Applying for an ERC Starting Grant

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Applying for an ERC Starting Grant Stories from
the shop floor Ann Heylighen, K.U.Leuven, Fac.
of Engineering, Dept. Architecture, Urbanism
Planning
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intro
to conclude
application
interview
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intro

• my experience, may differ from other grant
  holders
• research domain design (architecture)
• project Architectural design In Dialogue with
  dis-Ability (AIDA)
• idea trigger innovation in architecture by
  calling in expertise of persons with disability
• budget mainly personnel (1 post-doc, 2 PhD
  researchers architect anthropologist, experts
  with disability)

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intro

• encouraged by Research Coordination Office
• architecture/design not covered by any ERC panel
  
• ? application assessed by sociology panel
• hint do apply!
• dont think too quickly its nothing for
  you
• (even when your domain is not covered by
  ERC panels)

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application

• stage 1 concise, assessed by panel
  (generalists)
• stage 2 more elaborate, assessed by panel
  reviewers (specialists)
• CV research proposal host institution

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application

• CV 50
• only highlight key elements (what distinguishes
  you from other applicants?)
• self-evaluation difficult

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• research proposal 50
• Wow!-effect creativity, thinking
  out-of-the-box
• simple clear also understandable by
  non-specialists
• interdisciplinarity bonus
• host institution pass/fail

application
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application

• hint ask feedback
• specialists non-specialists
• EU-loket/EU liaison officer
• national contact point (Anne!)
• but stay true to your idea

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interview

• panel of ca. 12 sociologists (generalists)
• 2 seemed to have read application in detail, all
  asked questions
• all questions about research proposal (others
  also had questions about career budget, )

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interview

• went very smoothly in my case
• (but was extremely tough for others)
• hint
• do test interview, but put it into perspective
• be enthusiastic about your proposal

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to conclude

• low success rate
• but
• relatively little effort (compared to other
  types of applications)
• extremely rewarding if you succeed
• ? definitely worth a try

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good luck!