Tag Archives: ERC

Most read on Naturejobs: July 2015

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What makes a good scientist; Leaving academia; ERC funding and much more from Naturejobs this month.

naturejobs-readsThis month on the Naturejobs blog we’ve published 17 blog posts (18 if you include this one!). That’s a lot of words, and a lot of advice from your peers.

On the last Friday of every month we share the top picks, as chosen by you. Feast your eyes:

1. What is the biggest missing piece in how we educate scientists? Responses, from a range of thought leaders, ranged from the practical to the philosophical in STEM education: to build a scientist on Nature Careers.

2. Insider Knowledge, by Chris Woolston, offers insights into what others might have already learned in a career that you have chosen to follow. His advice: take the time to seek out what inside information you can get to help decide whether or not this career is the right fit for you. Continue reading →

ERC funding: Maximize your chances

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A brief insight into what the funding process is like for Starting and Consolidator grant applicants, once you click submit!

Naturejobs-podcastLast week I took the opportunity to go to Brussels to visit the ERC HQ. It’s a beautiful building in the centre of the city, and although surrounded by building works on the outside, it’s rather tranquil and green on the inside.

But, my job wasn’t to assess the interior design of ERC HQ. Instead, I was there to find out what happens to a starting or consolidator grant application once you hit submit.

In this podcast you will hear Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, the ERC president, on why he’s so keen to help early career researchers. I also speak to Alejandro (Alex) Martin, who heads up the call co-ordination team, which  organises the whole evaluation process from the arrival to the final evaluation that creates the ranking list. This list determines who gets what funding. He gives a sneak peak into how the panels evaluate candidates and what they are keen to assess.

I got to meet Iva Tolić and Veerle Huvenne, two really interesting and enthusiastic scientists who wanted to share their ERC grant application stories. Veerle is in the final year of her Starting Grant, and Iva has just received the 5000th Consolidator Grant from the ERC. 

This podcast also acts as a sneak preview for our first FREE Naturejobs webcast, scheduled to happen on September 30th 2015. We’ve got 4 great speakers lined up for you, ready to share their insights and experiences on how to put together your application in order for you to maximize your chances of getting funded. So, keep your eyes on the blog!