ESCALATE – Synthesis Projects
Call for Proposals - Summary
Aims of ESCALATE synthesis projects
ESCALATE synthesis projects are designed as a series of research workshops bringing together up
to twelve PhDs and four advisors from various disciplinary backgrounds. The objective is to jointly
conduct a scientific synthesis project from start to finish and to submit a manuscript to an
international peer-reviewed journal, whereby all participants will be listed as co-authors. The
project is designed to significantly enhance the research skills of the participants, foster
international and interdisciplinary teamwork and advance the state of the art in the research field.
The participants learn methods and tools for research synthesis (such as qualitative reviews or metaanalysis) and gather experience in collaborative paper writing.
With this call we invite PhDs to suggest topics for an ESCALATE synthesis project. The
topics chosen should be encompassed within the realm of environmental research and the
proposed research questions may involve various scientific disciplines.
Who can apply?
Applications are open to all PhDs who are enrolled either at the Helmholtz Research School
ESCALATE or its partnering graduate organizations (HIGRADE, yDiv, InGra, Research
Academy Leipzig).
How to apply?
The application consists of a section containing general information on the planned workshop, a
brief summary, a description of the state-of-the-art, an objectives section, a detailed section on how
the workshop will be prepared, a timetable of activities, a budget estimation with justification, a
bibliography and a CV of the main applicant (for more details see below).
Advice on how to structure workshops is provided by the coordinator and speaker of ESCALATE
(Michael Beckmann and Ralf Seppelt), or from former ESCALATE synthesis groups
(http://www.ufz.de/escalate/index.php?en=33048), but see also the blog by Brian McGill
(https://dynamicecology.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/the-secret-recipe-for-successful-workinggroup-meetings).
Proposals should be submitted to the coordinator of ESCALATE (michael.beckmann@ufz.de).
Deadline for submission of proposals is June 15, 2015.
Budget
The total budget is 6000€ which will be allocated to two meetings. The financial support includes
travel funds (reimbursement for travel and lodging) for all participants. A proportion of the budget
may also be used to acquire data necessary for the workshop project.
ESCALATE – Synthesis Project
Call for Proposals - Detailed Information
Research topics and expected outcomes of ESCALATE synthesis projects
ESCALATE synthesis projects should focus on delivering a manuscript co-authored by all
workshop participants and suitable for publication in a scientific journal. The project shall explore a
selected topic via a combination of scientific synthesis techniques, such as meta-analysis,
qualitative and quantitative review, interviews/survey instruments, policy and content analysis and
geographic information system (GIS) analysis. The chosen approach is depending on the topic,
availability of data, resources and most importantly participating PhD students’ interests and skills.
Proposed topics should aim to deliver impact on topics such as environmental sustainability and
protection, evidence based policy-making, the sustainability of organizations and businesses, and at
the long-run health and well-being. Therefore, proposed research questions may involve various
scientific disciplines, including:
 Ecosystem Service research,
 Landscape Ecology,
 Biodiversity research or related topics,
 Environmental Economics,
 Environmental Law,
 Political Sciences,
 Social Sciences.
Structure of ESCALATE synthesis projects
Each ESCALATE synthesis project consists of two workshop meetings, roughly six months apart.
The project team can include 8-12 PhD students and 2-4 researchers.
The first workshop will mainly expose the participants to the topic by bringing in guest lecturers,
develop a set of clear research questions, produce a framework for the research (and subsequent
paper), derive an appropriate methodological protocol and divide the workload to tasks managed by
individuals or small groups of participants.
During the subsequent ca. 6 months, the mentors and participants will meet (virtually) about 6 times
to continuously track the progress made, discuss methodological difficulties and to refine the
research protocol.
The second workshop will be devoted to the synthesis of the research results, framing and building
a skeleton and a draft of the manuscript. During both workshops time will be allocated to “break the
ice” and socialize.
Timeframe:
- Application deadline: 15 June 2015
-
Acceptance offers: on or before 30 June 2015
-
Call for participants, team selected: by 31 July 2015
-
Kick-Off Workshop August/September 2015
-
“Virtual-work-phase”, including regular Skype meetings: September 2015 – February 2016
-
Second workshop January/February 2016
-
Submission of jointly authored manuscript: April 2016
The Application Process
Please use the application form provided below!
The application consists of a section containing general information on the planned workshop, a
brief summary, a description of the state-of-the-art, an objectives section, a detailed section on how
the workshop will be prepared, a timetable of activities, a budget estimation with justification, a
bibliography and a CV of the main applicant.
Proposals should be submitted to the coordinator of ESCALATE (michael.beckmann@ufz.de) as a
single PDF-file. The proposal outlines of the funded workshop projects will be published on the
ESCALATE website (www.ufz.de/escalate).
The Main Applicant
Applications are open to all PhD students who are enrolled either at the UFZ Helmholtz Research
School ESCALATE and its partnering graduate organizations (HIGRADE, yDiv, InGra, Research
Academy Leipzig). We also encourage PhD supervisors and co-supervisors of the above
mentioned graduate organizations to support their PhDs in developing a proposal for an
ESCALATE Synthesis Project.
The main applicant is responsible for communication with ESCALATE and agrees to:

name at least two scientists who have tentatively agreed to participate and help to
supervise the project and who will be present at the workshops (these might be involved in
supervising the PhD project of the applicant),

help frame and develop the main research question addressed in the synthesis project,

actively participate in the two workshops,

be actively involved in data acquisition and analysis,

be actively involved in writing the manuscript.
However, the applicant is not expected to:

supervise the team of fellow PhD students throughout the project,

organize travel arrangements for the participants,

organize a venue for conducting the workshops.
Budget
The total budget for the workshop should not exceed 6000€ which will be allocated to two
meetings. The financial support includes travel funds (reimbursement for travel and lodging) for all
participants. A proportion of the budget may also be used to acquire data necessary for the
workshop project. Upon approval of the application, the workshop will be given a total budget.
Administration of the budget is handled by the ESCALATE coordinator.
Selection process
The ESCALATE Executive Board will initially evaluate all applications and appoint external
reviewers if necessary. Proposals will be evaluated within four weeks after the submission deadline.
Decisions will be communicated in written form, including the statements of anonymous reviewers
(if any). Criteria for acceptance are:
- Topics and research questions suitability for the call,
-
interdisciplinarity of the research topic,
-
interdisciplinarity of the team and a rationale why this interdisciplinarity is crucial for
obtaining the objective,
-
feasibility of project (specific research questions, availability of data, material for synthesis).
After Acceptance
Upon acceptance of the proposal ESCALATE will develop a call for participants together with the
main applicant and the selected advisors. Announcements will be made according to the project
topic to invite local, national and international PhDs. A maximum of 8-12 PhD students (including
the main applicant) and 2-4 researchers (supervisors or advisors) may be included in the project.
The workshops will be hosted at the UFZ, but if applicable, one of the workshops may be hosted at
another institution (e.g. where a group of participants and/or supervisors are based). The overall
workload of each participant is, in a total, 6-8 workshop days (two times 3-4 days) and about 60
hours of work between the workshops. It might be more for the applicant and lead author.
The selection of participants will be made jointly with the main applicant, the selected advisors and
the ESCALATE coordinator and will be based on the quality of the applications and the individual
expertise of the applicants. The final decision on the selection of participants underlies budgetary
constraints and will be made by the ESCALATE coordinator.
All participating PhD students will need to ensure advisors consent and agree to participate in this
project. This includes participation at both workshops (total of 6-8 days), join at least 4 of the 6
conference calls between these workshops and spend no less than 40 hours and no more than 70
hours on their assigned task in the 6 months between the two workshops.
ESCALATE Synthesis Project #1
Application Form
This form must be submitted to michael.beckmann@ufz.de no later than June 15, 2015.
Regrettably, we are unable to consider late submissions.
Name:
Institutional affiliation:
E-mail:
Short description and title of your PhD project (max. 200 words):
ESCALATE Synthesis Project Description:
Proposed project title:
Main research question:
Names and contact information of the advisors:
Project outline, including:
 a brief summary,
 a description of the state-of-the-art,
 an objectives section,
 a section on how the workshop will be prepared,
 a short description of expected steps of work / required activities between the workshops
 a budget estimation with justification,
 a bibliography
Please provide a CV of the main applicant in a separate document.
Please also answer the following questions:
Why are you personally interested in this project?
What do you hope to gain from leading this project?
What unique expertise / skills make you qualified to lead this project?
Note: Each Application must be no longer than 3 pages (excluding CV) using Arial 11pt and 1
inch/2.5 cm margins.