STSM
Short Term Scientific Missions
A new call for grant applications by RenewPV will be announced in December
Overview of previous 17 STSM grants awarded
STSM general information
- STSM consists of a visit to a host organization located in a different country than the country of affiliation by a researcher/innovator for specific work to be carried out and for a determined period.
The STSM can have a duration between 5 days and 90 days. Any action member can apply for an STSM; however Young Researchers and Innovators will be prioritized. The STSM can take place in any host institution within the COST countries, including NNC or ITC countries (see the list here) if the institution within that country is approved.
The financial support is a contribution to the overall expenses incurred during the STSM and may not necessarily cover all the associated costs. Participants are required to provide a report on the STSM to the Action after completing the mission.
The following funding conditions apply and must be respected:
- Only research proposals focusing on emerging chalcogenides for PV applications will be considered. Halide perovskite topics are not eligible for RenewPV grant funding.
- Travel expenses cannot exceed EUR 500.
- For accommodation and meal expenses, a maximum amount of EUR 160 per day can be considered.
- A grantee can be afforded up to EUR 4000, with the above limits in mind.
- STSM activities must occur in their entirety within the dates specified in the call.
- Financial support is limited to cover travel and subsistence expenses and is paid as a grant. No receipts are needed.
- As justifications for the mission accomplishment serve the STSM scientific report with the approval letter from the STSM host, as well as non-technical feedback of the visit for dissemination via LinkedIn page of the Action. The grant money is transferred to a grantee only after these three proves are received by the RenewPV Management Committee.
- In case of changes to the STSM, an application for the change must be submitted immediately.
The granted amount for each individual STSM will be determined during the evaluation process by the RenewPV core group. The selection of applicants is based on the scientific scope of the STSM application which must clearly complement the overall objectives of the action. For more details, see the below.
How to apply for RenewPV STSM
Interested researchers are advised to follow the directions provided below and submit their application and supporting documents via https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants when the call is announced.
The application process is as follows:
- All applicants must carefully read the funding rules detailed in Annex 2 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions(p. 96-102).
- All applicants must register for an e-COST profile at https://e-services.cost.eu/user/login.
- Prior to the online application, all the applicants must obtain an invitation letter from the host institution confirming that they can undertake the STSM on the given dates.
- All applicants must submit their STSM application form and the relevant supporting documents via https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants before the call deadline. Guidelines for online applications are available here.
The list of supporting documents to be submitted for the evaluation are:
- Application form (template available on e-COST) describing: Goals, description of the work to be carried out by the applicant, expected outcomes and description of the contribution to the RenewPV MoU objectives.
- Confirmation agreement from the host confirming the institution is prepared to receive the applicant for the agreed period, i.e., the invitation letter.
- Other documents required by the Action (e.g., recommendation letter, flight tickets and their payment confirmation)
The application will then be evaluated, and the applicant will be informed within 10 working days by the Grant Awarding Coordinator, Dr. N. Maticiuc and the RenewPV core group.
Within 14 days from the end date of the STSM, the grantee must submit a scientific report on the e-COST platform as well as send a non-technical summary of the visit for dissemination on the RenewPV media platforms.
The summary can be written or audio-visual. The applicant is also responsible for acquiring an official letter / email from a senior researcher affiliated to the host institution formally accepting the scientific report. Failure to submit the report within 14 days from the end date of the STSM will cancel the grant. Once the report is approved by the RenewPV Management Committee, the grant can be paid.
After completing the STSM, grantees will be asked to present the outcome of their STSM at the nearest RenewPV working group meeting or workshop.
Submission for ITC Conference and Dissemination Conference follows the same procedure. Please check the same rules and guidelines and submit your application on https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants.
Please note that COST can request additional information to substantiate the information contained within the documents submitted by Grant applicants.
For additional support and help, please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator at natalia.maticiuc@helmholtz-berlin.de (with “CA21148” text in the subject line).