJECTS FAIL NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SAY
-- BUT -BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY FAIL TO SAY
Arguments and Justifications required.
¾Concept
¾Rationale
¾Current position, problems, - ie. State of the art
¾Objectives
¾Deliverables
¾Progress beyond state of the art.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Arguments and Justifications required.
¾Concept
¾ Why??, What?? How ??
¾Rationale
¾ Therefore….. !!!
This is Why !!
¾Current position, problems, - ie. State of the art
¾Because…… !!!
¾Objectives
¾Therefore….. !!!
This is what !!
¾Deliverables
¾Which will…... !!!
This is How !!
¾Progress beyond state of the art.
¾ Achievements !!!
Primary Justification
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Structure
Phase 2 – Methodology and Workprogramme.
Key Messages
¾
¾
¾
¾
This is what I am going to do.
This is how I am going to do it
This is why I am doing it this way
It is the best/optimised way
¾ There is a clear defined plan
¾ Objectives and target deliverables are set and identified
¾ Risk is analysed, understood and accounted for in the planning
¾ Management activities and support structure are appropriate
¾(Suggest a separate section)
¾ Dissemination and exploitation routes are identified and planned
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
¾
¾
¾
¾
Arguments and Justifications
This what we are going to do.
This is how we are going to do it
This is why we are doing it this way
It is the best/optimised way
Don’t launch straight into the research programme – always explain the
above first. -- Reiterate/ refer to key aspects from 1st phase
¾ There is a clear defined plan
¾ Objectives and target deliverables are set and identified
¾ Risk is analysed, understood and accounted for in the
planning
Break workprogramme into distinct tasks – against a timeframe
Each task with objectives
Research/Technical Objectives
Maybe also Other objectives – Training, KTA, Funding Remit !!!!!!!!
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Arguments and Justifications
Tasks
Describe each task with
a justification, (ie WHY)
a description (ie What/How)
an outcome (ie Achievement)
and purpose (ie Where will this task have lead)
together with interrelationships with other tasks.
Bullet specific deliverables and milestones – remember that both of these
must be verifiable, and wherever possible quantifiable.
(A task must have deliverables – but does not always need a milestone if it is
relatively straight forward.)
Concluding remarks should confirm why this is the optimum approach, the
innovation, technological risk and fall back positions if required so that
some degree of success can be achieved
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Definitions
Task:
Task Output:
Deliverable
Milestone
Arguments and Justifications
Design new Widget and build into SuperWodget
3 new SuperWodgets
Performance data of new SuperWodgets(deliverable can thus
still be met even if Widgets don’t work)
Mid section of task – colour of SuperWodget??
Interrelationships
Task output –
Deliverable Milestone -
to next task for build into UltraWodget
performance data for dissemination and
exploitation activities
Critical path point to enable widgets to be
available on time for next task of build into
UltraWodget
A simple Gannt chart giving timescales, deliverable & milestone points, as well
as any interrelationships is also extremely useful
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Arguments and Justifications
Deliverables
Report
Scientific paper
Conference proceedings
Monologue
Book
Technical Data, Performance Data, Validation Data etc. etc
Analysis of xxxx with respect to yyyyy
Best practice guidelines and protocols
Supporting data sets
Roadmaps for future activities
Deliverables MUST be tangible and concrete (and related to Remit)
It is These Deliverables that the Funding Authority is Purchasing
Their Return on Investment
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Arguments and Justifications
The Research Environment
Your excellence, the excellence of your lab/group, school/department,
Research Centre/University will need explaining (exploiting) with respect to
the benefit to your project.
It is important to give a clear and concise description of your envisaged
team, including named individuals if possible.
The role of each team member must be specified, including any additional
training requirements (Highly likely if interdisciplinary in your approach)
Although not always essential, networking and liaison with other research
centres across Europe will be a major plus to your proposal.
(Indeed the ability to enable you do this can be one of the major
justifications for your grant)
If you don’t state it – it doesn’t exist.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Structure
Phase 3 – Impact and benefit.
Often neglected – BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT
Grant Applications are a Competition
To Win – you must be the best
and DELIVER THE BEST
Identify ALL Benefits and Impact – Imperative with respect to Call Remit
- - Other aspects for additional marks
Technical Progress, Financial benefit, Environmental benefit, Citizenship and Quality
of Life, Health and Health Care, Best Practice, Policy Development, Governance,
etc.etc
Quantify and Explain as much as possible
-- Quote Papers and Stats
-- Extrapolate where necessary
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Impact & Benefit.
This project will remove 50% of all back pain problems.
xx% of population suffer from back pain -- yy hundred Million in Europe
xx working days lost per person per annum.
Each day lost cost industry xx Euro in lost production -- yy cost to Europe per annnum
Immediate project benefit y euro per annum to European Industry.
Health care costs per back pain person per annum -- xx Euro
50% saving -- x Euro health care costs per annum.
No Work – no pay for back pain sufferers. Family problems, social problems, etc. All removed.
Astrophysics
Understanding theory of quantum mechanics in Black holes will….??
Increase/Improve our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the Universe -important in potential development of new quantum structures; such as single electron memory
devices which will revolutionize the computer industry.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Structure
The Cycle of Arguments and Justifications
This is the Problem
Will Resolve
Benefits/impact
Project
Achievements
Deliverable/Outputs
Method Detail
WRG Europe Ltd
State of the Art
NEED
Rationale for the Project
Return on
Investment
Fit to
REMIT
Progress
beyond
S of A
Objectives
Methodology
Research Approach
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Stage 3
Understand the Approach
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Addressing ERC Aims
Aims to:
•to promote substantial advances in the frontiers of knowledge,
•to encourage new productive lines of enquiry and new methods and
techniques,
•Including unconventional approaches and investigations at the interface
between established disciplines
Research proposals of a multi- and inter-disciplinary nature are strongly
encouraged throughout the ERC's schemes.
ERC is particularly keen to encourage excellent proposals which involve the
establishment of a new research activity in the EU or the associated
Countries by a Principal Investigator who is moving from a third country into
the EU or the associated countries.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Key Messages
Assessors are established international Scientists of high repute.
Thus - Key Messages in respect of ERC “AIMS”
First essential Message -- EASY to Defend
I am an Excellent researcher
But I am aware of my limitations
– “Humility”
Which this ERC Grant will enable me to overcome
AND I HAVE BETTER IDEAS THAN YOU, or anyone else !!!!!
– “Ambition”
- “Excitement”
Second essential Message – Difficult to Argue and Defend
OK -- I’m an excellent researcher!!
BUT.... I am Better suited/able to carry out the work than you !!
And will likely make a bigger impact in the field than you have !!
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Justification
Will support
•Excellent, innovative and investigator-initiated research projects
•Explain in B1(a,c) and B2 how and why your career to date has enabled these
groundbreaking insights (Thus no one else is in a similar position – You are special)
Will support
•Flexible projects to promote substantial advances in „frontier research‟ such as:
knowledge pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge
•This is not a research project.
•It is the first stage of a programme of research that will provide the basis
for this new future Research programme – or consolidation thereof.
Will support
any field of research.
•Multi/Inter disciplinarity almost essential
......This Programme will Develop new platforms of Knowledge and
Understanding that will enable.............
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Project Justification
Will support
•interdisciplinary proposals crossing the boundaries between different research
fields
• Very effective approach but Networking and Team structure crucial to avoid criticism.
Will support
•pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research
• Definitely !!!!!
•proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific
inventions
•Difficult to get through !!!! (Reviewers are Human and at committee stage – Safest Wins – so
needs absolute justification and defence)
Will support
•but must have a significant impact on science, scholarship or engineering
•Essential – The research will be high impact and potentially lead to changes/additions; to
undergraduate texts!!
•reviewers understand the high-risk/high-gain profile
•Not in MY Experience – Defence of approach essential !!
•should aim to broaden scientific and technological knowledge
•MUST ............
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Approach
1. Build your application – don’t write it.
a) Justifications
b) Arguments
c) Defences
2. Start with B2 – all else is directed at, supports and reinforces this
3. Include additional sections
a) Management
b) Risk
c) Impact & Benefit
d) Dissemination and Exploitation
4. Give a return on Investment
a) You and the importance of your career to the ERA
b) The impact of the science/subject in your research area to:i. Other scientists
ii. End users and Beneficiaries (Industry)
iii. Europe
5. Show how all this will be achieved with the team, partners, and network you
will establish.
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Support at
The
University
WRG Europe Ltd
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
Assistance and Support
¾
All necessary information in one single support pack
¾
Guidelines to Project Strategy and Proposal writing for each instrument
within each Call.
¾
Costing help and advice available – Consortium Building
¾
Specific (and confidential) advice available on application as it
progresses via:-
•
•
•
•
WRG Europe Ltd
Initial one to one surgery sessions
Email and telephone discussions – 24 Hour 7 day/week
Direct review, tuning advice and writing support during
preparation and prior to submission.
Help with editing and specific text’s where appropriate
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190
Support and Information
ERC Advanced Grants (Adv)
For Further information please contact
¾Dr. Martin Pickard
¾ Tel:
¾ E-mail
07779 475 190
grantcraft@aol.com
GrantCraft
Proposal Preparation,
Training & Management Support Services.
DR. MARTIN PICKARD
Whitton Cottage
Nicholashayne
Wellington
Somerset,TA21 9QY
United Kingdom
WRG Europe Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1884 841 682
e-mail: grantcraft@aol.com
Mobile: +44 (0) 7779 475 190
Dr. Martin Pickard – 07779 475 190