TOP-PUNT Grant
Guidelines to the grant application 2015-2016
General

Please refer to the Call for Proposals TOP-PUNT-subsidies 2015-2016 for the Terms and Conditions of
this granting scheme. The Call for Proposals can be downloaded from www.nwo.nl/cw/top.

The appropriate application form and referee list should be used. They can be downloaded from
www.nwo.nl/cw/top. The proposal accompanied by a separate referee list has to be submitted
through the Iris system: www.iris.nwo.nl (see below for submission details).

The proposal should be written in English.

The lay-out of the proposal should facilitate reading. A minimum font size of Verdana 8.5 pts is
advised.
Registration form (basic details)
1.
Basic details (To avoid ambiguity this part of the application form is in Dutch)
a. Applicants
Please provide for the two or three applicants: name, initials, first name, title(s), gender, date of
birth, date of PhD, position and type of appointment (paid or not, part time or not, part time factor)
as well as the date indicating the end of contract, and affiliation (i.e. university, department and
section, postal address, telephone, email). The principal investigator is the contact person for
correspondence.
b. Membership recognised Chemical Center of Excellence (Chemisch Zwaartepunt)
Indicate for all applicants in which recognised ‘Chemical Center of Excellence’ (“Chemisch
Zwaartepunt”) they are appointed, and whether this is their main appointment (“hoofdaanstelling”).
Choose from the table below the name of the Chemical Center of Excellence. Indicate ‘n.a.’ in case
the co-applicant is not appointed in a Chemical Center of Excellence.
Focusgebied 1 (C1)
duurzame chemie en
chemische
(bio)technologie
Focusgebied 2 (C2)
materiaalwetenschappen,
fysische chemie en
nanotechnologie
TU/e
Procestechnologie
Katalyse
Polymeren
Complexe moleculaire
systemen
UT
Duurzame
procestechnologie en
biomassa conversie
Katalytische systemen
(Bio)procestechnologie
(D)
(Bio)katalyse (D)
Katalyse en
duurzaamheid (L)
Katalyse
Nanotechnologie
Biomedische technologie
Bio-nano, soft matter
en supra-moleculaire
chemie
RUG
Katalyse en groene
chemie
UvA
(U) +
VU (V)
Synthese en katalyse
(U)
TUD
(D) +
LEI (L)
UU
RU
Nanowetenschappen (D)
Theorie en spectroscopie
(L)
Focusgebied 4 (C4)
complexe moleculaire
systemen
Biotechnologie (D)
Chemische biologie
(L)
Structuurbiologie (L)
Structuurbiologie
Colloïden
Functionele materialen
Chemische biologie
Structuurbiologie
Supramoleculaire
chemie en systems
chemistry
Computational chemie (U
+ V)
Analytische chemie (U +
V)
Moleculen en materialen
(synthese, groei,
spectroscopie)
Systeembiologie (U)
Farmacochemie (V)
WUR
2.
Focusgebied 3 (C3)
levens- en
biomedische
wetenschappen
Chemische biologie
Supramoleculaire
chemie
Colloïdchemie,
surfactanten en
bionanotechnologie
Title of the proposal
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TOP-PUNT Grant
Guidelines to the grant application 2015-2016
3.
Classification of the proposal
a. Study team(s) and main field of research (compulsory)
Indicate the CW study team(s) in which the topic of your research fits best. Choose from:

Analytical Chemistry
 Macromolecules

Biomolecular Chemistry
 Nucleic Acids Research

Catalysis
 Pharmacochemistry

Chemistry and Structure of
 Process Technology
Materials
 Protein Research

Coordination Chemistry and
 Soft Matter
Homogeneous Catalysis
 Spectroscopy and Theory

Design and Synthesis
 Structure and Reactivity

Lipids and Biomembranes
A short description of the CW study teams is available on the CW website (www.nwo.nl/cw)
For all applications it is compulsory to fill out one or more research fields most relevant to the
subject of your research proposal. You can only refer to the descriptions and codes from the NWO
research field list. Please find the list via: www.nwo.nl/researchfields
For example:
13.10.00 Analytical chemistry
13.20.00 Macromolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry
13.30.00 Organic chemistry
13.40.00 Inorganic chemistry
13.50.00 Physical chemistry
13.60.00 Catalysis
13.70.00 Theoretical chemistry, quantum chemistry
13.90.00 Chemistry, other
21.30.00 Biochemistry
b. Suitability within Chemical Sciences (CW) and chemical component (¼ page maximum)
Indicate why your proposal fits the study team(s) chosen and describe the “innovative chemistry
in/innovative (bio)chemical or chemical technological component of” your proposal. In other words
clarify why your proposal should be considered within Chemical Sciences.
4.
Keywords
List up to 6 keywords relevant to the proposal. These keywords will be used to find appropriate
referees. Therefore, choose the keywords with care. They should not be too general nor too specific.
5.
Summary of the proposed research (1 page maximum)
Describe the objective of the proposal, the approach, and the motivation to perform the proposed
research in your research group. Indicate partners that are required to collaborate in the present
proposal.
6.
Summary of requested funding within the total budget and distribution of positions /
equipment between main and co-applicants
The maximum total budget of a TOP-PUNT-grant is M€ 1,75. Maximally k€ 250 of the requested
funding is allowed to be spent outside the applying Chemical Center(s) of Excellence. Please specify
personnel costs, consumables, additional travel costs and equipment. Personnel costs according to
the most recent VSNU tariffs (including a “bench fee” for a.o. travel costs) approximate-ly amount
to: PhD student (4 yr) – k€ 209, postdoc 1 yr – k€ 71, postdoc 2 yr – k€ 139, postdoc 3 yr – k€ 207.
A justification of the requested budget should be given in section 9. The grant should be used mainly
to create temporary research positions (PhD, postdoc). Also, indicate the distribution of personnel
and equipment between the applying professors and Chemical Centers of Excellence.
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TOP-PUNT Grant
Guidelines to the grant application 2015-2016
7.
Group members involved in the proposed research
List all the staff members who will be involved in the proposed research, provide name, initials, first
name and titles. Please provide information on their involvement, e.g. responsible for daily guidance,
advisor, thesis supervisor of PhD-students (‘promotor’).
8.
Grant applications submitted
If you or any of your co-applicants have submitted a research proposal elsewhere on the same topic
as this application, provide relevant information on that proposal. Also include proposals on the same
topic submitted by other members of your or your co-applicants groups.
Research proposal
9.
Full description of the proposal (18 pages maximum, including figures, excl. literature
references)
Address the following items:
a. aim/objectives
b. approach (possible pitfalls and solutions)/time scheme
c. importance/synergy of the collaboration for the (combination of) Chemical Center(s) of Excellence
d. innovative elements
e. knowledge utilisation
f. justification requested financial support
g. scientific embedding of the proposed research: background, (inter)national position, collaborations
ad 9e) Describe in which way the knowledge generated by the research proposed could contribute to
solving questions and problems beyond your field(s) of research or beyond the academic world
(economical, technical, societal or cultural) and the relevance thereof. It is expected that each
researcher is able to describe the utilisation of knowledge derived from his/her research.
If, in your opinion, the research proposed is not suited for knowledge utilisation, you are requested
to explain this. The referees and the assessment committee assess the knowledge utilisation
paragraph. If the referee/assessment committee considers the applicant’s explanation correct, they
will issue a positive score for knowledge utilisation. A less positive score is issued if the
referee/committee is of the opinion that possibilities for knowledge utilisation have not been
sufficiently addressed by the applicant.
10. Summary for the general public (in Dutch)
Provide a title and short summary (50 words maximum, in Dutch) of your proposal that is
informative for the general public. If your proposal is granted, this summary may be used for
publication purposes.
Publications and past performance
11. Publications
Add a list of the main publications of the applicant(s) of the last five years (maximum 30).
12. Past performance (3 pages maximum)
Describe the achievements of the past five years, the main results, (co)financers of the research
lines, international position, and collaboration with other research groups.
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TOP-PUNT Grant
Guidelines to the grant application 2015-2016
Statement
13. Statement by the PI
Sign the application form with your name, the place and the date. By submitting the application form
through Iris you declare that you have completed the form truthfully and that you have informed the
correct official(s) (scientific director, dean) of your employing institute of the submission and that
you satisfy the nationally and internationally accepted standards for scientific conduct as stated in
the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice 2012 (Association of Universities in the
Netherlands).
Referee list






Use the Excel file (refereelist.xlsx) to deliver your suggestions for referees with a foreign affiliation
who could be consulted to assess your research proposal. Download from www.nwo.nl/cw/top.
It is compulsory to deliver (at least) 12 suggestions. Provide name, initials, gender, organisation,
email address, web address and expertise(s) of the referee.
The referees suggested should not be working in the Netherlands.
Be aware: the referees suggested should be able to assess jointly the most important aspects of
your proposal.
Only independent1 referees are eligible for reviewing. Please do not put forward the name of anyone
with whom you have collaborated in the past three years, are currently collaborating, or plan to
collaborate. This applies not exclusively to co-authors but also to other forms of collaboration.
The boards of the CW study teams will be requested to assess your suggestions and to complete the
list.
Submission

The proposal (pdf file) and the referee list (pdf file) should be submitted via the Iris system before
15 September 2015, 14:00 hours (CET). More information is available in the Call for proposals.

In addition, the referee list (Excel document) should be sent by email to toppunt@nwo.nl before 15
September 2015.

The proposal must be submitted from the Iris account of the main applicant.

If you want CW to exclude specific researchers from the evaluation of your application, you should
inform CW by separate email to toppunt@nwo.nl by 15 September 2015, at the latest. Please give
your arguments why they should be excluded from evaluating. You can exclude a maximum of 3
non-referees. Members of the Board of Chemical Sciences cannot be excluded.

Note that if your proposal is granted, the summary for the general public will be published, for
instance on the internet.

In accordance with the agreement between NWO and the Dutch universities (VSNU) applicants
should inform the university about the grant application. A copy of the application should be sent to
the scientific director or dean of your department or institute. By submitting a proposal you state
that you have informed your university or institute and that you and your university or institute
accept the terms and conditions for this granting scheme.
More information
For more information, please check the Call for proposals or contact: dr I.H.L. (Irene) Hamelers, phone
+31 (0)6 303 69 429, email: toppunt@nwo.nl
The NWO code of Conduct on Conflicts of Interest can be found on the NWO website:
http://www.nwo.nl/gedragscode . The Code lists various possible forms of involvement.
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