Exact and Natural Sciences

Call for proposals

Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition A student competition for students of universities and universities of applied sciences 2017

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The Hague, December 2016 Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Contents 1

2 3

4 5 6

Introduction

1

1.1

Background

1

1.2

Available budget

1

1.3

Validity of the call for proposals

Aim Guidelines for applicants

1

2 3

3.1

Who can apply

3

3.2

What can be applied for

3

3.3

When can applications be submitted

3

3.4

Preparing an application

3

3.5

Specific conditions

3

3.6

Submitting an application

Assessment procedure

6

4.1

Procedure

6

4.2

Criteria

Contact details and other information

8

5.1

Contact

8

5.2

Other information

Annexe(s)

4

7

8

9

1 Chapter 1: Introduction / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

1 Introduction 1.1

Background This year, the fourth edition of the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition is organized by NWO together with the Top Sector Chemistry. This competition is open for Master students from Dutch universities and final-year students from universities of applied sciences (HBO). Student teams are invited to submit their ideas for an interesting and creative research project, focusing on a societal or industrial research question. The competition is open for students enrolled in chemistry, but also for interdisciplinary teams with students in e.g. biology, biomedical sciences, physics, and computer science, as long as the research question to be addressed has a strong chemical and/or molecular component. Student teams of two to three students are invited to submit their ideas in the form of a research proposal, which will be assessed by NWO. The research proposals must be supported by research group leaders from participating universities/institutes. Interdisciplinary research projects are highly encouraged, therefore students must work in research groups within different (chemical) disciplines, preferably in different departments and/or at different universities/institutes. Collaboration with a company or SME (small and medium enterprise) is considered a bonus, as well as participation of teams consisting of both students from universities and universities of applied sciences. Up to nine students, in three or four student teams, will receive grants for a research project of two months. The student projects are performed in May-August 2017. Based on the outcome of the student projects, the best student team will receive a prize, to be awarded at the national chemistry conference CHAINS 2017 which will take place on 5-7 December 2017 (see www.nwochains.nl for an impression of the 2016 edition of CHAINS). Scientific solutions for societal and industrial challenges Many chemical challenges still are ahead of us. Think of, for example, the production of bio-based products instead of fossil-based, the generation and storage of sustainable energy, smart materials for e.g. packaging, coatings or biomedical purposes, or the development of medicines that can cure currently untreatable diseases. In their projects, student teams can try to find parts or beginnings of solutions to such challenges and/or work on innovative applications to be further developed by industry. For examples of student projects, please visit our website for the selected projects from 2016’s student competition.

2 Chapter 1: Introduction / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

NWO The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the national research council in the Netherlands. NWO encourages innovative, fundamental, strategic and applied chemical research. This is realised, for example, through the funding of research projects and programmes and the organisation of scientific meetings. For more information about NWO, please visit www.nwo.nl. Top Sector Chemistry Chemistry is one of the nine top sectors in the Netherlands. The chemistry sector is already very strong in the Netherlands. It is the ambition of the Top Sector Chemistry to lead the Netherlands towards an international top position in chemistry, e.g. in the fields of green chemistry and sustainability, and smart functional materials. For more information about the Top Sector Chemistry, please visit www.topsectorchemie.nl/.

1.2

Available budget The total budget available for the student projects in 2017 is approximately €90,000. Up to nine students, in three or four student teams, will receive grants for a research project of two months (to be completed in May-August)

1.3

Validity of the call for proposals This call for proposals is valid until the closing date Thursday 16 March 2017, 14:00 hours CE(S)T.

3 Chapter 2: Aim / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

2 Aim The aim of the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition is to encourage student teams to explore a scientific solution for a societal and/or industrial chemistryrelated challenge. The Top Sector Chemistry thereby aims to promote chemistry and chemical research among students. Chemical research can provide solutions to many current societal and industrial challenges. The chemical sector therefore needs creative and motivated chemists, now and in the future. The numbers of chemistry-students are currently growing, but the chemical sector foresees a shortage of chemistry professionals in the near future. The Top Sector Chemistry therefore aims to stimulate scholars and students to enroll in chemical studies, and to promote chemistry students to enter the chemical research sector after their graduation. With the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition, the Top Sector Chemistry tries to create stepping stones in the young careers of chemistry students.

2.1

Target Group The target group for the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition consists of talented students from Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences, enrolled in a chemistry or chemistry-related programme. Students are enrolled in a Master’s programme at a Dutch university, or in the final year of a Bachelor’s programme at a Dutch university of applied sciences. Mixed teams with students from both universities and universities of applied sciences are especially welcome to apply. Interdisciplinary research projects are highly encouraged, therefore the competition is also open for students in, for example, biology, biomedical sciences, physics, and computer science, as long as they team up with at least one chemistry-student, and as long as the research question to be addressed has a strong chemical and/or molecular component. Proposals are submitted by teams of two to three students, supported by their supervisors. Student candidates are willing to spend two months (between MayAugust) to explore a scientific solution for a societal and/or industrial challenge.

2.2

Main research areas NWO and the Top Sector Chemistry promote chemical research in the following main research areas: 1.

Chemistry of Life: Research in this area involves a.o. molecular biology and biochemistry, (bio-) organic synthesis, analysis of molecular structure, medicinal chemistry and certain aspects of analytical and macromolecular chemistry. For an example of a student project in this area, see the project descriptions of team Lutein 2.0, who took part in 2016.

2.

Chemistry of Advanced Materials: Research in this area involves a.o. physical chemistry, polymer chemistry, the chemistry of solids and materials science, parts of organic chemistry and spectroscopy and theory, as well as soft

4 Chapter 2: Aim / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

matter chemistry. For an example of a student project in this area, see the project video of team SmartBite, who took part in 2015. 3.

Chemical Conversion, Process Technology and Synthesis: Research in this area involves a.o. process technology, catalysis and aspects of organic, polymer and analytical chemistry. For an example of a student project in this area, see the project video of team Chemistry Drives Life, who took part in the student competition 2014.

4.

Chemical Nanotechnology and Devices: Research in this area focuses on technologies and devices able to mimic, measure and sense (bio) chemical processes. In this area (bio)sensors, micro/nanofluidics, flow-(micro)reactors, analytical technologies with ultimate (chemical, spatial & temporal) resolution and the third generation solar cells are addressed. For an example of a student project in this area, see the project video of team Virtutem Solis, who took part in the student competition 2015.

2.3

Top Sector Chemistry encourages collaborations between academic researchers and industry The Top Sector Chemistry highly encourages collaborations between academic researchers and industry. Participation of, or collaboration with, an industrial company or SME in the proposed project is considered a bonus. Please note that financial contribution of the industrial collaborator is not required. For more information, or suggestions in finding an industrial collaborator, please contact the NWO-ENW office.

5 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

3 Guidelines for applicants 3.1

Who can apply

Applications are submitted by student teams, and supported by their supervisors. A student team is made up of at least two and no more than three students. Student teams are composed of students enrolled 1. in a Master’s programme at a Dutch university, or 2. in a Bachelor’s programme at a Dutch university of applied sciences, as a finalyear student, or 3. a combination of options 1 and 2. Each student team must designate a student team manager who will be the intermediary between NWO and their team. Per team, at least one of the students must be enrolled in a chemistry or chemistryrelated (Dutch University Master's or Dutch University of Applied Sciences Bachelor’s) programme. Interdisciplinary research projects are highly encouraged. Therefore, students must work in research groups within different (chemical) disciplines, preferably in different departments and/or at different universities (of applied science). Student teams are supervised by at least two and no more than three group leaders (supervisors), who support the research question and research plan proposed by the students. Each supervisor is employed as an (assistant/associate) professor at a Dutch university, as a lector at a Dutch university of applied science, or has a similar position in a Dutch research institute. Supervisors are group leaders from different research groups in different (chemical) disciplines, preferably working in different departments and/or at different universities/institutes. Both students and supervisors may (co-)submit only one application in the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition 2017.

3.2

What can be applied for The maximum budget for a student project for a period of two months is: € 27,000 for a project for three students € 18,000 for a project for two students One can apply for budget for: 1. Student salaries. NWO assumes that students are employed as student-assistant according to CAO NU/CAO HBO, or under similar conditions. 2. Other costs (including consumables, use of equipment, project management, travel costs, etc.) The grants are paid as a lump sum to the main hosting university/institute. In the case that the student project involves more than one university/institute, the main host institution must be indicated in the application form.

6 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

3.3

When can applications be submitted

The deadline for the submission of proposals is Thursday 16 March 2017, 14:00 hours CE(S)T. After this deadline, no alterations or additions can be made to the proposal. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be taken into consideration.

3.4

Preparing an application

Grant applications for student projects have two parts: a written proposal and a movie. The written proposal contains a fact sheet and the application form. Both are available on the NWO website (http://www.nwo.nl/studentcompetition). Applications should be completed in English and must include: 1.

Description of the societal and/or industrial challenge to be addressed (½-1 A4, max. 500 words)

2.

Proposed solution for overcoming this challenge (½-1 A4, max. 500 words)

3.

Research plan for a 2-months student project (1 A4, max. 500 words)

4.

Proposed budget

5.

Supporting letters from 2/3 supervisors*

6.

Supporting letter from industry (Optional, in case an industrial challenge is addressed)*

Together with the application, students must submit a short movie to NWO (max. 2 minutes). The movie should contain a presentation of the students, explaining the goal and research plan of the proposed project. This presentation will be taken into account in the assessment procedure. *Example support letters are available on the NWO website (http://www.nwo.nl/studentcompetition).

3.5

Conditions on granting Research questions must have a strong chemical and/or molecular content. Interdisciplinary research projects are highly encouraged. It is, therefore, possible to combine chemical research with e.g. biology, biomedical sciences, physics or computer sciences. Student projects must be supported by the supervisors of the project, as indicated by their supporting letters. Support from an industrial company or SME is considered a bonus. Granted projects must be running in May-August 2017. Students must submit their results in a report in September 2017. Student teams of granted projects must be available to present their research projects at the national chemistry conference CHAINS 2017 on 5-7 December 2017, where the winning team is announced in front of an audience of approximately 1500 chemists.

7 Chapter 3: Guidelines for applicants / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

Intellectual property rights to the knowledge generated by the planned research will rest with the host institution. Students may not use the knowledge generated outside the project without agreement of the university group leaders / host institutions (and if applicable: industrial company).

3.6

Submitting an application The application (including fact sheet and application form) must be submitted by email to [email protected], before Thursday 16 March 2017, 14:00 hours CE(S)T. The movie must be submitted via an online file-transfer platform (e.g., WeTransfer).

8 Chapter 4: Assessment procedure / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

4 Assessment procedure 4.1

Procedure Projects need to address a chemical and/or molecular question. The NWO Code of Conduct on Conflicts of Interest applies to all persons and NWO staff involved in the assessment and/or decision-making process. In the NWO Regulation on Granting, NWO states that all research it funds must be carried out in accordance with the nationally and internationally accepted standards for scientific conduct as stated in the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice 2012 (Association of Universities in the Netherlands).

4.1.1

Eligibility NWO screens applications to ensure that they comply with the formal requirements as stated in Chapter 3 of this call for proposals.

4.1.2

Selection Proposals are assessed by a chemistry-broad selection committee, with members from academia as well as from industry. The selection committee discusses and ranks the applications based on the written applications, as well as the movies submitted by the students. The selection criteria are specified below.

4.1.3

Decision-making The authorized NWO board and the Top Sector Chemistry together will decide about the granting of the student projects on the basis of the assessment committee’s recommended ranking and selection. Up to four student projects will be granted.

4.1.4

Student projects and award for best student team Student teams work on their proposed research in May-August 2017, supervised by the group leaders. At the end of their projects, in September 2017, student teams submit a report of their obtained results. Based on the reports of the student teams (and an optional interview), the selection committee decides which student team receives the prize for the best student team in the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition 2017. The winning team will be announced and the prizes will be awarded during the national chemistry conference CHAINS on 5-7 December 2017, where student teams will also be invited to present their results.

9 Chapter 4: Assessment procedure / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

4.1.5

Indicative timetable 16 March 2017

Deadline submission of proposals

April 2017

Meeting assessment committee

End of April 2017

Decision about granting of projects

May-June 2017

Student projects take place

September 2017

Deadline for submission of results/reports

October 2017

Interviews project teams, selection winning team

December 2017

Teams present their results, and the winning team is announced during CHAINS 2017 conference

4.2

Criteria Admissible proposals will be processed and assessed by the assessment committee on the basis of the following criteria: 1.

Societal (or optional: industrial) relevance of the research question

2.

Innovative/creative character of the proposed solution

3.

Quality and feasibility of the proposed research, including proposed budget

4.

Presentation skills of the applicants

If industry / SME is involved in the project, this is considered as a bonus, as well as when a team consists of both students from universities and universities of applied sciences. Where two applications receive an identical priority rating and only one has the support of an industrial company or SME, or only one of the teams consists of both students from universities and universities of applied sciences, preference will be given to that application.

10 Chapter 5: Contact details / Topsector Chemistry Student Competition

5 Contact details For specific questions about the Top Sector Chemistry Student Competition and this call for proposals please contact: Dr V.V. (Varsha) Kapoerchan, phone: 070 349 44 42, email: [email protected]

Published by: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research Visiting address: Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië 300 2593 CE The Hague The Netherlands December 2016