MERAC Funding and Travel Awards

Since 2013 the SSAA committee distributes Funding and Travel Awards (€ 20’000 in total) sponsored by the MERAC Foundation (Mobilising European Research in Astrophysics and Cosmology), a nonprofit foundation in Switzerland to recognize, encourage and promote the research and mobility of young European astrophysicists and cosmologists.

The objectives of the grants are to cover in priority costs for collaborations, or alike, to support the development of research projects by young astrophysicists. At a lower priority, MERAC funding can also cover participation to international conferences if the budget allows. The grants do not cover expenses for scientific apparatus or equipment.

The grants are subject to the following conditions:

• the grantee must be employed by or affiliated in a Swiss research institute or University;
• the grants must be used to cover project costs not, or only partially, covered by other institutions;
• the grant has to be used within two years, after which unused funding must be reimbursed to the SSAA;
• the grantee provides the SSAA with a financial report and short final report on the use of the grant;
• the grantee allows the MERAC Foundation to make his/her biography and project summary public.

There are two deadlines per year to send applications (March and September, see box on the right).

A successful application must contain:

• a short biography;
• a research project description with a summary;
• a budget estimate;
• a list of the other solicited funds (if applicable).

Applications should be limited to a maximum of 5 pages, in a single pdf file, and are to be sent to the SSAA committee.