Opening of the 4th Call for Short-Term Scientific Missions

We are pleased to inform you about the opening of the 4^th Call for the Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) funded by the COST action European Network for Innovative and Advanced Epitaxy (CA20116 – OPERA). 

This 4^th call will fund STSMs taking place from 15 January to 15 April 2023. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 30 November and the decision will be communicated to the applicants on 21 December by e-mail.

Detailed information about the STSM program can be found in the document OPERA-CA20116_STM Rules_4th_Call. We kindly recommend all applicants to carefully read this document, which explains the STSM objectives, who is eligible, the organizational and financial aspects, and the evaluation procedure as this is a competitive call.

How to apply

The applications must be exclusively submitted through the e-cost platform. Besides filling the information requested online, you will have to submit (upload) the 5 mandatory documents described in the “OPERA-CA20116_STSM Rules_4th_Call” document. These 5 documents are:

1. STSM application form. You must use the downloadable template available at the e-cost platform. For your convenience, it is also available here (“STSM-application”).

2. Confirmation letter of the host on the agreement from the host institution in receiving the applicant. This letter, issued by the host institution, should confirm the acceptance of the applicant by the host institution to carry out the proposed STSM. The letter must also indicate who the senior researcher in charge of the applicant at the host institution will be. Such a senior researcher will be appointed as tutor of the applicant for reporting purposes. This letter can also indicate the mutual benefit of the STSM from the point of view of the host institution. We encourage applicants to use this template “Host institution welcome letter”.

3. A letter of support from the home Institution. This letter can also explain the mutual benefit of the STSM from the point of view of the home institution. There is no template for this document. 

4. A full C.V. limited to 2 pages using the Europass template including: date of birth; current position: e.g. PhD student, Post Doc (specify date of PhD award), Assistant Professor, Employee, Research fellow…, the number of years since obtaining PhD Degree, where applicable, a list of academic publications. (CV Europass template)

5. Extended STSM application form. This document is similar to the STSM application form described above but contains further information necessary for the reviewing process. Besides providing here detailed budget and travel plans, you are also asked to provide an extended scientific workplan (max 2 pages, including motivation) to properly describe the state of the art, the methods and the objectives. The workplan should highlight the expected added value (including training benefits and know-how transfer) of the STSM for you as well as for the host and home institutions. The STSM duration have to justify within the work plan section too. (You must use the template “Extended STSM-application”)

Importantly, after the STSM, all STSM grantees will have to submit a scientific report using the template “STSM-report” (also available at the e-COST platform) on the given time for the respective call (see “OPERA-CA20116_STSM Rules_4th_Call” document).