To apply for funding

To apply for funding SOPHIE HYDEN PICASSO, KARIN LANGBORGER AND TINA TROLLÅS, RESEARCH SERVICES

Structure of the Presentation

• Research Services• Funders and calls for application• The application• The evaluation• Research Professional and the Research Timesaver

Research Services

Organisation of central administration at Lund University

Research Services

Research Services – ForskningsserviceEU Framework Programmes and US federal funding bodies:Anneli WiklanderKarin LangborgerRagna EhrenstråhleKjell JosefssonSophie Hydén PicassoTeresia RindefjällSwedish funding bodies:Birgitta LarssonTina TrollåsMagnus Edblad

Research communication:Lisa ThelinBodil MalmströmElisabet JonssonResearch studies, LERU network:Cecilia GagnéUniversity-wide research database project:Karolina WidellHead of unit:Klas Malmqvist

Research Services areas of activityResearch funding: help to increase the University’s revenue for research and promote the University’s interests in these contexts

Research strategic decisions: Secretary and rapporteur in the university-wide Research Board. Close collaboration with LU leadership

Research communication: support and encourage the development of LU’s research communication; organise events such as Innovation in Mind

Support for research studies: support for quality enhancement of education of PhD students, business intelligence, etc.

Research database: procurement and implementation of a university-wide research database

Management support: compile factual information, draft consultation responses, participate in benchmarking, process research-related matters

Research Services target groups

Research funding: researchers, administrators, all levels of management

Research communication: researchers, research communication officers, the public, partners

Support for research studies: Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Education Board Committee for Third-Cycle Education, PhD students

Research database: researchers, all levels of management, the public, partners

Management support: management at all levels of the University

Support for applications to Swedish funding agenciesWhat applications?• University-wide applications• Wallenberg Foundations• Vice-Chancellor as principal applicant or signatory of the

letter of support

What help is provided?• Information on announcements• Seminars and workshops• Time plan and facilitation• Formalities• Budget• Comments on project description• Vice-Chancellor’s endorsement

The Wallenberg Foundations

For more information – visit:http://www.wallenberg.com/

Swedish Research Council (VR)

• When Vice Chancellor’s signature is required:• Research Schools• Cooperation with China• Infrastructure

– Equipment of national interest– Large data bases– Management of infrastructure

• Support from application to project completion• Dissemination of information on current calls• Courses, seminars (researchers and administrators)• Help with formalities• Budget calculations • Assistance with parts of application (e.g. management, impact)• Help with contract negotiations and contract signing• Training in project management (for administrators)• Support funding when LU researchers coordinate

collaborative projects:- Planning grants (SEK 50 000)- Coordination grants (SEK 100 000 / SEK 200

000)• Mediate contact with other units as necessary, e.g.

contract lawyers and innovation system

Support for applications to EU and international funding bodies

The European Framework Programme

CooperationCollaborative research

32,4 B €

PeopleResearcher Mobility

4,7 B €

Ideas - ERCIndividual Research Grants

7,5 B €

CapacitiesSupport to research

4,2 B €

Horizon 2020 Next framework programme (2014-2020)

Three priorities:1. Excellent Science (31% of budget)

2. Industrial Leadership (22,7%)

3. Societal Challenges (40%)

&European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Joint Research Centres, Euroatom

Bild 14http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm

All projects financed by MC grants must advertise their positions at this website.

This website is useful if you wish to find a position with close cooperation with industry.

Each EU member state has its national-specific information in the Euraxess portal, which is very useful if you wish to apply for a position in a certain country.

Information

• Newsletter. Sign up by emailing [email protected]

• Sendlists for different thematic areas. Sign up by emailing us at Research Services

• Information meetings tailored to research groups/departments needs.

• Research Services answers questions from all researchers and administrators at Lund University.

Tools administered by Research Services• Newsletter Forskningsnytt – Research Funding News • reSearch for the Future• Research Timesaver (Forskningsguiden): a database with

administrative information on LU, internal rules for certain funding agencies, templates eg communication plans, instructions on how to handle ethical issues etc

• Research Professional: funding opportunities. Possibility to personalise account with funding notices by email.

• www.researchprofessional.com

Funders and calls for applications

Improve your chances of getting funding – strategies

• Join networks – local, national, international• Identify funding opportunities• Match the research to the call for applications• Look at previous successful applications• Writing a good application requires practice – start

learning already as a doctoral student

Identifying a funder – find a call for applications

• Ask your colleagues• Contact Research Services for calls within the EU

framework programme and the Wallenberg Foundations• Research Professional• Acknowledgements in articles

Matching the research to the call for application

• Make sure that the project is what the funder wants to fund

• Find out what the funder values highly– Basic research?– Applied research?– Boundary-crossing research? – Benefits to society?– Cooperation partners?– Dissemination of results?– Innovation?

The application

Writing applications for funding

• Different from writing an article• Part of academic life • Plan ahead • Your funding ID is part of your track record• Prepare to fail

Process the idea and the application

• Start in good time!• Ask colleagues/mentors for reactions to the idea at an

early stage• Allow others to read the application and give feedback in

the course of writing• Ask someone with experience of evaluating applications

to read and comment on your application• Read, analyse and follow the instructions in detail, e.g. in

the outline• Be concrete. Show that the project is feasible

What should an application contain?

• Can differ between funding agencies, but in general:

• Research questions and objectives• Review of previous research• Theory and methodology• Expected results

• Budget and CVs

Preparing an application - practicalities• Start in good time!• Preliminary data?• Permission?• Forms?• Language?• Electronic submission – what file size is allowed? Format?• Who should sign?• Doublecheck the deadline• Submit two days before deadline to avoid problems with

web portals• Get help from the Research Timesaver

A unique application

• Check that no similar projects have been carried out previously

• Link to previous related studies if there are any• Find your niche! Position in relation to other studies –

what is unique about this project?

Basics of a good application

• Follow the instructions in detail!• Use the headings indicated in the call• Structure the application in a comprehensible manner• Use simple and clear language• Emphasise key sentences in the text (italics, bold)• Let each paragraph have a clear message. One thought –

one paragraph• Don’t bore evaluators with too much background

information – capture their interest from the very first paragraph on the first page!

Bad startB1.1Concept and objectivesCurrently, concrete is the most frequently used (approx. 6 billion m3 annually)material out of all those created by man, and second only to water in the entiregroup of materials. Even if concrete is not considered the most important material,it consumes 20 billion tonnes of aggregate and, irretrievably, 800 m3 of water(approx. 5% of total water consumption), as well as 500 billion MJ of energy. At thesame time, the cement industry generates 5-7% of global CO2 emissions. Futuredevelopment of the industry, which consumes so much energy and materials,cannot remain unimportant for any society. Simultaneously, concrete constitutes aresponse to the basic needs of society and and concrete structures have become apermanent element of the landscape.(…) The aim of the project is to improve the performance as well as in-service life ofmaterials and structures in extreme conditions.

Good startB2.1. Concept and objectivesB2.1.1 IntroductionThis 48-month project will be focused on materials research, the development ofnew piezoelectric materials, and electrode materials to be used for manufacturingactuators tailored for high reliability under extreme conditions and environments:humidity and high stress.

Piezoelectric actuators are used in an increasing number of applications due to theirunlimited resolution, compactness, high efficiency, fast response time and high forcecapability compared to electro-magnetic actuators. A very successful application isthe replacement of magnetic actuators for diesel fuel injection. For this application,piezoelectric actuators offer a 10 times shorter response time and much bettercombustion control, saving of fuel, reduction of emissions and more power. In thefuture it is anticipated that piezoelectric actuators will as well be applied for gasolineengines for for all automotive engines, provided that reliability and cost requirementscan be satisfied.

Good start

STATE OF THE ART AND OBJECTIVES:Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Europe. By taking advantage of great experience in genetic and cardiovascular epidemiology (Figure 1) (1-7), some of the largest cohorts in the world with linked DNA and plasma biobanks (Table 1) and long clinical experience of CVD and metabolic medicine, the applicant and his team aim to reduce CVD incidence in the population by (1) improving CVD risk prediction and (2) identifying mechanisms causally related to CVD development in order to provide novel targets for drug discovery and targeted life style interventions for use in primary prevention.

FIGURE 1

Project budgeting

• What are the conditions for the application?• The work and efforts described in the application has to

be reflected in the budget• Try to use actual cost estimations• Involve your department’s financial administrator• Some budget templates are available at Research

Services upon request• Cost estimates (fullkostnadskalkyl) must be done for all

grant applications at LU• The head of department must approve of the budget

before the application is submitted

The Evaluation

Evaluation – for whom are you writing?

• To write a good application, you need to understand the evaluation procedure

In general:• First check that the application meets the formal

requirements, e.g. number of pages• The evaluator reads and grades, i.e. he/she is the key

person!• The evaluator reports to a board/committee which

decides which projects are to be funded

The evaluator

• An active researcher• Often an expert in the field, but not always• Reads and evaluates at the same time as he/she is

conducting his/her own research

Satisfying the evaluator

• Understand the evaluator’s situation

• Make his/her work as simple and enjoyable as possible

• Find out how the evaluator reads your application – what instructions has he/she received?

Evaluation criteriaThe Swedish Research Council

Graded on a scale from 1-7:

• Novelty and originality• Scientific quality of the proposed research• Merits of applicant(s)• Feasibility (graded 1-3)

Evaluation criteria – Project ERC Starting grant – FP7

Research Project1.0 (Non-competitive)   1.5   2.0 (Very Good)   2.5   3.0 (Excellent)   3.5   4.0 (Outstanding)

Ground-breaking nature and potential impact of the research project- To what extent does the proposed research address important challenges?- To what extent are the objectives ambitious and beyond the state of the art (e.g. novel concepts and approaches or development across disciplines)?- How much is the proposed research high risk/high gain?

Scientific approach- To what extent is the outlined scientific approach feasible?- To what extent is the proposed research methodology appropriate to achieve the goals of the project? - To what extent does the proposal involve the development of novel methodology? - To what extent are the proposed timescales and resources necessary and properly justified (based on scientific proposal)?

Evaluation criteria – CV ERC Starting grant – FP7

Principal Investigator1.0 (Non-competitive)   1.5   2.0 (Very Good)   2.5   3.0 (Excellent)   3.5   4.0 (Outstanding)

- The PI has demonstrated the ability to propose and conduct ground-breaking research and his/her achievements have typically gone beyond the state-of-the-art

- The PI provides abundant evidence of creative independent thinking- The ERC grant will contribute significantly to the establishment and/or further

consolidation of the PI’s independence- The PI is strongly committed to the project and demonstrates the willingness to

devote a significant amount of time to the project (min 50% of the total working time) based on scientific proposal

Questions?

The Research Timesaver and Research Professional

• www.lu.se

Thank you!