INTRODUCTION

The "ASTRONET ERA-NET" project has been initiated with the aim of enhancing the co-ordination and co-operation between national funding and research management organisations in Europe who are responsible for astronomical research.

The ERA-NET scheme is the principal means for the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to support this trans-national harmonisation of research activities (e.g. programmes, strategic projects) being funded and carried out at national or regional level. The organisations involved in ASTRONET (national funding organisations, research councils, research ministries, research programme management organisations) have been closely co-operating with the goal of initiating a truly trans-national funding initiative (call for proposals) in Astronomy in early 2008.

Under the umbrella of ASTRONET

• the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Austria;
• the National Centre for Scientific Research/ National Institute for Science of the Universe (CNRS/INSU), France;
• the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany;
• the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), The Netherlands;
• the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN), Spain;
• the Swedish Research Council (SRC), Sweden;

(hereafter called the Partners) have together decided to open the first joint call for multilateral trans-national research projects. This call has become effective on the 1st of February 2008 and is open for research projects aiming at: “Common Tools for Future Large sub-mm Facilities”

22-09-2008

RECOMMENDATION BY THE ASTRONET JOINT CALL BOARD TO THE NATIONAL FUNDING AGENCIES

On September 22nd 2008, the ASTRONET Joint Call Board convened to decide on funding for the 11 ASTRONET proposals. Their decision is based on the ranking of the proposals by the ASTRONET Joint Call Jury (see the composition below) and the prospectively available budget. The ASTRONET Joint Call Board recommends the following 5 proposals for funding by the national funding agencies:

Proposal 1

PI: Prof. dr. Marc Sauvage

Title: «Compressed Sensing for Herschel» (CSH)

Funding agencies involved: CNRS, FWF

Proposal 2

PI: Dr. Patrick Hennebelle

Title: «Star Formation Models and Tools: A Theoretical Database» (STAR FORMAT)

Funding agencies involved: BMBF, CNRS

Proposal 3

PI: Prof. dr. Peter Schilke

Title: «Coherent set of Astrophysical Tools for Spectroscopy» (CATS)

Funding agencies involved: BMBF, CNRS, SRC

Proposal 4

PI: Dr. Jes Jørgensen

Title: «Adaptive Radiative Transfer Innovations for Submillimeter Telescopes» (ARTIST)

Funding agencies involved: BMBF, MICINN, NWO

Proposal 5

PI: Prof. dr. Marc Sauvage

Title: «Tools for Advanced Map-making, Analysis, and Simulations of Sub-mm surveys» (TAMASIS)

Funding agencies involved: CNRS, FWF, NWO

The final decision to fund projects will be undertaken by the national funding agencies participating in this call. Following the formal national decisions, more information will be made available.

The members of the ASTRONET Joint Call Jury are:

 Stéphane Guilloteau (University of Bordeaux)

 Martin McCoustra (Heriot Watt University, chair)

 Karl Menten (MPIfR)

 Stephan Ott (ESA/ESTEC)

 Alison Peck (ALMA office)

 Ismael Pérez-Fournon (IAC, vice-chair)

 Joachim Wambsganss (University of Heidelberg)

 Anthony Whitworth (University of Cardiff)

15-04-2008

THE FIRST ASTRONET JOINT CALL RESULTED IN 11 PROPOSALS

The first ASTRONET Joint Call has received 11 research proposals, with in total almost 100 participants, from 9 different EU countries. The 6 ASTRONET Joint Call Partners (BMBF, CNRS, FWF, MICINN, NWO and SRC) have in total 3.2 M€ available for funding of their researchers in this call. The applicants from the other 3 countries (Czech Republic, Italy and the UK) found the proposals interesting enough that they will participate at their own expenses.

01-02-2008

"Common Tools for Future Large sub-mm Facilities"

THE CALL (is now closed)

For more information about the call.

For applicable National Regulations see the National Annexes.

CONTACT

In case you have any questions about the call, do not hesitate to contact the ASTRONET JOINT CALL secretariat.

E-mail: astronet@nwo.nl

Telephone: +31 (0)70344 0921