Exchange Grants 2008 - Call for Applications
The ESF Scientific Programme "Volatile Organic Compounds in the Biosphere-Atmosphere System (VOCBAS)" will implement, support and coordinate a series of research activities involving atmospheric chemists, plant biologists, pathologists, entomologists, agronomists and foresters, to determine how biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions affect the relationship between the biosphere and the atmosphere. VOCBAS will bring together this outstanding scientific community who carries out internationally recognised research into the production and emissions of VOCs by plants in the context of global change and ecosystems from a wide range of disciplines. It will span plant processes, genetics, and ecosystem functioning, environmental controls on VOC emission fluxes, flux measurements and modelling on the leaf, canopy, ecosystem and regional scales, and the emission of these compounds in the atmosphere.
VOCBAS is offering funding for a number of Exchange Grants to take place in 2007 and early 2008 (from 15 days to 6 months) related to the scientific objectives of the Programme:
- VOCs and the chemical and physical properties of the atmosphere
- VOCs in biotic interactions
- VOCs in the plant-environment interaction
- VOC biosynthesis
- VOC modelling
Eligibility
a) Undertake work applicable to VOCBAS
b) Apply to stay in a European country other than the country of origin
c) Return to the institute of origin upon termination, so that the applicants institute may also benefit from the broadened knowledge of the scientist
d) Acknowledge ESF in publications resulting from the grantees work in relation to the Exchange Grant
Priority will be given to applicants who come from and intend to visit countries that financially support the programme (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and the United Kingdom).
Proposals of collaborative projects aiming to finalize results and/or conclude experiments carried out with previous VOCBAS support may be considered, provided the request for additional support by the programme is duly justified.
Application Procedure
Applications should be submitted online : Application Form.
Exchange Grant
Applications should include the following information:
- A short presentation of the proposed project work (around 1000 words) describing the working plan and the aim of the visit
- A curriculum vitae of two A4 pages
- Five most recent publications
- A letter of recommendation from someone familiar with the applicants work
- A letter of acceptance from the host from the receiving institute approving the scientific objectives and the working plan of the visit at the receiving institute
- Full address details of the prospective host(s)
- Proposed starting date
- Estimated travel costs
Further information on payment procedures, reporting, ESF financial rules for the reimbursement of travel costs etc. can be found in the Guidelines for Grants (PDF 35.3 KB)
Reporting
The VOCBAS Steering Committee expects successful applicants to prepare their scientific reports carefully. The reports must incorporate detailed information about the exchange grant, including:
- an introduction aimed at summarizing current knowledge in the field and scientific goals of the visit
- a survey of the methods learnt/mastered/used during the visit
- a compilation of the results obtained during the visit, together with a thorough discussion of the scientific achievements and plans for their exploitation.
The VOCBAS Steering Committee may reject incomplete reports or provisionally accept them pending further documentation. The final payment of the grant will not be made to the grantees until the report has been approved by the Steering Committee.
The reports must contain a statement with which the grantees commit themselves to acknowledging the contribution of VOCBAS in all publications arising from the visit and to timely inform VOCBAS about the publication of the results, by sending a list of the contributions and copies of all materials (e.g. proceedings, peer reviewed publications, books) in which VOCBAS support has been acknowledged.
Allowance
Exchange Grants are reimbursed on the basis of an allowance of 400 EUR per week plus actual travel expenses up to a maximum of 500 EUR. The grants do not cover health insurance, taxes, or retirement scheme contributions.
Submission of Applications
All applications should be submitted online.
For further information contact:
- EllenDegott-RekowskiE-Mail
- Senior Administrator
BP 90015
1 quai Lezay Marnésia
67080 Strasbourg Cedex
France
Phone: +33 3 88 76 71 06
Fax: +33 3 88 37 05 32
