First open call for research projects

Recherche
08 Juin 2021
NCCR Automation is opening its network to new members to address the social science dimension of automation and to strengthen its research on embedded systems, cyber-security and data science.
Fellowships

NCCR Automation would like to invite advanced researchers to submit a research proposal on one of the following topics:

  • Topic 1 – Investigation of the socio-economic, legal, ethical and political impact of dependable automation: Questions of interest include how improved dependability affects public perceptions of ubiquitous automation, to which extent increased acceptance offers an economic edge that can be exploited for new services and products, legal aspects of ubiquitous automation, impact on the workforce, etc.
  • Topic 2 – Embedded systems, cyber-security, data science for automation: Theoretical innovations with respect to embedded systems, cyber security or data science in automation but also as it pertains to one of the following application areas: energy systems, manufacturing, transportation systems.

We anticipate that several projects will be funded across these topics.

Successful applicants will join NCCR Automation as associated members. Associated members are part of the network and its activities, receive budget towards hiring researchers, but are not members of the General Assembly of Principal Investigators. 

 

Eligibility criteria

  • The applicant must be employed at a Swiss research institution at the time the project starts and must fulfil the requirements of the SNSF for receiving project funding.
  • The available budget is for the salary of a PhD student (for up to 4 years, at the standard SNSF rate) or for the salary of a postdoctoral researcher (for up to 2 years, max. CHF 116’000 per year), plus an additional supplement for travel and publications (max. CHF 5’000 per year). The standard SNSF rules for expenses, duration of PhD, etc. apply; please note that, in particular, the principal investigator’s salary is not covered by this funding. 

 

Application process

Please complete the corresponding proposal form and submit it in pdf form to the NCCR Automation management team (email: contact@nccr-automation.ch) by 17:00 (CEST) on June 30th, 2021. A confirmation of receipt will be sent within a week after submission. Complementary information, or re-submission may be requested in case of missing or incomplete information.

The call documents can be found here. 

 

Evaluation process

Each research project proposal will be peer-reviewed by a committee composed of members from the NCCR Automation Executive Committee, where necessary in consultation with field experts, based on the following criteria:  

  • Scientific quality of the research project: scientific relevance to NCCR Automation and the call topics, originality, suitability of the methods, and feasibility; 
  • Scientific qualification and ability of the applicant to conduct the proposed research; 
  • Adequacy of the requested funding. 

 

The following criteria are not compulsory, but will be considered positively by the evaluation committee in case two research projects are comparably evaluated: 

  • Envisioned long-term collaboration within the NCCR Network and its Principal Investigators;
  • Collaboration with one of the current NCCR Principal Investigators;
  • Interdisciplinarity. 

 

A selection of project proposals will be invited to present their project to the evaluation committee during an online interview.  

 

Selected research projects

The allocated budget will be paid retrospectively in four-month tranches based on spending and in accordance with the NCCR budget guidelines provided by the SNSF. The project can begin within three months from 1st October 2021.

 

Contact person

Dr Elise Cahard

NCCR Automation Manager

Email: ecahard@nccr-automation.ch

044 632 33 66