Ideas and independence are crucial, agreed ERC grant researchers at BUT

How to Apply for European Research Council (ERC) Grants and What Is Key to Their Success? Tips and specific recommendations for successful navigation in the premier league of scientific excellence were shared with future applicants by four recent or current ERC grant holders from BUT and CEITEC. This unique opportunity was offered by a seminar organized on March 17 by the Department of Project Support of the Brno University of Technology. This second iteration of the event, part of activities supporting scientific excellence at VUT, also provided insights into the evaluation of applications from the panelists' perspective and familiarized participants with the national support system for ERC grant applicants in the Czech Republic.

The seminar brought together four scientists and one female scientist with experience in ERC grants at various levels—as grant applicants, principal investigators, or participants in evaluation panels.

Andrea Konečná from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering BUT and CEITEC BUT, who is working on new methods of electron microscopy, recently advanced to the second round of the ERC Starting Grant with her application. Miroslav Vořechovský from the Faculty of Civil Engineering BUT not only succeeded in the interdisciplinary ERC Synergy Grant but is also the first scientist from the Czech Republic to act as a coordinator within this grant scheme. Eric Glowacki, who focuses on neurostimulation with his group at CEITEC BUT, is a current ERC Starting Grant holder.

Another successful recipient of the prestigious grant is Petr Neugebauer from CEITEC VUT, who operates in the field of spectroscopy. Pavel Tomančák is an evolutionary biologist, director of the CEITEC consortium, and within the ERC, he is a holder of a Starting Grant and an investigator of an Advanced Grant. In addition to these experiences, he adds a role in a 12-member expert group that, since January 2021, has been assisting with the preparation of Czech applicants and has positively influenced recent successes of Czech science in the ERC.

In her presentation, Lyudmyla Tysyachna from the Technology Centre Prague (TC) highlighted the Expert Group for Supporting ERC Applicants and the welcoming community of scientists in the Czech Republic who have experience with the ERC and are willing to help. Tysyachna herself is a national contact person tasked with comprehensively assisting the participation of Czech scientists in project calls related to excellent research. Examples of this assistance include support activities offered by the TC:

• Day with ERC,
• National Information Day on ERC Grants,
• workshops for ERC applicants (capacity of 50 applicants per year),
• preparation of "mock" interviews for ERC applicants.

What Was Discussed at the Seminar?

The Main Thing Is the Idea

The speakers agreed that the foundation of a successful project is the idea. "If you have a truly excellent idea, a slightly lower quality of the project application or presentation won't matter, and you'll capture the evaluators' attention," said Miroslav Vořechovský, and Petr Neugebauer reminded that, compared to this, citation indexes or other career indicators are secondary: "The essential thing was the idea I pursued. If the evaluators had emphasized my H-index, I wouldn't have received the grant."

During the seminar, other recommendations for preparing applications and presentations were also shared—such as not overwhelming evaluators with details and ensuring the presentation includes something memorable. Clear and convincing responses to questions asked after the presentation, which are often unpredictable, are also crucial. "Even though I went through about ten 'mock' interviews before the evaluation panel, I still received questions that I absolutely did not expect," shared Andrea Konečná.

Building a Strong Foundation and Applying at the Right Time

Pavel Tomančák based his ERC project application on a paper he had recently published in Nature and believes that was a key factor in securing the grant. "Success in science cannot be guaranteed. One year, you publish excellent papers, and then for five years, nothing. The best time to apply for an ERC grant is when you are at your peak."

Erik Glowacki agreed: "It is definitely beneficial to have some solid research outputs or publications that form the basis of the application," adding that, in his opinion, it is more important to focus on science and research rather than preparing grant applications too early. "I think it is best to apply at a stage when you are more mature, experienced, and have strong results. With those, the readiness to submit an application comes naturally."

Petr Neugebauer also pointed out the financial aspect of applications: "It is important to have at least a small grant behind you, such as a GAČR grant, to demonstrate that you can manage funding effectively."

Demonstrating Independence and Career Growth

Eric Glowacki emphasized the importance of scientific independence and career progression, showing that the applicant continuously advances in research. International experience is crucial in this regard, especially at an institution different from where the applicant completed their PhD. "You must prove your scientific independence and show that your success is directly linked to you, not just the institution where you started."

A Fair Competition

In panel evaluations, absolute focus is placed on the project itself. Only scientific arguments are relevant. Pavel Tomančák and Miroslav Vořechovský, both of whom have served as ERC panel evaluators, confirmed this.

"Panelists do not review all projects; they only read some and must rely on external specialist reviews for others. There is an element of chance in the evaluation process, but overall, it is an extremely fair competition where the outcome must not be influenced by factors unrelated to the evaluation criteria," Vořechovský emphasized.

The ERC takes conflicts of interest seriously. "For example, I cannot evaluate any project from Brno or projects from the Max Planck Society, where I lead a research group. The ERC places a strong emphasis on fundamental fairness. There is no behind-the-scenes manipulation, and any potential risks in this regard are taken very seriously," added Tomančák.

Serving as an ERC Panel Evaluator Is a National Responsibility

Having evaluator experience is highly beneficial, but it is also important to recognize that each panel operates differently. "In the Czech Republic, we need experience from a variety of panels because each one functions differently. Therefore, if you are invited to participate in an evaluation panel, it is practically a national duty to accept the offer," said Pavel Tomančák with a touch of humor.

Do you have an idea with the potential to succeed in top-tier scientific grant applications and need guidance on the next steps? Contact Karolína Nehudková or Eva Vojtíšková from the BUT Department of Project Support. You can also reach them via email at: excellence@vutbr.cz

Collaboration Between Universities and Applicants Is Key to Success

Although ERC grants are awarded to individual researchers who can transfer them to another institution with a single signature, they are a prestigious achievement for any university. It is in the university’s best interest to provide applicants with the support needed to help them grow. "I am very pleased that BUT has recently been successful in creating conditions for the implementation of excellent research projects. That is why we recently established the Excellence Fund, not only for ERC applicants but also for other top-tier projects. We are also preparing for the launch of the Excelence project under the Ministry of Education, which is designed to support and sustain excellent teams that have emerged through ERC grants. Additionally, we are working on further measures, including administrative improvements, to increase the number of high-quality projects secured," said Martin Weiter, BUT Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer.

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Author	Mgr. Petr Kubíček
Published	2025-04-02 15:49
Link	https://www.vut.cz/en/but/f19528/d285849