ERA-Can

Fall 2011

Canada-EU Research News

Fall Edition

Contents:

Upcoming Events: Learn more about opportunities for Canadians
Growing Number of Canadians in FP7 Projects
Canadians in FP7 – Building 4G Wireless Connectivity
Current FP7 Calls-for-Proposals

Upcoming Events

1) Sept. 8, 2011: ERA-Can Information Session – University of Western Ontario, London, ON

The presentation will focus on opportunities for Canadians in European FP7 research programs as well as Marie Curie mobility and career development programs:

There are currently 201 Canadians in FP7 research projects.
Marie Curie International Fellowships support both European placements for researchers from Canada and Canadian placements for researchers from Europe.

For more information, please visit our website.

To explore possibilities for an information session at your university, please contact: Mélodie Cardin, Manager of Communications: melodie.cardin@era-can.ca

2) Sept. 14, 2011: Webinar on FP7 Research, Mobility and Training Grants (1:00 – 2:30 PM EDT)

ERA-Can invites Canadian researchers and research managers from across Canada to participate in a live Web Seminar on FP7 research and Marie Curie training and mobility programs. Presentation will focus on:

Opportunities for Canadian in FP7 research, training and mobility programs
Examples of Canadians in FP7 projects
How to become part of a FP7 project

For more information, please click here.

3) Sept 29-30, 2011: FP7 Legal and Financial Workshop, Ottawa

The workshop is designed to provide expert advice from experienced European FP7 project managers to Canadian researchers and research managers who are currently, or who plan to, participate in FP7 projects. It will focus on FP7 Cooperation (research) and People (Marie Curie mobility and training) Grants and cover:

How to prepare a successful application: from project development to submission
How to manage the negotiation phase: from evaluation to project launch
How to successfully manage participation in a project: from launch to completion

Click here for more information.

Growing Number of Canadians in FP7 Projects

The number of Canadians participating in European Framework Programme projects has been steadily increasing over the years. FP7 (2007-2013) now has a record high of 201 Canadian researchers or research institutions participating in 166 projects. More than double the 97 Canadians that participated in FP6 (2002-2006).

The 201 Canadian participants are found in all four of the major project categories: cooperation, capacities, ideas and people. By far the largest number is in the Cooperation category that supports large international research projects. These 109 Canadians are working in ten thematic areas. The largest numbers are in Health (24), Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology (23), Information and Communication Technologies (15) and Environment (14). Outside the Cooperation category, the greatest concentration of Canadian researchers and research organizations is in the People category that offers support for researcher mobility and training including the prestigious Marie Curie International Fellowships. There are currently 68 Canadian researchers and research institutions either working abroad or hosting European researchers in Canada.

Canadians in FP7 – Building 4G Wireless Connectivity

Dr. Halim Yanikomeroglu, a researcher in Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University, was a key player in WINNER (Wireless World Initiative New Radio), a groundbreaking FP7 research consortium from 2004 to 2007. The project – engaging researchers in universities and companies around the world - created a single, comprehensive radio system (4G Wireless) that will encompass all communications environments and significantly improve the efficiency of wireless communications.

“This was very good for Canada to distinguish itself,” says Dr. Yanikomeroglu. Three Carleton researchers participated in the project with support from NSERC.

Current FP7 Calls-for-Proposals

We are pleased to share with you the most recent calls for proposals from the European Commission. The specific calls listed on our website have been identified as areas in which the Commission would particularly welcome Canadian participation:

Energy
Environment (including Climate Change)
Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy
Health
Transport (including Aeronautics)

FP7 Calls-for-Proposals focus research on major societal and global challenges. They encourage leading researchers from across Europe, in all sectors, to work together with researchers from around the world.

If you work with European colleagues in one of these areas, would like to develop a project with them or explore the possibility of joining in a proposal already coming together in Europe, please contact ERA-Can for more information on how to pursue these opportunities.