Budget and timeline

A total budget of ~8.4 M€ is available to fund research through two individual calls.

The calls have the following deadlines:

Call 1: 17 September 2020, 17.00 hours for projects, which are expected to start January 1, 2021

Call 2: 1 July 2021, 17.00 hours for projects, which are expected to start January 1, 2022

Proposals are to be submitted as a pdf file and should be received for before the deadline by email to rso.geo@uu.nl

 

Themes and Background

The NIOZ and UU strategic themes are the basis for the four themes of this call. The NIOZ science and strategic plan 2020-2025 addresses pressing questions concerning the (future) functioning of (coastal) seas and oceans. For the coming years NIOZ has defined three strategic themes, also for its’ national marine research program. These are: Our Ocean, Our Coast, Our Future. These themes align closely with the UU strategic programs: Pathways to Sustainability, Institutions for Open Societies and Life Sciences. The joint NIOZ-UU research themes address important societal and scientific challenges and form the basis for the collaboration between NIOZ and UU. For the call the following themes have been defined and the research proposals need to be linked to these themes.

1: Our Dynamic Coasts: This theme will connect physical, chemical, and biological processes that take place in coastal zones, deltas and estuaries. This research theme links the hub Water, Climate and Future Deltas in the UU Pathways to Sustainability with the NIOZ theme Our Coast. Subjects could involve, but are not restricted to, sea-level rise, estuarine and coastal dynamics, sand waves, building with nature, etc.

2: Sustainable functioning of coastal and shelf seas: This theme aims at an integral view on ecosystem functioning, human impact and use of coastal and shelf seas. Potential studies could target nutrient and carbon transfers from land and cycling in the ocean (e.g. eutrophication, greenhouse gases), limitations on multiple use of our continental shelves (e.g. legal and governance aspects). Research in this theme links the UU Pathways to Sustainability and/or Institutions for Open Societies to the NIOZ theme Our Coast.

3: Ocean of Discovery: This theme focuses on the major unknowns in biogeochemical cycling, microbial life in the oceans linking past, present and future. Potential subjects involve microbiology, microbial ecology, biogeochemical cycles and bio-informatics. This research theme links the NIOZ Our Ocean theme with the UU Pathways to Sustainability.

4: Our Future Ocean: This theme includes research on physical, chemical and biological oceanography. Potential topics within this theme are ocean warming, ocean acidification and the biological pump. This theme also includes paleoceanography and paleoclimatology (what can we learn from changes in the past) as well as potential socio-economic impact.

 

Who can apply?

Researchers at NIOZ or UU who have a permanent position or who are employed through a tenure track position can apply. All proposals need to be supported ‘dual PI’, this means that they should be supported by one researcher from NIOZ and one from UU. These two will serve as PI’s. A researcher can be PI in only one proposal, this holds for both the application phase as well as for running projects. This means that PI’s whose proposal was successful in call 1 cannot apply in call 2. Additional researchers, including those of other universities, can complete and be part of the research team without limitations on the amount of proposals they support. Please note that if researchers from other universities are included in a research team, they cannot receive funding through this scheme. This thus means they will have to ensure their own finances if necessary.

To facilitate establishing links between UU and NIOZ researchers an information meeting (with matchmaking opportunity) will be organized on Wednesday 15 July at 14h00. You can join the meeting following this link to Teams.

 

What can be applied for?

The maximum budget that can be applied for per proposal is 350.000 euro. Funding can be requested for personnel and project related consumables and travel. Where relevant co-funding can be mentioned. Shiptime (RV Pelagia, RV Navicula) can be applied for in accordance with the applicable national rules (nwo.nl/vaartijd). Funding for major equipment cannot be applied for here.

Personnel: it is possible to apply for PhD students, Postdocs and technician. The budgets should use the current CAO Onderzoeksinstellingen (CAO-OI). Maximum duration of individual projects will be 5 years (PhD projects 4 years). All appointments will be through NIOZ. All PhD degrees will be awarded through UU and candidates will be enlisted in one of the UU Graduate schools. This implies that these PhD’s will have the same benefits and obligations as those employed directly at UU. In principle they will be allowed to spend upto 20% of their contract hours on receiving and providing teaching. When necessary exceptions can be made, which should be detailed in the individual PhD training and development plan. Bench fees for PhD students, including additional cost related to working at multiple locations (Yerseke, Texel, Utrecht) should be incorporated in the requested budgets.

 

Assessment procedure

The quality of the proposals will be assessed using a peer review procedure by a committee consisting of independent (international) scientists.

Criteria and weighing

1) Quality of the proposed study, including originality/novelty, and clarity of the research plan (coherence, credibility, feasibility) (50%)

2) Quality of the research team (including added values of e.g. new teams) (30%)

3) Fit with the research call and themes, including future perspectives for UU-NIOZ collaboration (20%)

 

Decision taking

Based on the ranking provided by the external reviewers funding will be awarded by the steering committee. The aim is to distribute available funds evenly over the four research themes described above.

PDF template UU-NIOZ proposal 2020PDF template UU-NIOZ proposal 2020

 

Where can you find each other?

Are you looking for a collaboration partner for a project? You can find each other on the following website:  https://padlet.com/pmathijssen/NIOZ_UU_Call