www.cordis.lu/nest
New and Emerging
Science and Technology
NEST
NEST Roadshow Presentation 2004/2005
Warsaw, 25.01.2005
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Outline of
Presentation
• Introduction to NEST
• NEST funding activities
• ADVENTURE
• INSIGHT
• PATHFINDER
• NEST SUPPORT
• The NEST Evaluation process
• Analysis and Feedback from Previous Calls
• Recommendations to Applicants
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
AND CURRENT CALLS
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
FP6 - Where does
NEST fit in?
Focusing and Integrating Community research
“Wider field of Research”
Support to policies
Citizens
Sustainable dev.
Food
Aeronautics
Nanotechnologies.
IST
Genomics
Thematic priorities
NEST
SMEs
International co-operation
JRC
Structuring the ERA
Strengthening the foundations of the ERA
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST objectives
• Stimulate visionary research at the frontiers of
knowledge and at interfaces between disciplines
• Stimulate anticipatory research to rapidly respond to
problems and risks arising from new discoveries
• Stimulate new “communities of knowledge” in
important emerging scientific areas
• Give researchers freedom to develop and prove their
ideas within the broadest possible limits: a sciencedriven selection of research topics
• Provide strategic inputs for the development of future
European research initiatives
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What is NEST
achieving?
• Priority-setting: a science-driven approach, with
excellence-centered evaluation criteria, leads to
very high quality science with good return on
investment
• Proposals and evaluation: the light approach with
full transparency is universally appreciated
• Scientific coverage: very broad coverage of
science, involving new communities
• NEST projects are conducive to risky, creative
research
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Key characteristics of
NEST funded activities
• Bottom-up in “any” area of research
• Research not falling within the Thematic
Priorities
• Emphasis on research style: novelty,
ambition, risk, multi-disciplinarity
• Well focused objectives, which are
ambitious but clear, possibly risky, and
consistent with the scale of the project
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Two modes
Open domain:
• ADVENTURE
• INSIGHT
235 M €
• NEST SUPPORT
Overall
Budget
Focused actions:
PATHFINDER
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Implementation
Through standard FP6 instruments
• Specific Targeted Research Project, STREP:
To provide funding for research activities.
• Co-ordination Action, CA:
To provide funding for networking and coordination.
• Specific Support Action, SSA:
To provide funding for activities in direct
support of NEST
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Participation
http://www.cordis.lu/nest/partnership.htm
• Submission: calls for proposals
• Proposal = part A (administrative forms) + part B (work description)
• Partnership: meeting minimum requirements
(STREPs, CAs: at least 3 MS/ACC, or 2MS/ACC + 1 AS; SSA: 1 MS/AAC/AS)
• International Cooperation: participation is open to
legal entities from any country, EC funding can be
granted to INCO countries
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Calls for 2005
What is different from
previous calls?
• 1 deadline only - April 13, 2005
• Electronic submission only - via EPSS
• New Pathfinder topic - Measuring the Impossible
• No CAs in the NEST open domain
• SSAs in NEST SUPPORT and in PATHFINDER
• All reference documents revised
• Wider funding range for INSIGHT
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Call for 2005
OPEN DOMAIN
ADVENTURE, INSIGHT, NEST SUPPORT
• Call reference: FP6-2004-NEST-C
• Call date: 8 December 2004
• Budget: 30M€
• C-1: 28 M€ ADVENTURE / INSIGHT 5-page OUTLINE STREPs
• C-2: 2 M€ NEST SUPPORT SSA proposals
• Deadline: 13 April 2005 (last deadline for FP6 NEST
Open Domain !!!!!!)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Call for 2005
PATHFINDER
• Call reference: FP6-2004-NEST-Path
• Call date: 8 December 2004
• Budget: 35M€
• 30 M€ for FULL STREP proposals
• 5 M€ for CA and SSA proposals
• Initiatives: “Synthetic biology”; “What it means to be
human”; NEW: “Measuring the Impossible”
• Deadline: 13 April 2005
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Outline of
Presentation
• Introduction to NEST
• NEST funding activities
• ADVENTURE
• INSIGHT
• PATHFINDER
• NEST SUPPORT
• The NEST Evaluation process
• Feedback from Previous Calls
• Recommendations to Applicants
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
NEST ADVENTURE
Reference document: download
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
ADVENTURE:
The mandate
“support research in emerging areas of
knowledge and on future technologies,
in particular in trans-disciplinary fields,
which is highly innovative and involves
correspondingly high (technical) risks.”
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
ADVENTURE
„If only ...“
• If only … neural networks had been the result of an
ADVENTURE project
• If only … the Scanning Tunnel Microscope (STM) or
atomic force microscope (AFM) had been
developed in an ADVENTURE project
• If only … the first in-vitro demonstration of motorproteins had been made in an ADVENTURE project
• If only … PCR had been developed in an
ADVENTURE project
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
The “Spirit of
ADVENTURE”
• Exciting, pioneering research with the aim of opening
up new avenues for progress in science and
technology
• Freedom for researchers to define new challenges
and pursue new ideas
• Across a wide scope of science and technology,
but lying outside or cutting across the FP6 Thematic
Priorities
• With a special interest in novel multi-disciplinarity
• High risk / high gain, with challenging and tangible
objectives
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What ADVENTURE
projects are NOT!
• Research that falls within the scope of the thematic priorities
• Research without clearly identifiable novel aspects
• Open-ended research without tangible and challenging
objectives
• Technology demonstrations
• Combinations of existing technologies
• Research of interest to a particular industrial sector without
broader applicability
• Research related to implausible and hypothetical
phenomena
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
ADVENTURE
Implementation
• Specific Targeted Research Projects, STREPs
• Project budget: indicative funding range from
800.000 up to 2.000.000 Euro
• Funding period: up to 3 years
• Consortium: At least three independent partners
from three member states or associated states - of
which at least two member states or associated candidate
states
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
ADVENTURE STREPs
Evaluation criteria
• Relevance to NEST objectives
[4/5]
• Scientific and Technological Excellence
[4/5]
• Potential impact
[3/5]
• Quality of the consortium (FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
• Quality of management
(FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
• Mobilisation of resources (FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
ADVENTURE STREPs
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/
nest/pdf/nest_project_factsheets2003a.pdf
e.g.
BIODEFENCE - “Rapid induction of passive immunity against
weapons of bioterrorism using transformed GRAS (Generally Regarded As
Safe) organisms”
THE OPTICAL NOSE - “An on-line, non-invasive and totalprofiling” instrument for trace gas sensing applications in medical sciences
CHIRALTEM - “Chiral dichroism in the transmission electron
microscope”
EA-BIOFILMS - “Electrochemical control of biofilm-forming microorganisms”
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
NEST INSIGHT
Reference document: download
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT:
The mandate
“support research to assess rapidly new
discoveries or newly-observed
phenomena, which may indicate
emerging risks or problems of high
importance to European society, and
identify appropriate responses to them.”
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT
„If only ...“
• If only … the hormonal activity of certain
chemicals had been proven by an INSIGHT
project (Endocrine Disruptors)
• If only … the link between Creutzfeldt-Jakob and
BSE (discovery of prions) had been proven by an
INSIGHT project
• If only … the Ozone depletion in the Atmosphere
by Perfluorated Compounds had been shown by
an INSIGHT project
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT projects
• Should be research projects!
• Should have an anticipatory function
• Should address possible risks associated with
new phenomena; high potential risk; significant
scientific uncertainties
• Project outputs should be aimed at decision
making
• May need to challenge orthodoxy
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What INSIGHT
projects are NOT!
• Policy evaluation studies
• Technology foresight studies or technology
assessment studies
• Research that legitimately falls within the scope
of the thematic priorities
• Research addressing topics in on-going “risk
debates”, which are “open-ended” or projects
without plausible or convincing evidence to their
real or potential existence
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT STREPs
Evaluation criteria
• Relevance to NEST objectives
[4/5]
• Scientific and technological excellence
[4/5]
• Potential impact
[3/5]
• Quality of the consortium (FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
• Quality of management
(FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
• Mobilisation of resources (FULL proposal only)
[3/5]
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT:
Implementation
• STREPs for the support of research
• Budget: indicative funding range from 800.000
up to 2.000.000 Euro
• Funding period: up to 3 years
• Consortium: At least three independent partners
from three member states or associated states - of
which at least two member states or associated candidate
states
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
INSIGHT STREPs
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/
nest/pdf/nest_project_factsheets2003a.pdf
e.g.
PERFORCE: Perfluorinated organic compounds in
the European environment
PORGROW: Policy options for responding to the
growing challenge from obesity
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
NEST SUPPORT
Reference document: download
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST SUPPORT:
The mandate
… to assist in the development and
exploitation of NEST activities
• attracting good proposals
• shaping and refining modalities
• establishing future actions
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST Support:
The specific areas
1. Promotion of interaction with the
research community
2. Engagement of the research community
in the process of identifying future
research opportunities
3. Analysis of methodological and
technical issues associated with the
NEST research domain
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST Support
Implementation
• Specific Support Actions - SSAs
• To support the implementation of NEST
• May cover information and communication,
conferences, seminars, expert groups, operational
support….
• Typical duration up to 2 years
• Grant to the budget up to 100%
• Scale ~ 50 - 300k Euro
• Consortium: minimum of one partner from a Member
State or Associated State (but generally more)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST SUPPORT
SSAs
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/
nest/pdf/nest_project_factsheets2003a.pdf
e.g.
NEST-IDEA: NEST Information on Development of Emerging Activities
ATBEST: Assessment tools for Breakthrough and Emerging S&T
NETIAM: New and Emerging Teams in Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
NEST PATHFINDER
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER:
Mandate
“support research on specific topics that
are identified during the course of
implementation of FP6 on the basis of their
urgency and potential for future societal,
industrial or economic relevance.”
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER:
Implementation
Selection of topics
–
Collection of ideas - bottom-up
–
Consultation with the scientific community
–
Definition of work programme
Call for proposals – STREP, CA, SSA
Evaluation and selection
– 5 to 10 STREPs
– CA for co-ordination and dissemination
– SSAs to assist in strategic development of the topics
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER
Co-ordination Actions
• Co-ordination of existing and future research projects.
• Networking of disciplines, expertise and European
activities in fields relevant to the topic
• Promote a wider understanding of the implications of the
topic across the various relevant disciplines
• Intellectual and material infrastructure requirements in
the fields of the topic
• Perspectives and strategies for innovation and industrial
translation, including intellectual property
• If applicable: Societal acceptance, including ethical,
safety and regulatory aspects
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER
Support Actions
To assist in the mapping and development
of the definition of the topic in question,
assessing future development prospects
and trends in the field.
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Pre-proposal
check service
For PATHFINDER only !
•
•
•
•
•
Pre-proposal check service (up to 4 weeks prior)
Pre-proposal Forms: Guide for Proposers
Requested: project summary + partnership
Ideas and partnership should be pretty clear and stable
Responses from NEST are simply for guidance regarding
suitability of scope and eligibility (not a discussion forum!)
• Responses from NEST do not commit the Commission either
way
• Final decision on proposals made by evaluators
• Pre-proposals (PATHFINDER) and OUTLINE Proposals
(ADVENTURE, INSIGHT) are different things !
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER STREPs
Evaluation criteria
• Relevance to NEST objectives
[4/5]
• Scientific and Technological Excellence
[4/5]
• Potential impact
[3/5]
• Quality of the consortium
[3/5]
• Quality of management
[3/5]
• Mobilisation of resources
[3/5]
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
PATHFINDER topic
identification process
• Started by an internal analysis of :
– NEST-OPEN projects received to date.
– Ideas received through the NEST Ideas in-box.
– Recent and current high level scientific discussion
meetings and European Networking activities.
– European Science Foundation activities.
– Current activities of other research programmes in
and outside the EU.
– Scientific foresight activities.
– The experience of the NEST programme to date.
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Refinement of Ideas
• Follow up with specialised workshop and
consultation with experts in each field
• Workshops allow to refine ideas and find
areas of opportunity
• For existing topics, an analysis is made of the
proposals received, including possible gaps
and areas of weakness
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Ongoing Pathfinder
topics - 2004 Call
Tackling complexity in science
– Explore inter-disciplinary approaches and techniques to
deal with complex problems in diverse areas of science
Synthetic biology
– Develop engineering, device-oriented approaches to
working with sub-cellular building blocks
What it means to be human
– Towards an integrated understanding of the human mind,
by uniting diverse but relevant disciplines
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEW Pathfinder
topics - Call for 2005
Synthetic biology
– Develop engineering, device-oriented approaches to
working with cellular/sub-cellular building blocks
What it means to be human
– Towards an integrated understanding of the human mind,
by uniting diverse but relevant disciplines
Measuring the impossible
– Scientific basis for measurement of phenomena that are
intrinsically multidisciplinary and mediated by human
interpretation and perception
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
PATHFINDER initiative on
Synthetic Biology
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Main Objective
The “design-based engineering”
of systems based on biological
functional rules aimed at
obtaining new functionalities NOT
present in nature
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Why this initiative?
• Be the technological counterpart to systems
biology and foster a novel breakthrough in the
ongoing biology revolution
• Bring a true engineering approach to biology,
which views subcellular biology as a system of
interacting modules
• Ensure that European industry is benefiting from
its tremendous potential and impact (materials
synthesis, energy production, sensing, …)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Project Characteristics (1)
• Address different subcellular modules and
processes (genetic circuits, metabolic
pathways, signal transduction, ….)
• Designed modules and/or systems involve a
high level of internal complexity and
show logical or complex dynamical
behaviour
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Project Characteristics (2)
• Aim for tangible outcomes, demonstrating
engineering control over biological processes
• Interdisciplinary partnerships involving
adequate expertise in core engineering
disciplines
• Have clear long-term applications in mind
although mainly focused on proof-of-principle
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Examples (1st Call)
• EUROBIOSYN (New modular production
platform)
• NETSENSOR (Correction of signal
transduction pathways)
• NEONUCLEI (Synthetic nuclei)
• HYBLIB (Human monoclonal antibody
production)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What research will
be pursued ?
E.g.
•
Engineered functional building blocks, components or
interfaces: e.g. sub-cellular modules, biosynthetic
pathways, molecular machinery, molecular motors,
transport modules, etc. Hierarchical interactions between
different sub-cellular building blocks could be included.
•
Control, regulatory, and communication systems: e.g.
robust genetic regulatory circuits, feedback mechanisms
within components and modules to regulate their behaviour
or communication, etc. Amenability to standardisation is an
important feature.
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What research will
NOT be pursued ?
• Research whose main focus is computational,
combinatorial or biomimetic chemistry
• Research on functional genomics and proteomics,
single-component genetic engineering and classical
biotechnology or metabolic engineering
• Classical protein-engineering or chemistry
• Research on structural biology and systems biology
mainly aimed at the generation of basic knowledge
• Research on tissue engineering, artificial organs and
bionics implants, Artificial Life
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Conclusions
• 1st Call: i) only 15 proposals received, ii) no
Coordination Action(s), iii) 50% of proposals not
regarded as within the scope of the Call
• A topic as novel as „Synthetic biology“
needs time to develop !
• Refinement of reference document for 2nd Call
• Expert Group to be established: to develop a
broader strategy for the area
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
PATHFINDER initiative on
“What it means
to be human”
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Main Objective
What features make human cognitive
abilities unique?
What are the origins of these features?
Why are humans so different?
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Why this initiative?
– Today, a more integrated understanding of
the human mind/brain and its specific features
should allow to open up new scientific
opportunities
– It provides a way to bring together cognitive
sciences and related disciplinary areas that
can all contribute to explore the opportunities
at the interface
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Project Characteristics
• focus on higher cognitive faculties, (thinking,
reasoning, using language) and individual
cognitive development (in the context of social
and cultural factors)
• take a comparative and evolutionary
perspective
• be highly interdisciplinary
• In all cases however, the research must address
the key question: why are humans different?
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
1st Call
2 CAs
20 submissions
18 STREPs / 7 funded
~11 Mio. €
STREPs on:
•Neural origin of language and communication (NEUROCOM)
•Genetic basis for human cognitive abilities (PKB140404)
•Origins of referential communication (REFCOM)
•Evolution, development and control of imitation
•Neurocognitive basis for spatial memory and orientation
•Evolution and development of sign use
•Development of concepts
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Scientific areas
involved
e.g.
Neurocom
Psychologists, linguists, ethnologists, cognitive scientists and neuroscientists
will compare the neural basis of language and communication abilities in adult
humans, babies and monkeys by using brain imaging techniques
REFCOM
Behaviourists, psychologists, cognitive scientists investigate the diverse
mechanisms that result in referential communication by comparing
communicative skills of humans, primates, monkeys, dolphins, parrots and dogs
PKB140404
Neuroscientists and geneticists will identify and characterise “human cognition”
genes and pinpoint genes associated with higher cognitive functions in humans
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Conclusions
• Very successful call with many interesting
projects integrating different fields of science
• Projects of very high quality with the participation
of highly renown institutions and scientists
But: A topic as complex as „What it means
to be human“ needs time to develop !
• Call will be re-opened to complete the portfolio
of projects underway so far
• An Expert Group will be set up to explore the
potential and the strategic development of this
topic in Europe
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
PATHFINDER initiative on
Measuring
the Impossible
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Main Objectives
To give an impulse to more fundamental advances
that will underpin future measurement methods
and techniques
To stimulate a significant advance in the scientific
basis for rigorous measurements of phenomena
that are:
– intrinsically multidisciplinary
– mediated by human interpretation and
perception.
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Background
– NEST workprogramme (Dec 2003)
– Confirmed by the Ideas in box (30% related to
quantification of “’human factors”)
– Two workshops with external experts to
explore candidate areas (April 29, May 28)
– Further exploration, refinement and focusing
via broader consultation (October 20, 2004)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Why this initiative ?
…becomes a general concern for science, business
and public authorities …
Science - strong cross-over between physical, biological and
social sciences
Business - products and services appeal to consumers
according to parameters of quality, beauty, comfort which are
mediated by human perception
Public authorities - provide citizens with support and services
whose performance is measured according to parameters of life
quality, security or well being
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What research will
be pursued ?
•
Projects with the highest “added-value” and long term
impact in terms of advancing the science of
measurement.
•
Challenging objectives where significant steps can be
taken towards answering them during the duration of
the project
•
Interdisciplinary approaches, e.g., by involving
metrology, material sciences, biology, psychophysics,
psychology, cognitive neuroscience, sociology,
ergonomics, …
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Possible Examples (?)
• Measurement of the individual disease probability
(policy, legal and ethical issues associated)
• Measurement how chemical processes occur at
detailed molecular level (better detection of
fraudulent products, tracing illicit drugs)
• Definition of measurement systems that are
required to match human or animal senses.
• Measurement the quality of services (as perceived
by subscribers) is no less important than the
service itself
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Possible Examples (?)
• Measurement of attributes like comfort, feel of
fabric or its texture
• Happiness economics – the application of
econometric techniques to the arena of human
emotion
• Measurement of intangible assets (intellectual
capital of enterprises)
• ….
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
What research will
NOT be pursued ?
•
Development of improved measuring instrumentation, calibration
of devices, inter-comparisons, primary measurements standards
•
Development of new infrastructures, major equipment or facilities
for investigation
•
Research of pure philosophical/theoretical nature/or tackling this
issue in isolation of possible real-life problems and applications
•
Research associated with Marketing or other areas that could be
used to manipulate the customers
•
Research resulting in incremental development
•
Research intended to be kept confidential
•
Research of limited interdisciplinarity or covered by other FP6
activities (Thematic Priorities, other PATHFINDER initiatives)
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Specific Target Research
Projects (STREPs)
Fundamental scientific advances supported
by interdisciplinary research and novel
investigative methods for the measurement
of intrinsically multidimensional
phenomena, and which are mediated by
human interpretation and perception.
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
• “Hard and soft sciences interdisciplinarity
should be developed and the distances
and similarities between them urgently
discussed”.
(EURAB April 2004)
• Measuring the Impossible is a very
interdisciplinary topic and a fantastic
opportunity to create excellence
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
INSTRUMENTS
AND
EVALUATION
Reference document: download
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Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Instruments
Overview
ADVENTURE
&
INSIGHT
STREP
NEST
SUPPORT
PATHFINDER PATHFINDER
SSA
STREP
CA & SSA
2-stage
evaluation
1-stage
evaluation
1-stage
evaluation
1-stage
evaluation
OUTLINE
FULL proposals FULL proposals FULL proposals
proposals
not anonymous not anonymous not anonymous
anonymous
FULL proposals
not anonymous
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Evaluation of
OUTLINE STREPs
OUTLINE
proposals
Remote referees,
individual assessments
Anonymous
Prepare full
proposal in
~ 2 months
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
OUTLINE
stage panel
NO
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Evaluation of
FULL STREPs
FULL
proposals
Remote referees,
individual assessments
Non
anonymous
Negotiation
and contract
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
FULL
stage panel
NO
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Evaluation of
CAs and SSAs
Proposals
Non
anonymous
Remote referees,
individual assessments
Panel
Negotiation
and contract
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
NO
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST Evaluation
Key Elements (1)
• NEST has developed a panel-based, peer-review
style process – which differs from “standard” FP6
• Evaluation criteria are specific to the activity: they
are excellence-centered
• Transparent feedback to proposers, recognising the
legitimacy of differences of opinion between peerreviewers
• Efficiency for proposers and reviewers is paramount
• Following EC guidelines of fairness and quality
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST Evaluation
Key Elements (2)
• The total Pool of Evaluators covers all areas of S/T
• Final decisions are made by the NEST panel: ~ 40
high-level scientists with a broad perspective and a
good appreciation of multi-disciplinary issues
• Their decisions are based on assessments from ~ 300
specialised remote referees, typ. 4 to 6 per proposal
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
NEST evaluation
Key Elements (3)
• Feedback to proposers consists of the Evaluation
Summary Report, ESR
• The ESR implements NEST’s commitment to
transparency: it shows everything that is written about the
proposal:
– Final marks awarded by the panel
– A panel comment reflecting the panel’s opinion
– All comments from each individual referee
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
Analysis of Previous
NEST Calls
See also www.cordis.lu/nest
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Organisation type (1)
Distribution of organisations of proposals submitted
(Total number 6143)
IND
11%
RES
33%
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
OTH
5%
HE
51%
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Organisation type (2)
Distribution of organisations of proposals retained
(Total number 1041)
IND OTH
7% 2%
RES
37%
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
HE
54%
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Country participation
70
participation
retained
PARTICIPATION
600
60
500
50
400
40
300
30
200
20
100
10
0
0
AT BE CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GR HU IE IT LT LV LU MT NL PL PT SE SI SK UK CH IL NO
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
RETAINED
700
Funding in MEuro
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
AT BE CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GR HU IE
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
IT LT LV LU MT NL PL PT SE SI SK UK CH IL NO
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Funding/GDP (Euro)
AT BE CY CZ DE DK EE ES
FI FR GR HU IE
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
IT
LT LV LU MT NL PL PT SE SI SK UK CH IL NO
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
Feedback and lessons from
Previous Calls
See also www.cordis.lu/nest
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Feedback from
previous calls
• All indications are that NEST – an “experiment” in
FP6 – is successful and delivers on its mandate
• The new approaches have been broadly vindicated
– Science-driven portfolio
– ADVENTURE, INSIGHT and PATHFINDER packages
– Evaluation procedure
• The main difficulty is the limited budget
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Feedback from
previous calls
• The science-driven approach leads to very
high quality science by excellent groups
• The “peer review” style evaluation and the
transparent feedback to proposers have been
well-received
• The 2-stage procedure with the “5-page
OUTLINE proposal” is efficient for all
concerned
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Feedback from
previous calls
• “New” communities are brought into the
European research programme:
– Mathematics, after a slow start
– The PATHFINDER communities
• Social and cognitive sciences remains an area
with low success rate: increase awareness
• The potential of the INSIGHT concept is not
realised: the parameters have been redefined
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
www.cordis.lu/nest
MESSAGES FOR
PROPOSERS
Reference document: download
from www.cordis.lu/nest
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Messages for
Proposers (I)
• NEST proposals should “lie outside or cut across” the
Thematic Priorities
• Many proposers appears insufficiently aware of the
basic principles behind NEST:
– ADVENTURE: novelty, ambition, risk, impact
– INSIGHT: risks arising from novel phenomena
– Support actions must help in implementation of NEST
• INSIGHT and ADVENTURE are different things. A
project must be designed for the one or the other
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Messages for
Proposers (II)
• 5-page OUTLINE proposals are not about describing
an idea for an area of work.
• They should contain a concise description:
– What exactly is the novelty of the proposal
– What are you planning to do and how?
– What may one expect as a result of the project?
– What would be the impact on science and technology
• A degree of quantification might be useful
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Messages for
Proposers (III)
• Innovations in social sciences and economics are
very welcome in NEST as long as they conform to
the requirements set in the reference documents
• Proposals on mathematics are welcome providing
that the new techniques are coupled with the
development of knowledge in other scientific and
technological spheres
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Final advice
• Please read the NEST reference documents
http://www.cordis.lu/nest/publications.htm
• Please specify one single Activity Code:
ADVENTURE, INSIGHT, NEST SUPPORT, PATHFINDER
• The Electronic Proposal Submission System, EPSS is now
mandatory
• PLEASE DON’T SUBMIT LAST MINUTE
“A deadline is what it says!”
• Your NEST NCP (National Contact Point) will help you
the NEST NCP informs, advices and supports potential applicants in the
preparation, submission and follow-up of NEST project proposals
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology
Information
Sources
• NEST Web-site: http://www.cordis.lu/nest
• NEST documents: http://www.cordis.lu/nest/publications.htm
• Info on contracts: www.cordis.lu/fp6/instruments.htm
• NEST helpdesk: rtd-nest@cec.eu.int
• Evaluators: http://www.cordis.lu/experts/fp6_candidature.htm
• CORDIS: http://www.cordis.lu
Specific Activities Covering a Wider Field of Research
New and Emerging Science and Technology