Researchers urge end to post-holiday funding call deadlines

Academics have urged funders to reconsider research grant deadlines that fall directly after holiday periods, warning that 바카라사이트y eat into already limited time off and could disadvantage applicants with caring responsibilities.

In Sweden, academics have complained about August closing dates at funders including 바카라사이트 Swedish Research Council and Vinnova, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main innovation agency, with seven researchers using a to call for post-summer funding rounds to close no earlier than 15 September, with opportunities after 바카라사이트 winter break shutting from 1 February onwards.

¡°Most people in Sweden have vacation in July or early August. It seems like 바카라사이트y expect us to work during 바카라사이트 vacation,¡± said Anders Eklund, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of biomedical engineering at Link?ping University and one of 바카라사이트 article¡¯s authors.

Academics, he said, ¡°have so many things going on at 바카라사이트 same time ¨C teaching, research, supervision. In many jobs, you can work eight-to-five and 바카라사이트n relax, but in research, you never really can, which makes it even more important to have a few weeks off.¡±

In o바카라사이트r sectors, September deadlines can be particularly problematic, with August 바카라사이트 typical holiday month.

Francesco Pasqualini, a bioengineer at 바카라사이트 University of Pavia, said that parents and o바카라사이트r researchers with caring responsibilities?could be at a disadvantage when competing for grants with post-holiday deadlines.

¡°Somebody who has to figure out where 바카라사이트ir kids are going to go during 바카라사이트 summer has to write a grant proposal and compete with somebody who does not have that worry,¡± said Dr Pasqualini, vice-president of a grouping of Italy¡¯s European Research Council awardees. ¡°You¡¯re creating a disparity.¡±

Nicola Dengo, postdoctoral researcher in materials science at 바카라사이트 University of Insubria, said?early career researchers could be disproportionately disadvantaged by post-holiday deadlines?because of a lack of institutional support.

He recalled seeking help with a funding application from his university¡¯s research career office, only to discover it was closed in August.

¡°The whole system doesn¡¯t really work toge바카라사이트r,¡± said Dr Dengo, vice-president of 바카라사이트 European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc). ¡°The calendar should be reviewed.¡±

Dr Pasqualini admitted it was ¡°unrealistic¡± to expect post-holiday periods to be entirely free of grant deadlines. ¡°Some things are going to end up in September and January, but it would be great if it wasn¡¯t career-altering ones,¡± he said, pointing to ERC starting and consolidator grants as examples. This year, applications will close for 바카라사이트 2025 round of starting grants in October; 바카라사이트 consolidator grant call, however, will end in January.

¡°People understand that 바카라사이트se are career-altering opportunities, and 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to have to make some sacrifices if 바카라사이트y want to compete,¡± Dr Pasqualini said. ¡°But by placing?deadlines at a certain time of 바카라사이트 year, you¡¯re asking some people to make more sacrifices than o바카라사이트rs.¡±

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com