COST FP1005 ''Fibre Suspension Flow Modelling''

 

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)
STSM Coordinator: Dariusz Asendrych
E-mail: darek@imc.pcz.czest.pl

STSM are one of the most important tool to get the COST Action working.

STSMs are aimed at strengthening the existing research network by allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST Country to foster collaboration, to learn a new technique or to take measurements using instruments and/or methods not available in their own institution or laboratory. They should contribute to the scientific objectives of the Action and are particularly intended for young scientists.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Before applying for a STSM, please read carefully what follows.

Correspondence on matters concerning the STSM should be sent to the STSM coordinator: Dariusz Asendrych, E-mail: darek@imc.pcz.czest.pl

Every STSM must conform with the regulations stated in the

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COST Vademecum (Part B) - Grant System

which can be found at the link:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
http://www.cost.esf.org/participate/guidelines

The current version of this document is v05-25/05/2010 and STSMs are covered in Part 4. We will try to keep the links to the current version and to the relevant pages up to date but remember that the reference document is that on the COST web site. Before applying for the STSM the Applicant must carefully read Part 4 (see 1.). We will not answer questions which are clearly answered in that document. However, if the Applicant has really tricky questions, he/she should send an e-mail to the STSM coordinator.

Below is a summary of the most important conditions imposed on the STSM. Most come from `Part 4'. Some are the decisions of the Management Committee (MC) of the Action. The MC has much discretion in making the decision on allocating the STSM grants as long as they comply with the `Part 4' regulations. Below we summarise only the most typical STSM. If the applicant's case does not fit the rules below (eligibility, amount of grant, etc.), he/she should read the Vademecum and may find it covered there. In quotes are citations from the COST Vademecum.

1. Who can apply:
* You must be a doctoral student or an employed researcher.
* Typically the STSM is from one COST country that joined the FP1005 Action to another such country. However, if you are based in some other country there is still a chance you may be eligible. In such case read COST Vademecum (Part A) Section 10.3 and write to the STSM coordinator.

2. Host institution:
* Any institution in any of the COST countries that joined the FP1005 Action
* STSMs cannot take place within the same country

3. Application
* On-line registration form (Click HERE to apply)
Filling the form should be straightforward. If in doubt, please read Section 4.10.1-2 of Part 4. After filling the on-line form the Applicant must download the required PDF.
* The application form together with
 
 
* full CV (not required by COST but obligatory by decision of the Action),
 
 
* detailed work plan (Note: what the Applicant writes in the on-line registration
 
 
form is a "work plan summary". This detailed work plan is required as a
 
 
separate document. It should not be too long but written carefully, so it explains
 
 
the scientific goal AND the actions, i.e., what the Applicant is actually going to
 
 
do during the STSM),
 
 
* budget request,
 
 
* letter from the host institution (stating explicitly that the Applicant's visit is
 
 
accepted by the Host institution: The letter must have the Host institution
 
 
letter head and must be signed by a senior representative of the Host institution
 
 
who has the authority to sign such a letter),
should be sent to the COST Scientific Secretary and to the future host institution of the STSM. Please send the above materials in a single PDF document.
* Supplementary information may be enclosed with the application: "... the Applicant may regard as helpful in supporting the application at the evaluation process (such as CV, list of publications, motivation letter, letter of support from the home institute etc.)". In particular, if the Applicant is an Early-Stage Researcher (less 10 years after Ph.D.), it may be advisable to inform the STSM coordinator.
* Only complete applications will be accepted.

4. Duration:
* Minimum 1 week to maximum 3 months (6 months for early stage researchers)

5. Financial Support:
* Daily allowance: Typically the maximum amount granted is 90 Euro per night for missions up to 10 days and 60 Euro per night for missions of 14 days or longer. For missions 11-14 days long the total subsistence allowance is unlikely to exceed 840 Euro. In any case this amount can always be adjusted by the decision of the Action MC.
* Travel Grant: normally the travel grant will not exceed 300 EUR. The Action MC may agree to increase this amount for travel outside Europe, but remember that the grant is intended as `contribution' towards travel expenses and it may not cover them in full.
* Amount Granted: The total amount granted for one STSM (travel and daily allowance) will normally not exceed 2500 EUR (3500 EUR for early stage researchers). The STSM budget is usually quite tight, so the Action may give priority to those applying for smaller grants.
"In any case the costs associated with the STSM must not exceed the limits set in the rules for reimbursement by COST of expenses for experts eligible for reimbursement (see 2. - Travel and Subsistence)".
* Two important points:
 
 
i. The Applicant does not receive money in advance (exceptions are possible
 
 
but rare). The Applicant will be reimbursed once the STSM is completed and
 
 
the mandatory report they submit is approved by the Action MC.
 
 
ii. The Applicant does not need receipts for travel and subsistence expenses.
 
 
After the STSM the Applicant will receive the amount reported in the Grant
 
 
Letter. The final payment is made on the basis of three documents: Grant Letter
 
 
(received by the Applicant before the mission), Notice of Completion (received
 
 
by the Applicant from the STSM coordinator after the STSM) and Payment
 
 
Request Form (the Applicant is requested to fill in after the STSM). The details
 
 
of the STSM among those three documents must agree.

6. Deadlines:
You must submit your application well before the mission start day (MSD) to leave enough time for the decision process and e-paperwork. Below are the deadlines relative to MSD:

* 01 June 2012
 
 
For STSMs starting no earlier than 1 August 2012 (and finishing no later
 
 
than 1 November 2012 for STMSs of 3 months or less)

The Applicant may apply for the future STSM as early as they wish. However, the assessment procedure may not start until 2 months before the MSD. If the Applicant's original application is sent much earlier, a second e-mail to the STSM coordinator confirming the intention to go on the STSM is kindly requested.

7. Assessment:
* The STSM Assessment Panel is consituted of seven Core Group members, chaired by Dariusz Asendrych
* Assessment criteria:
 
 
quality of the proposal
 
 
career prospects and fit with career plan
 
 
age (preference to early stage researchers)
 
 
sex (preference to female researchers)
 
 
level of activity in COST (preference for researchers/groups with a record of
 
 
active participation in the activities of the Action)
 
 
cost (less expensive STSMs receive preference)

8. Before the STSM:
* The Applicant must not go on the mission until they have received the Grant Letter (an example of such Grant Letter is shown in Section 4.13 of Part 4). Before going on STSM the Applicant should sign one copy of the Grant Letter and return it to the indicated address
* The Applicant must remember that they will not receive any advance payment and that they will be reimbursed after the mission is completed and the report is approved by the Action MC.

9. After the STSM:
* Within 4 weeks of your mission end date the Applicant must complete the following procedure:
 
 
Write a short scientific report on the mission strictly adhering to the COST
 
 
guidelines given in Section 4.11.1 of Part 4. The scientific report should not be
 
 
an essay on your research field but should contain the following information:
 
 
* Applicant's name, name of Applicant's host and host institution
 
 
* purpose of the STSM and precise STSM dates
 
 
* description of the work carried out during the STSM
 
 
* description of the main results obtained
 
 
* future collaboration with host institution (if applicable)
 
 
* foreseen publications (if applicable)
 
 
* acknowledgments to the COST Action.
 
 
Send this report to the Host institution and obtain from the Host Institution a
 
 
Host Report. The Host Report can be in the form of a signed letter or an e-mail
 
 
to the STSM coordinator from the person who signed the original ``Letter from
 
 
Host''. The Host Report must clearly state:
 
 
* the exact dates of the Applicant's stay at the Host institution;
 
 
* whether the scientific goals of the Applicant's mission were achieved;
 
 
* whether the Host institution received the Applicant's "short scientific report"
 
 
and approved its content.
 
 
Send an e-mail to the STSM coordinator (Dariusz Asendrych) whith both
 
 
reports attached as PDF files.
* When the Applicant's report is approved by the STSM Assessment Panel, the Applicant will receive from the STSM coordinator a copy of the "Notice of Completion". The "Notice of completion" indicates the amount of money that the Applicant will receive. If the STSM is as long as planned the amount will be the same as was originally approved (stated in the Grant Letter). However, if the STSM is shorter than planned the amount disbursed will be reduced.


Conference Grants for Early Stage Researchers (CGESR)
CGESRs can only be applied for by Early Stage Researchers (maximum PhD + 8 years) who will present at the conference. This means that CGESR are not for conference attendance alone.

FPS DC12 decided that applications for the 2012 budget should be submitted by 1 March 2012 for conferences that will take place between 2 June and 31 December 2012.

The application process requires:
 
 
1. The applicant sends to the Action Chair an e-mail with attached:
 
 
a. Personal data and short scientific CV of applicant
 
 
b. Short description of involvement in the respective COST Action (300 words)
 
 
c. Relevant data on Conference to which the applicant wants to participate
 
 
d. Copy of Abstract submitted to the Conference
 
 
e. Proof of acceptance of Abstract by the Conference
2. The Action Chair forwards this email to fps(at)cost.eu along with a statement of support
3. The applications are assessed by the Core Group of the FPS Domain Committee
4. The COST Office informs applicants of the outcome of the DC's assessment process and negotiates the Grant Letter and Payment Request Form with the successful applicant.

Further details regarding the CGESR instrument can be found under Section 11 (page 64) of the COST Vademecum PAYG version http://www.cost.esf.org/module/download/8320.