EMPOWERING YOUNG RESEARCHERS (EYE) PROJECT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
I.
Purpose and Scientific Scope of EYE Project
Project Activities
Benefits for Young Researchers
Outputs and Impact of Project
Delivery and Management of EYE Project
Purpose and Scientific Scope of EYE Project
Q
What is the EYE Project?
A
Empowering Young Explorers (EYE) is a support project of the European Union’s Seventh
Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7). Its purpose is to
help young European researchers working in a range of disciplines to realise their scientific
potential in future and emerging technologies (FET) and contribute to breakthrough
research. The project will encourage the generation of high risk scientific ideas through
brainstorming and interdisciplinary collaboration between young researchers across Europe.
At the same time, EYE will support the development of their leadership potential through
networking and training.
EYE Project’s specific goals are to:
i.
enhance the ability of young researchers to develop new and alternative ideas,
concepts or paradigms of transformative, risky or unconventional nature in
multidisciplinary FET research;
ii.
help YRs turn their ideas into projects that could provide solutions to important
societal problems;
iii.
build a lasting European community of high potential YRs that are interested and
capable) of pursuing interdisciplinary FET quality research in the future;
iv.
help YRs build a multidisciplinary network of research contacts that will follow them
through their careers and facilitate networking among them
Starting in November 2013, the EYE Project will be delivered in two cycles over two years. It
will consist of a series of complementary regional and European brainstorming, networking
and training events including seminars, conferences and summer schools as well as an
interactive and dynamic online platform supporting a unique community of practice.
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Q
Why is this Project important?
A
FET research is one of the key driving forces behind radically new ICT research agendas and
major technological, industrial and societal innovations in Europe. It is research which goes
beyond the conventional boundaries of ICT and increasingly relies on synergies, crosspollination and convergence with multiple scientific disciplines as well as the arts and
humanities.
Young researchers have a central role to play in developing a new research agenda for
future and emerging technologies and to lead multidisciplinary exploratory research
collaboration. However, due to systemic or individual limiting factors, many young
researchers are unaware of the state-of-the-art in the complementary disciplines and thus
unable to make effective linkages with achievements in other fields.
The EYE Project seeks to draw out the disruptive innovation potential of young researchers,
creating practical conditions where they feel empowered to take leadership of collaborative
ICT research and gain early independence and capacity to carry out non-conventional, higher
risk research. By stimulating the formation of a young researcher’s community, the EYE
Project can also transform the way new scientific ideas are generated and developed in
Europe.
Q
Which particular scientific research fields will the Project focus on?
A
The EYE Project will focus on nine broad multidisciplinary research areas identified in the
recent public consultation on directions for FET research in Europe:
 Time for time [notions of time inspiring new technological possibilities];
 Constructive symbiosis of hybrid artificial-natural systems;
 Bottom-up intelligent construction materials and artefacts at various size scales;
 Ecological technology [holistic paradigms for environmental impact of technologies,
including ubiquitous environmental sensors, embedded technologies, implants and
future injectable or digestible devices];
 Nano-bio-chem interface [ new tools and techniques for advancing research ,the
conception of novel systems and materials or applications for new implants, drug
delivery, generative medicine, protein modelling];
 Knowing, doing and being [ interdisciplinary fundamentals of knowledge; future
knowledge technologies];
 Nano-optomechanical technologies;
 Quantum technologies or technologies that exploit quantum phenomena like
superposition and entanglement;
 Global Systems Science [ novel participatory tools and processes for gathering and
linking scientific evidence obtained from systems science, operational research,
computer science, and mathematics into the policy process and into societal
dialogue].
Q
How were these fields chosen?
A
EYE’s intent is to build thematically upon the key principles and broad directions for
interdisciplinary FET research, as well as support research focused on meeting the Horizon
2020 societal challenges in health; demographic change; security; secure, clean and
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efficient energy; industrial biotechnology; smart, green and integrated transport; climate
action; resource efficiency and raw materials. Participation in EYE is also open to young
scientists in ICT-enabled research in other areas
II.
Project Activities
Q
What kinds of activities will the Project deliver?
A
Over its two-year span, the EYE Project will deliver an integrated programme of the
following complementary regional and European level events:
Regional “Lab Surfing” Workshop: The project will start with six workshops running in six
regions of Europe: North and Irish Sea; Black Sea and South Mediterranean, Western
Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe; Western Mediterranean, and Nordics and Baltics. Two
cycles of these regional workshops will bring together young researchers to learn about the
most advanced FET research across multiple disciplines; brainstorm about future research
areas and jointly elaborate new high risk scientific ideas, partner with their peers, and also
develop scientific administration and leadership skills.
Europe-wide “Blue Sky” Conferences: Two pan-European level events, one in each cycle of
the EYE Project, will bring together regional teams of high-potential young researchers with
the most promising ideas from the six Lab Surfing Workshops to further consolidate
collaborative research ideas and network more widely with research, industry and policymaking players at a European level.
Science Incubator Summer Schools: Two pan-European level events, one in each cycle, will
help selected teams of young researchers with the strongest ideas to bring such ideas to a
level from which substantive FET project proposals can be presented for participation in
Horizon 2020. Special attention will be paid to the transformation of ideas generated by
young researchers into specific project proposals.
EYE will also develop and provide an on-line support and networking platform - the
Networking for Outstanding Visionaries and Academics (NOVA). This will serve as an agile,
integrated and multi-function collaborative platform to support both the Project’s
operational needs (for instance, in the preparation of the events) and as a professional
platform for networking, collaboration and discussion between young researchers who join
the EYE community of practice.
Q
Who will benefit from the Project?
A
The main beneficiaries of the Project will be a Europe-wide community of young researchers
working in future and emerging technologies research across multiple disciplines in
European universities and research institutions from at least 38 countries.
III.
Description and Benefits for Young Researchers
Q
How would you describe a ‘young researcher’?
A
The EYE Project will focus its activities primarily on young researchers who have been
awarded a PhD – either recently or at least 6 years ago. We believe the first 5-7 years after a
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PhD are the most critical for scientific careers and hence EYE will focus on researchers with a
six year time frame between the award of a PhD and their participation in its events,
Q
Why would young researchers be interested in participating in the Project? What is in it
for them?
A
The integrated programme of EYE Project events and the on-line platform will equip young
European researchers with the skills, the knowledge and the confidence they need to
address the professional and systemic challenges they face in realising their ambitions as
well as access to a unique multidisciplinary community of young researchers engaged in FETtype research across Europe.
More specifically, they will see the following benefits from participating in the EYE Project:
i.
Access to a forum where they can explore novel, high-risk, high-impact research
ideas, build confidence and gain some critical mass support for such ideas from a
network of contacts across various disciplines. Key ideas may also influence future
FET calls, thus providing a possible opportunity for funding support.
ii.
Access to a substantial set of contacts in complementary interdisciplinary research
and the opportunity to create an influential research community of practice which
can determine the direction and content of future and emerging technology
research in Europe.
iii.
Skills to manage practical issues associated with international research and
collaborative programmes, including training in drafting proposals, managing IPR
issues, identifying , scoping and building international research partnerships,
leadership skills, effective networking and so on.
iv.
Access to an international community of researchers and experts. Prominent and
visionary international experts working in exploratory and innovative research will
be invited to EYE Project events. The Blue Sky Conferences will be open to young
researchers from outside the EU member states in countries associated with the
EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)
Q
How would you decide which researchers are eligible for participation in the Project?
A
EYE will issue a “call for ideas” , inviting young researchers to participate in its programme
and submit an abstract either on one of the nine thematic areas identified by EYE or on
another thematic area which the researcher considers to be a scientific breakthrough.
A panel of interdisciplinary research experts will evaluate the abstracts and select highpotential ideas for presentation at the open forum in the Lab Surfing Workshops. These
gatherings of researchers and experts will then explore the selected ideas from multiple
perspectives, including their potential for clustering with complementary proposals and
collaborative development.
IV.
Outputs and Impact of Project
Q
What specific scientific outputs can we see from the Project?
A
EYE’s expectation is that by the end of the Project in 2015, high-potential young researchers
will generate at least ten well investigated and developed interdisciplinary research
proposals meeting the FET requirements, which can then be submitted to the FET Young
Explorers call under Horizon 2020.
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Q
What happens to the Project after it is completed in 2015?
A
It is the intention of the EYE Project that it should deliver long term benefits, by promoting
scale, self-reliance, replication and conversion beyond its two-year timeline. Sustainability
will depend on the project achieving a critical mass at European level. In particular,
engagement with both government and industry stakeholders outside the EYE network will
be important in both implementing the project and keeping its results sustainable after the
end of the project activities.
Amongst the activities EYE is currently considering to support sustainability include:
 Securing ongoing funding for the NOVA platform so it becomes an integral resource
for the FET research community;
 Formation of strategic partnerships with decision-making and research funding
organisations and engagement with existing innovative projects, entrepreneurs and
venture capitalists who can provide young researchers with opportunities to
convert their ideas into commercial initiatives and/or support further research and
development of high-potential and innovative ideas;
 Engagement with the international government and scientific community to
influence policy initiatives on scientific and technology research and development;
 Dissemination of the outputs and outcomes from the EYE programme of events to
the relevant scientific and research community, the media, thought leaders and
other opinion formers, as well as the general public.
Q
What overall impact will the Project have on research and innovation in Europe?
A
We can foresee several outcomes for Europe.
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A new Pan-European research force. EYE will target around 500 young researchers
in Europe for its programme of events. Through NOVA, hundreds more will have the
opportunity to participate. EYE will, therefore, contribute to the development,
mobilisation and coordination of a new generation of pan-European scientific and
innovation leaders working to advance multidisciplinary FET-related research in
Europe;
Substantive body of knowledge and best practice. EYE will collect evidence and
best practices for supporting talented young researchers from 38 European
countries. This data will contribute to the development of a more inclusive and
competitive European Research Area and will have relevance for Europe 2020
flagship initiatives for smart growth and social inclusion;
Transformational impact on research policy and management. EYE will support the
FET Open Scheme by highlighting and widely promoting the value of high-risk
multi/interdisciplinary research at a young age in Europe. EYE will help create a
cadre of trained and empowered researchers at an early stage in their careers who,
in turn, would be in a position to develop their younger peers, thus bringing about a
positive change in the scientific culture across Europe.
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Delivery and Management of EYE Project
V.
Q
Who will deliver the Project?
A
The EYE Project will be delivered by a consortium of eleven partners, including six
universities, two research institutions and two small and medium enterprises (SMEs), from
nine European countries: Technical University of Delft – TDU (The Netherlands), the
Instituto Tecnológico de Informática -ITI (Spain), the Institute of Information Technologies
and Communications (Bulgaria), the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of
Belgrade (Serbia), the University of Leipzig (Germany), the Alma Mater Studiorum University
of Bologna (Italy), Chalmers Technical School (Sweden), the University of Lorraine (France),
the University of Manchester (United Kingdom), Omega (Serbia) and Europlan UK Ltd
(United Kingdom).
The project is coordinated by the Technical University of Delft. The partners will establish a
network of local collaborators in 38 countries across Europe, which will promote EYE
activities locally among young researchers. Europlan UK is the originator of the EYE project
idea and will provide training, communications and process management support to
the partners.
Q
How were the partners chosen and what will they contribute to the Project?
A
The members of the EYE consortium were convened by Europlan to bring complementary
skills and contacts to the Project. Nine participants are leading academic organisations with
a strong background in scientific research and with contacts in other top research
organisations, SME and industry in their regions. Six of these academic partners will act as
Regional Coordinators for the Project, setting up a network of National Contacts to assist in
mobilising young researchers to participate in the events; organising technical and scientific
programmes for workshops and conferences and building a pool of multidisciplinary
scientific experts to assist the EYE events programme. The two SMEs will support the
academic partners logistically and organisationally.
Q
Where will the project be delivered – in which countries?
A
Overall, EYE activities will cover 38 countries, seeking engagement with young researchers
from 28 EU member states , Russia and selected countries associated with the EU’s
Framework R&D Programmes (FP7). The countries are: Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg,
Netherlands; the UK; Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Romania and Turkey; Albania, Bosnia
& Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia; Austria, Czech
Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Slovakia; France, Italy, Malta, Spain,
Switzerland; Portugal; Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.
Q
Who is funding the Project?
A
European Union as part of the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and
Technological Development (FP7).
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Q
Why is it in the interest of universities or scientific research institutions to be involved
with the Project? What is it in for them?
A
EYE widens the choices universities have to participate in and influence the European FET
research policy and agenda. The events will enhance their capacity to develop their young
researchers through cross-fertilisation, networking, blue sky thinking and collaborative
research and give them exposure to new ideas, projects, skills and contacts. EYE also
provides a platform for the university’s pre-eminent scientists and academics, extending
their reputation and influence on the EU Innovation Agenda and Horizon 2020.
Q
Where do I go for more information on the Project?
A
More details on the EYE project can be found on its dedicated website: www.fet-eye.eu
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