Joint project call in the field of material science and engineering (Academy of Finland, Tekes and National Science Foundation)
Aim
The call in the field of material science between the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and European public research funding agencies is part of the NSF's Materials World Network (MWN) programme. The aim of this annual call is to promote international cooperation between US and European research teams in the field of material science. The aim is to establish joint projects of two teams where one team is from Finland and the other from the US. The Finnish teams apply for funding from the Academy or Tekes (depending on the nature of the application) and the US teams from the NSF, for a joint research theme. The research plans need not be identical but the work contribution of both teams shall be described in the research plan.
In 2011, the Academy of Finland is prepared to fund joint projects in material science and engineering with the NSF. The Academy's allocation for this purpose is a maximum of EUR 500,000.
Applicant
The project leader (the principal investigator of the research project) must have the qualifications of a professor or an adjunct professor.
Funding
Project funding is granted towards the direct costs of a research project to cover expenses arising from, for example, the research team's working hours, research costs, travel, domestic and international cooperation and mobility, work and researcher training abroad, and the preparation of international projects.
In accordance with its strategic objectives, the Academy encourages researchers to international mobility that will support their research, for example, so that a researcher hired for a project works abroad for a fixed period. A project may also hire a foreign researcher who already works in Finland or who will come to work within the Finnish scientific community. The Academy encourages researchers to draft ambitious research plans that cross discipline boundaries and aim at scientific breakthroughs.
Funding period
The funding is normally granted for four years. The funding period starts on 1 September 2011.
Special conditions and restrictions
If the principal investigator of a research project does not have an employment relationship with, for example, a university or research institute, he or she shall explain in the application how his or her salary will be covered during the project's funding period. It is the applicant's responsibility to give an account of these details at the application stage.
Appendices
Obligatory appendices:
- research plan, no more than twelve pages
- curriculum vitae for the applicant, no more than four pages, including start and end dates of employment relationships, as well as the Finnish- or Swedish-language titles of employment relationships in Finland
- list of publications of the applicant. Clearly indicate the ten most important publications in terms of the research plan.
Case-specific appendices:
- invitation from foreign university or research institute, if the research or part of it will be conducted abroad
- statement by an ethics committee or the Committee on Animal Experimentation (if relevant). The ethical aspects shall always be specified in the research plan.
- statement by the executive director of a Strategic Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation, if relevant, confirming that the applicant‟s project is affiliated with the Strategic Centre and justifying the significance of the project for the Strategic Centre's operations
- progress report on all Academy-funded research projects headed by the applicant that have not submitted final reports.
Only the requested appendices are appended to the application. The appendices shall be drafted in accordance with the Academy's guidelines, see www.aka.fi/eng > For researchers > How to apply > Appendices. The appendices are drafted in the same language as the application and appended to the application form in the online services under section "Appendices". The only exception is the curriculum vitae that is appended to the application form under section "Personal data/CV".
How to apply
The full cost model applies to the calculation of the costs of a research project. Applications shall be written so as to ensure that the Academy's contribution to funding comes to no more than 80% of the estimated total costs of the project. See guidelines on how to enter the costs in the application form on the Academy's website at www.aka.fi/eng > For researchers > How to apply > Full cost model.
The application deadline for Academy funding is 29 October 2010 at 16.15. The deadline is non-negotiable. Please note that the deadline for applications to be submitted to the NSF and Tekes is in November 2010. Applications are drafted at www.aka.fi/eng > For researchers > Log in to online services. Log in and select New application > Joint project call: Material science and engineering (Academy of Finland and NSF).
Further information
Content updated according to October call 2010