Andrea Degen Iseli, eurelations AG, Switzerland

Taija Koskenkorva-Frank, eurelations AG, Switzerland

To train involved PhD-students/future post-Docs to write grant/fellowship applications to proceed in their scientific careers and get informed and updated about most common research funding organisations (national & international, public & private)

Content:

• 1st focus on funding opportunities for post-Docs to plan their further career
• Know more about the mission of the funding organisations and align application
• Plan and structure application
• Learn about the basics of grant writing (not identical to scientific writing)
• Write grant application according to the mission of the funding institutions
• Learn about basics of IPR (intellectual property rights) and international scientific networking.

The following funding organisations will be presented (with special focus on the organisations in bold letters):

• Swiss National Science Foundation (e.g. Grants for prospective researchers and AMBIZIONE)
• Industry (private sector resources from bis industry and SMEs e.g. Syngenta, VitaPlant...)
• Foundations (e.g. Gebert R¨¹f, Anna Zemp, BioVision, Beatrice Zeihmer etc.)
• Federal Offices Funds for R&D (Federal research in the agricultural sector)
• Innovation Promotion Agency CTI
• EUREKA
• Intelligent Manufacturing System IMS
• COST (e.g. plant proteomics in Europe EUPP, Cryopreservation of crop species in Europe)
• EU 7. Framework Programme (Marie Curie Actions)
• European Research Council ERC
• European Science Foundation ESF
• Human Frontier Science Program HFSP
• European Space Agency ESA
• European Molecular Biology Organization EMBO
• INTERREG
• National Institutes of Health NIH

Methods:

• theoretical introduction and practical exercises in groups
• students are expected to deliver a grant proposal's draft (workload: 4 full working days)
• database research on the internet
  

Dates:  Tuesdays 30 September and 11 November 2008

Schedule: 8.55 - 17.00

Location: Université de Neuchâtel, Faculté des sciences, UniMail, building C (Animalerie), room 001

Credit points: 2.0 credit points (Communication)

Evaluation: Active participation including personal work

Information: Please contact the  NCCR education officer Dr. Christiane Bobillier or Dr. Andrea Degen Iseli

Travel expenses: NCCR Ph.D. participants are eligible for reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train (half-fare card, and 2nd class). Please send the original tickets (no copies, except for the general abonnement) at the end of the term with this form (17 ko, pdf document) to Dr. Christiane Bobillier.  No reimbursement for bus, taxi or car travel expenses will be paid.

This course is opened to all Ph.D. students. However, priority is given to doctoral programme "Plants and their Environment" participants. Postdocs are welcome depending on availability.

Minimum number of participants: 12, maximum: 16.

This course is free, but the effective cost is approx. CHF 300.00 per person. Therefore a waiting list will be prepared to ensure that there are no empty seats.

Registration through the web only: closed

Deadline: 20 September 2008