1 Travel Exchange Grant

The Travel Exchange Grant, sponsored by Chemistry Europe, is an initiative fostering collaboration among promising young researchers and leading principal investigators in the European scientific community. This program aims to create impactful connections, facilitate laboratory visits, and promote knowledge exchange, while concurrently advancing Chemistry Europe’s visibility among emerging talented chemists.

Chemistry Europe is an association of 16 chemical societies from 15 European Countries. Handled by chemists for chemistry, our role is to evaluate, publish, disseminate, and amplify the scientific excellence of chemistry researchers from around the world. We publish high-impact research on all aspects of chemistry and work from adjacent scientific areas that show chemistry’s role as central science. We provide a scientific platform for original and inspirational work from across the discipline. Our mission is to support our members throughout their careers.

 

2 Objectives

Reinforcing research collaborations and connections, supporting the careers of young talented researchers

 

2.1 Facilitating Collaboration

The primary aim of the Travel Exchange Grant is to create a platform for young, talented researchers to reinforce connections with top-level principal investigators outside their country. The program intends to provide an opportunity for participants to gain exposure to joint research projects by visiting laboratories at the forefront of scientific research.

 

2.2 Professional Development

The initiative aims to equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their scientific careers.

 

3 Who Can Apply

The Travel Exchange Grant program is open to applications from researchers who meet the following eligibility criteria:

 

3.1 Experience Level

Applicants must be researchers who are within 2 to 7 years from the date of obtaining their Ph.D. degree.

 

3.2 Publication Requirement

Applicants must have published at least one original article during the previous year as a reference author (first, corresponding, or last author) in one of the journals of the Chemistry Europe family.

 

3.3 Membership

Applicants must be members in good standing and regularly registered in one of Chemistry Europe’s partner societies.

 

4 Evaluation Criteria

To evaluate the suitability of candidates for the Travel Exchange Grant, the following factors will be taken into consideration:

 

4.1 Publications

Articles published in journals within the Chemistry Europe family, specifically within the 2 to 7 years following the attainment of their Ph.D. degree.

 

4.2 Impact in the Research Community

The impact of the applicant’s research contributions on the broader research community.

 

4.3 Correlation with Exchange Activity

The alignment between the applicant’s research interests and the goals of the proposed exchange activity. It will be also supported by the alignment of the Principal Investigator’s (PI) choice.

 

5 The Grant

The Travel Exchange Grant (15 grants per year, one per Chemistry Europe Country, divided into two rounds, 8 countries for 2024 (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands) and seven countries for 2025 (France, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland), in the amount of € 2000, will be awarded to selected applicants to visit a PI outside the applicants’ country for a period of minimum one month-maximum two months. This grant encompasses the following costs:

Travel Expenses (max 600 €)

• Airfare: economy class round-trip tickets to the host institution within a Chemistry Europe member state.
• Local Transportation: expenses related to commuting between the airport, accommodation, and the host institution.

Accommodation (max 1400€)

• Lodging: Accommodation expenses for the duration of the research visit, ensuring a comfortable and secure stay for the awardee. This may include hotel/B&B costs, costs for renting a room or a small flat, or arrangements made through the host institution.

Awardees (each of them coming from a different CE National society) can choose any institution as host outside their country. It is not possible to visit any institution within the same country. The Travel Exchange Grant funds research visits of a minimum of 1 month and a maximum of 2 months. The travel should be completed before December 31st, 2024 for the first round and before December 31st, 2025 for the second round.

 

5.1 Grant Disbursement Schedule

1. First Half Payment (Before Secondment):

   • Upon selection as a Travel Exchange Grant awardee, the first half of the grant amount will be disbursed to the recipient.
   • This initial payment is intended to assist with preparatory expenses such as securing travel arrangements, accommodation reservations, and other logistical aspects before the research visit to the host institution begins.
   • It provides financial support to facilitate a smooth transition and ensure that the awardee can focus on the upcoming collaboration without immediate financial concerns.

2. Second Half Payment (After Return Assurance):

   • The remaining half of the grant amount will be disbursed upon completion of the research visit and the fulfillment of the post-grant return assurance requirement.
   • Awardees must provide documentation certifying that they have returned to their institutional home for at least three months after the completion of the travel exchange grant to qualify for the second disbursement.
   • This delayed payment structure is designed to encourage awardees to adhere to the stipulated return period and ensures that the grant supports both the research visit and the subsequent integration back into their home institutions.

5.2 Publication Opportunity

Successful participants will have the unique opportunity to publish the results derived from their newly established collaboration on one of the journals within the Chemistry Europe family as gold open access, free of charge (a normal peer-review process will be applied). This ensures that the outcomes of the exchange program receive maximum visibility and accessibility within the scientific community. The participant will be also invited to write an experience article for promotional purposes.

The combination of financial support and the opportunity for open-access publication aims to enable seamless collaboration and knowledge dissemination among researchers, fostering excellence and innovation in the field of chemistry within Europe.

 

6 How to Apply

The applicant should write a small proposal according to the enclosed format describing the research activities he/she is going to perform in the hosting group, as a result of the collaboration that she/he wants to finalize with the visit and how it will influence his/her career and research activity. The application form must be accompanied by the curriculum vitae of the applicant and an acceptance letter from the PI who is going to host the researcher, together with a list of significant publications of both the applicant and the PI.

The deadline for the application to be submitted for the 2024 edition is May 10th, 2024.

The application deadline for the CE Travel Grant Program for Round 1 extended to 30 November 2024.

The application must be sent to her/his national society and the selection process will be performed by a committee appointed by the same society. Each society will select three applicants per year.

The selected national applicants are the final candidates, and a committee nominated by Chemistry Europe will select the final awardees (one for each owner society) among them. The committee will include one representative of those Chemistry Europe national societies that do not belong to the year-round: France, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

 

 

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