Introduction

The European Research Council (ERC) provides attractive, long-term funding to support excellent investigators and their research teams to pursue ground-breaking, high-gain/ high-risk research. Research funded by the ERC is expected to lead to advances at the frontiers of knowledge and to set a clear and inspirational target for frontier research across Europe. Scientific excellence is the sole criterion on the basis of which ERC frontier research grants are awarded. Being 'investigatordriven', or 'bottom-up' in nature, the ERC approach allows researchers to identify new opportunities and directions in any field of research. The ERC puts particular emphasis on the frontiers of science, scholarship and engineering. In particular, it encourages proposals of an interdisciplinary nature which cross the boundaries between different fields of research, pioneering proposals addressing new and emerging fields of research or proposals introducing unconventional, innovative approaches and scientific inventions.

Objectives of the call

Advanced Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are already established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.

Eligible applicants

The call is open to individual researchers (Principal Investigators - PI) of any nationality who intend to conduct their research activity in any Member State or Associated Country. Principal Investigators may be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country in the world at the time of the application.

The applicant must be an active researcher and have a track record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. They must demonstrate a record of achievements appropriate to the field and at least matching one or more of the following benchmarks: - 10 publications as senior author (or in those fields where alphabetic order of authorship is the norm, joint author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals, and/or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals and peer-reviewed conferences proceedings of their respective field; - 3 major research monographs, of which at least one is translated into another language. Other alternative benchmarks that may be considered (individually or in combination) as indicative of an exceptional record and recognition in the last 10 years: • 5 granted patents;

• 10 invited presentations in well-established internationally organised conferences and advanced schools;

• 3 research expeditions led by the applicant PI;

• 3 well-established international conferences or congresses where the applicant was involved in their organisation as a member of the steering and/or organising committee;

• International recognition through scientific or artistic prizes/awards or membership in wellregarded Academies or artefact with documented use; • Major contributions to launching the careers of outstanding researchers;

• Recognised leadership in industrial innovation. PI funded through the Advanced Grants is expected to spend a minimum 30% of his total working time on the ERC project and a minimum of 50% of his total working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country.

Eligible host institution

The host institution must engage the Principal Investigator for at least the duration of the project, as defined in the grant agreement. It must either be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country as a legal entity created under national law, or it may be an International European Interest Organisation. Any type of legal entity, public or private, including universities, research organisations and undertakings can host Principal Investigators and their teams.

Topics of the research

The proposals must address one of these three research domains:

• Physical Sciences & Engineering (Panels: PE1 – PE10),

• Life Sciences (Panels: LS1 – LS9),

• Social Sciences & Humanities (Panels: SH1 – SH6).

Funding and project duration

Up to a maximum of 2,5 million Euro for a period of 5 years. An additional 1 million euro can be requested in the proposal to cover: (a) eligible "start-up" costs for Principal Investigators moving to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere as a consequence of receiving the ERC grant, and/or (b) the purchase of major equipment and/or (c) access to large facilities.

More information at http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.html

In case of interest please contact the Research Support Office (lnorton@fsjd.org, recerca@fsjd.org)