Contents
STSM
Purpose of a STSM
Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are exchange visits to support individual mobility, strengthen existing networks, and foster collaboration between COST countries. A STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the CIG ECO-AERoGELS, whilst simultaneously allowing those partaking in the missions to learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions. STSM is a concept of particular interest to young scientists (PhD students and Post-docs).
An STSM Grant is a financial contribution that takes into consideration the budget request of the applicant, the available budget, and the outcome of the evaluation of the STSM application. Please note that STSM Grants do not necessarily cover all expenses related to undertaking a given mission. The maximum limit of financial support for each STSM is EUR 4000.
Eligibility criteria
Young scientists (up to 40 years old) and projects directly related to the implementation of CIG ECO-AERoGELS (seen in the 2023/2024 work plan) (more info HERE add link) will be considered for funding. Applicants must be affiliated to a legal entity in a COST Full/Cooperating Country or EU RTD or NNC country. The host institution must be a COST Full/Cooperating country intrinsically involved in the CIG.
For the general criteria refer to the COST AERoGELS page https://cost-aerogels.eu/activities/short-term-scientific-missions/
Regarding the period of STSM and deadlines refer to the following table:
| Applications deadline | Notification of results |
| xxx | xxx |
Application procedure
Firstly, the applicants must fill out this Submission Form, uploading their CV and STSM proposal. The CV template that should be followed can be downloaded from the site of the Action (add link)
Secondly, the applicant must obtain a written agreement from the Home and Host institutionsstating that the applicant may perform the activities detailed in the STSM work plan on the agreed dates. Templates for these declarations can be found at https://cost-aerogels.eu/activities/short-term-scientific-missions/templates.
STSM applicants must also be registered at 2 websites: the Action website: https://cost-aerogels.eu/join-us/; and the Action form in COST website: add link of COST
Finally, the application (composed of 4 documents) must be submitted here: https://e services.cost.eu/stsm
For guidelines on submitting on the eCOST portal, please consult the PDF guide available at https://www.cost.eu/funding/how-to-get-funding/documents-and-guidelines/
Application assessment
The STSM Committee will assess the applications considering the ECO-AERoGELS Action scope, the linking of the work plan with several Working Groups’ objectives, the potential enhancement of the research interaction between the involved parties, the possible participation of industrial members, the gender balance and the geographical inclusiveness.
After the STSM
The STSM Grantee has 30 calendar days from the end date of the mission to submit a scientific report to the STSM Coordinator, along with a proof of evidence of the stay (i.e. some pictures of the trainee working at the host institution facilities). Moreover, a written confirmation by a senior researcher affiliated with the Host Institution regarding the successful achievement of the objectives of the STSM and approval of the scientific report is also necessary. A template for this document can be found at https://cost-aerogels.eu/activities/short-term-scientific-missions/templates
The template of the scientific report can be downloaded at http://www.cost.eu/STSM_report_template
Failure to submit the scientific report, the proof of evidence of the stay, and the Host Approval of the scientific report within 30 days will effectively cancel the grant. The payment of the Grant is subjected to the approval of the STSM scientific report by the STSM Committee.
Dissemination Conference Grant
Purpose of a Dissemination Conference Grant
Dissemination Conference consists in an oral presentation by an Action Participant of the work of the Action in high-level conferences fully organized by a third party, i.e. not organized nor co-organized by the COST Action. This tool aims at increasing visibility of the Action and of the presenter in the research community, attracting additional participants and disseminating Action results.
A Dissemination Conference Grant is a financial contribution that takes into consideration the duration and location of the conference and the actual conference fee. Please note that Dissemination Conference Grants do not necessarily cover all expenses related to participating to a given conference. The maximum limit of financial support for each Dissemination Conference Grant is EUR 2000 for face-to-face conferences and EUR 500 for virtual conferences.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must be Action Participant and must be affiliated to a legal entity in a COST Full/Cooperating Country.
Application procedure
Firstly, the applicants must fill out a Submission Form (http://www.cost.eu/DisseminationConference_GrantApplication) and upload their CV on the e-cost profile. The CV template that should be followed can be downloaded from the site of the Action (add link). Secondly, the applicants must obtain an Acceptance (or invitation) letter from the conference organisers.
Applicants must also be registered at 2 websites: the Action website: https://cost-aerogels.eu/join-us/; and the Action form in COST website: add link of COST
Finally, the application form, a copy of the abstract of the accepted oral presentation and the acceptance letter from the organisers must be submitted here: https://e-services.cost.eu/stsm
For guidelines on submitting on the eCOST portal, please consult the PDF guide available at https://www.cost.eu/funding/how-to-get-funding/documents-and-guidelines/
After the Dissemination Conference Grant
The Grantee has 30 calendar days from the end date of the conference to submit to the Action MC:
a report on the outcome of the presentation, contacts made and potential for future collaborations; (ii) the certificate of attendance; (iii) the program of the conference or book of abstracts / proceedings indicating the oral presentation of the grantee; (iv) a copy of the given presentation
The template of the report can be downloaded at: http://www.cost.eu/DisseminationConference_Report
Failure to submit the requested documents within 30 days will effectively cancel the grant. The payment of the Grant is subjected to the approval of the report by the Action MC.
Other grants: Elevator Pitch Session Grant
Purpose of the Elevator Pitch Session
The primary purpose of the Elevator pitch session is to elevate concise and compelling presentations
(under 5 minutes) of innovations regarding aerogel-based materials under the scope of ECO-
AERoGELS.
Eligibility criteria
Only members from the consortium and their collaborators (i.e. their laboratory members) are eligible
to participate in the call for Financial Support associated with this event to mature the idea and
ultimately elaborate a business plan. In addition, only Applicants whose innovation is in alignment
with ECO-AERoGELS objectives and has a Technological Readiness Level of at least 3 will be
considered.
Funding
The number of attributed grants for Financial support will be defined during the elevator pitch
session, according to the relevance of the proposed work plans to contribute to the accomplishment of
technological and balance indicator outputs of the ECO-AERoGELS.
Please note that Financial Support Grants do not necessarily cover all expenses related to undertaking
a given mission, being only a contribution to the overall travel, accommodation, and meal expenses of
the Grantee.
Section A2-3 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions defines a maximum limit of EUR 4000 of
financial support for each mission grant, which should not be disregarded in any circumstance.
Application Procedure
The application procedure is legally bound to the Annotated Rules for COST Actions.
Eligible applicants must submit their applications online at the following web address: https://e-
services.cost.eu
The templates of the application and of the CV can be found here (abstract template, cv template)
Selection Committee
A scientific committee – composed of the Action Chair, Action Vice-Chair, the Grant Awarding
Coordinator, and three industrial partners – will evaluate all the proposals, invite to the elevator pitch
session the applications selected in the first round, and eventually define a seriation for the attribution
of the grants after the said event.
In case of conflict of interest, the member who is constrained in his/her duties will not evaluate this
candidacy.
Applications assessment and communication of results
The Selection Committee will perform the innovation assessment of the applications considering the
ECO-AERoGELS scope, as well as the link to the work plan with several Working Groups’
objectives. The assessment will be carried out in two stages: a first stage resulting in a pool of candidates who will participate in the elevator pitch session, and a second stage where the grants will
be attributed after the presentations and discussions in the said session.
Once approved by the Grant Awarding Coordinator and/or the Action Vice-Chair, Grant Awarding
Coordinator will inform the Grant Holder of the approved Grants, who will inform each approved
applicant by sending a Grant Letter generated from e-COST.
Reporting and Payment
The Grantee has until one month after the end of the grant and never later than 30 th September 2024 to
Claim Expenses through eCOST (https://e-services.cost.eu/user/login). Submissions after the
established date will effectively cancel the grant payment.
