What are STSMs ?
The COST Action FA1405 “Using three-way interactions between plants, microbes and arthropods to enhance crop protection and production” is a networking instrument that will coordinate basic and strategic research, to agri-R&D companies and end users interested in Crop-Arthropod-Microorganism (CAMo) interactions. This Action will be funded by the European Union from 2014 to 2019. Within this Action, the Short-term scientific missions (STSM) are exchange visits between researchers involved in the COST Action, allowing scientists to visit an institution or laboratory in another COST country. They are aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing new techniques and infrastructure that may not be available in other participants’ institutions or laboratories. These STSMs are under the umbrella of the COST Action FA1405, and therefore research involving plants, arthropods and microorganisms is crucial.
This Action has three working groups, and the STSMs will try to balance the number of exchange visits in each of them. These working groups are, the Impacts group which aims at understanding the magnitude and variability of CAMo interactions, and their effect on crop yields; the Mechanisms working group studies the molecular and signalling pathways that mediate CAMo interactions, how they are modulated by abiotic factors, and their effect on crop yield; in the Utilisation working group, Integrated Pest Managers and statistical modellers will work together with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to predict the outcome of CAMo interactions, and to determine the viability and cost of the proposed solutions in the market.
Who can apply and what can you apply for ?
STSMs are open for PhDs, PostDocs, and researchers employed at institutes in participating COST countries or approved institutions. STSMs are intended especially for young researchers doing their PhD or with less than four years of post-doctoral experience, working on interactions among plants, arthropods and microorganisms. As a rule, the duration of STSMs is 5-90 days and the grant will cover part of the travel expenses and a modest living allowance up to a maximum of 2000 euro. For detailed rules regarding eligibility and financial support, please see pp. 29-30 of the COST Vademecum
(http://www.cost.eu/participate righthand side “Vademecum”).
When can you apply ?
In our first annual grant period, there will be three calls. At each call, it is expected that two STSMs can be awarded. Each STSM has to end before May 31, 2016.
Call dates for the first grant period are:
August 1, 2015 (closed)
October 15, 2015 (open)
January 15, 2016
How can you apply ?
You can apply online: https://e-services.cost.eu/w3/index.php?id=91
STSM committee:
Coordinator: Enric Frago (enric.frago[at]gmail.com)
Members: Thure Hauser (tpha[at]plen.ku.dk); Kalliope Papadopoulou (kalpapad[at]bio.uth.gr)