Any NERO participant with a primary affiliation   to a legal entity located in a COST Full or Cooperating Member country, a COST NNC, or a European RTD Organization can apply to receive a grant from the Action.

An affiliation is any form of recognized relationship between the individual and the legal entity. Examples of affiliation may include (non-exhaustive list):

• A work contract
• Enrollment in a research performing study programme (e.g., MSc student, PhD candidate, Post-doc researcher)
• Voluntary service in an NGO
• Emeritus professorship

In case of doubt, grant applicants shall contact the Action Science (Dr. Ralph Stübner) or Administrative Officer (Ms. Rose Cruz Santos) to seek clarifications.

A legal entity can be (non-exhaustive list) a public entity (national, regional, local public authority or any other kind of public entity), a university, a research center, company, association, Specific Organization or any other form of legal entity recognized under a national or international framework.

Any STSM shall explicitly contribute to the scientific objectives of NERO. In particular, the implementation plan of any STSM shall fit within the scope of any of NERO’s WGs:

• WG1: Historical Extreme Wildfires
• WG2: Process-based Analysis of Extreme Fire Behavior
• WG3: Capacity-building
• WG4: Communication and Outreach

AUSTRIA 🇦🇹
SBA Research 
Contact person(s): Bernhard Garn (email)
Research focus: SBA Research (SBA-K1) is a COMET Centre within the COMET – Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies Programme and funded by BMK, BMAW, and the federal state of Vienna. COMET is managed by FFG. The mission of the MATRIS Research Group of SBA Research is to develop mathematical foundations and related primitives from the field of discrete mathematics and apply them to real-world problems of software testing, disaster management and information security. The primary goal of MATRIS research group in disaster research is to establish a bridge between combinatorial methods from discrete mathematics and disaster research to advance, optimize, and promote preparedness and operational (risk) management. These approaches include, but are not limited to, modeling systems and processes via discrete mathematical models, generating minimal test sets and scenarios via various algorithms, and identifying patterns, faults, and vulnerabilities. The developed methods are designed to tackle different current challenges in disaster research.
Proposed topics for STSMs: Fire modeling; Fire reconstruction and simulation; Fire data and behavior analysis
Related WGs of NERO: 2, 3
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

BULGARIA 🇧🇬
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Information and Communication Technologies
Contact person(s): Nina Dobrinkova (email)
Research focus: IICT-BAS is the oldest institute in the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences that dedicates its research on Computer Sciences, such as: High performance computing, Modelling and Simulation algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Environmental modelling, Parallel algorithms. The team of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nina Dobrinkova is focused on decision support tools that can be used in field operations in cases of wildfire or flood events. Nina Dobrinkova is working with her associates on calibration tasks for wildfire events that were extreme from point of view of propagation, affected zones and resources engaged. At the moment the team is calibrating 100m resolution fuel maps released as outcomes from two EU funded projects – FirEUrisk and Fire-Res. The process is dynamic and database from past Bulgarian wildfire events is generated for the calibration purposes.
Proposed topics for STSMs: FlamMap/FARSITE simulations on past fire events, data processing and elaboration before the simulations.
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2, 3
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

CROATIA 🇭🇷
University of Split, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
Contact person(s): Maja Braović (email), Ljiljana Šerić (email)
Research focus: Our organization’s main activities include research and education in the fields of electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering and naval architecture. The Department that would participate in hosting the STSM belongs to the Department of Electronics and Computing, and is named the Department for Modelling and Intelligent Systems. The research associated with this department spans many areas in the field of computer science, mainly artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, image and video processing, natural language processing and computational linguistics, deep learning, optimization research, etc.
Proposed topics for STSMs: Topic of the STSM research may include but are not limited on: 1) Image processing based wildfire smoke detection in videos from surveillance cameras; 2) Natural language processing based information extraction from online news regarding wildfires; 3) GIS, remote sensing and fire spread software based  fire reconstruction.
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2, 4
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

CYPRUS 🇨🇾
Cyprus Institute, Climate and Atmosphere Research Center
Contact person(s): Theo Christoudias (email)
Research focus: Global to regional coupled atmospheric chemistry and aerosol Earth system modelling using the EMAC and WRF-CHEM models. Emission and transport of atmospheric pollutants (gaseous and fine/coarse particulate matter) and impacts on air quality and human health.
Proposed topics for STSMs: N/A
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2, 4
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

CYPRUS 🇨🇾
ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence
Contact person(s): Diofantos Hadjimitsis (email), Maria Prodromou (email)
Research focus: The ERATOSTHENES CoE is a non-profit research organisation on Earth Observation and Geo-information. The ERATOSTHENES CoE’s staff has significant experience and scientific knowledge on satellite image processing and geo-informatics, in the three thematic clusters/departments of the Centre, namely Environment & Climate, Resilient Society, and Big Earth Data analytics. The Resilient Society includes a portfolio of several research fields, but the emphasis is on Disaster Risk Reduction (Landslides/Earthquakes, Floods, Fires, Health/Epidemics). Specifically, the Fires subcluster focuses in the development of near-real-time disaster monitoring platforms; early warning systems; risk assessment frameworks of natural and built environments; disaster prediction models. The ERATOSTHENES CoE’s staff have a substantial track record in research grants for several EO-based applications, funded through national and EU funds. Moreover, the ERATOSTHENES CoE has significant expertise in open science practices, providing open access to the group’s scientific results, including open access and open IPR to research outputs via a certified repository (KTISIS of CUT); early and open sharing of research results (pre-prints, pre-registration, etc.); research data management after the end of projects; ensures reproducibility of research outputs; participates in open peer-review; and is in close collaboration with civil society, end-users and citizens. The ERATOSTHENES CoE also has a Gender Equality Plan, published on its website, that includes dedicated resources, collecting and monitoring data, training activities, and other gender balance/ equality/ dimension areas in organisational culture, research, recruitment, etc. In the coming years, it is expected that the EO Satellite Data Acquisition Station, will be established, to directly receive data from EO satellite missions, allowing Near Real Time (NRL) monitoring, and thereby providing time-critical information for science and products over the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region. The vast amount of data received cannot be exploited without the use of powerful processing and fusion techniques, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), one of the missing core areas that need to be integrated in the EO capabilities of the ECoE, to assist in the large dataset management, and the generation of new products/services.
Proposed topics for STSMs: N/A
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

GREECE 🇬🇷
National Observatory of Athens, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development
Contact person(s): Theodore M. Giannaros (email)
Research focus: Fire weather, Fire-atmosphere interactions, Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling
Proposed topics for STSMs: N/A 
Minimum STSM duration: 7 days
Web: https://fireweather.eu

ITALY 🇮🇹
University of Milan
Contact person(s): Giorgio Vacchiano (email)
Research focus: The Forest Lab at University of Milan, Dept. of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, focuses on research on climate-smart forest management, forest mitigation and adaptation to climate change, forest and disturbance modeling, and forest restoration.
Proposed topics for STSMs: 1- Forecasting probabilities and geographical risk for extreme fire behavior in region Lombardy under climate change scenarios; 2- communicating extreme fire risk and prevention measures to national media and the public. 
Minimum STSM duration: 1+ month(s)
Web: –

PORTUGAL 🇵🇹
Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI)
Contact person(s): Domingos Xavier Viegas (email), Miguel Almeida (email), Tiago Rodrigues (email), Luís Mário Ribeiro (email)
Research focus: Fire meteorology, fuel characterization and modelling, fire behaviour: dynamic fire behaviour, eruptive fires, junction fires, oscillatory fire behaviour, spot fires, wildland urban interface fires, fire safety, laboratory and field experiments, case studies, training, stakeholders engagement
Proposed topics for STSMs: Fuel modelling, extreme fire behaviour, case studies, fire safety
Minimum STSM duration: 1 week
Web: N/A

SPAIN 🇪🇸
University of Murcia
Contact person(s): Marco Turco (email)
Research focus: Our research group focuses on developing and improving fire prediction models using advanced climate and environmental data analysis. Our core activities include:
• Wildfire risk assessment: We analyze fire data alongside fire weather factors to identify historical changes.
• Climate-Fire modeling: We develop data-driven models that reconstruct and predict climate-driven changes in fires.
• Climate change impact assessment: We investigate how climate change influences fire, informing preventative measures and resource allocation.
Proposed topics for STSMs: N/A
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2, 4
Minimum STSM duration: 5 – 7 days
Web: N/A

TÜRKIYE 🇹🇷
The Foresters’ Association of Türkiye
Contact person(s): Sezin Kete (email)
Research focus: Adalar, one of the districts of Istanbul, also known as the Prince Islands, is a region with a high tourist density. The ignition zone is quite high in this region due to the density of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. For this reason, it is necessary to implement an innovative fire management model in practice, based on the principle of participation in the region. The focus of the research is to reveal how to create a management model for the region.
Proposed topics for STSMs: N/A
Related WGs of NERO: It should be examined within the scope of the “Communication and Outreach” group, that is, working group 4 (WG 4), stemming from the desire to create an innovative management model based on the principle of participation.
Minimum STSM duration: 5 days
Web: N/A

UNITED KINGDOM 🇬🇧
Coventry University, Research Centre for Business in Society
Contact person(s): Mahdi Bashiri (email)
Research focus: Centre for Business in Society (CBiS) explores the impact of business on society. Much of our work inevitably involves righting wrongs, seeking to improve the life/circumstances of those who are disadvantaged, and striving to improve inclusiveness and minimise social exclusion. Not because of any political persuasion or philosophical stance, but because the impact by business and policy bodies on society and on the individual so often reveals aspects of marginalisation or exclusion. This overview provides examples of CBiS’s work and impact, highlighting researchers engaged with projects and bodies of work which relate to the notion of fighting exclusion and helping those who are disadvantaged. Sustainable production and Consumption is one of four clusters in CBiS. We are interested in considering any analytical and optimization tools for better decision-making
Proposed topics for STSMs: Analytical and decision-making tools for wildfire risk management.
Related WGs of NERO: 1, 2, 3. 
Minimum STSM duration: 1 week.
Web: N/A

Applications are welcome all year round and will be evaluated on a rolling monthly basis. For Grant Period 1 of NERO (01.11.2023 – 31.10.2024), the following limitations apply:

Application deadlines: 30.04.2024, 31.05.2024, 30.06.2024, 31.07.2024
Expected decision: 14.05.2024, 14.06.2024, 14.07.2024, 14.08.2024
Expected start of STSMs: Any date between 01.06 – 01.09.2024
Mandatory end of STSMs: No later than 30.09.2024 (last day of visit)

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

There is no minimum duration for an STSM. Yet, we strongly encourage applicants to design STSMs lasting between 5 days – 4 weeks (1 month).

The STSM Grant provides a financial contribution for traveling, accommodation, and subsistence expenses. This financial support does not necessarily cover all expenses related to the mission. Up to 4,000€ in total can be afforded per grant. Payment of the grant takes always place after the completion of the mission. No pre-payments are possible.

Applicants shall draft their STSM proposals in collaboration with a Host Organisation. They have the flexibility to reach out to any research team participating in the Action. A non-exhaustive list of teams that have indicated their interest in hosting STSMs can be found in the corresponding section (Host Organisations) above.

Starting from 01.04.2024, candidate NERO STSM grantees shall prepare and upload to the dedicated e-COST tool:

• The COST STSM Application Form, where the goals, work to be conducted, expected outcomes, and the overall contribution to NERO’s objectives shall be described.
• A letter of support from the Host Organisation.
• A short (max. 3 pages) CV.
• A short (max. 1 page) budget justification, detailing the expected costs (e.g., traveling, accommodation, subsistence) and the amount of financial support received from other funding sources (if available).

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

Applications will be processed all year round on a rolling monthly basis. In the beginning of each month, the Grant Awarding Committee will perform the scientific and budgetary evaluation of the STSM grant applications submitted up to the last day of the previous month (see Important Dates Section). The Grant Awarding Committee shall communicate evaluation results within the 14^th day of each month (e.g., applications submitted between 1 – 31 May will be evaluated and results will be communicated to the applicants by 14 June at the very latest). Evaluation shall be based on the following quantitative grading scheme:

Criterion 1: Alignment of the proposed work with the objectives of NERO (Awarded points: 1 – 5).
Criterion 2: Expected outcomes and plan to maintain/expand the collaboration between the members engaged with the STSM (Awarded points: 1 – 5).
Criterion 3: Scientific soundness of the proposed work (Awarded points: 1 – 5)
Criterion 4: Budget justification (Awarded points: 1 – 5)
Criterion 5: Researcher/Scientist – practitioner exchange (Awarded points: 4)
Criterion 6: YRI an ITC (Awarded points: 3)

The minimum points an STSM Grant application shall receive to be considered eligible for funding is 15. The maximum points an STSM Grant application can receive is 27.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

All STSM Grant payments shall be exclusively claimed through the e-COST platform. To claim payment, NERO STSM grantees are requested to prepare and submit the following documentation:

• STSM Report Form, summarizing the work developed, the main achievements, and planned future follow-up activities.
• A letter from the Host Organization confirming the completion of the STSM.
• A brief (max. half-page) summary of the conducted work and the main outcomes of the collaboration (ideally including some photos/graphics) to be used for public dissemination through the NERO website.

Please note that STSM grantees have 30 calendar days to submit the documentation required for the reimbursement of the mission. Payment of the grant shall be expected 2 – 4 weeks after the submission of the documentation.

When outcomes of an STSM are published in an international scientific journal or presented at a national or international conference,  all involved parties (NERO STSM grantee, contact of Host Organization, other co-authors) are requested to acknowledge the support of NERO as follows:

“This paper/article/work/contribution is based upon work from COST Action NERO, CA22164, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).”

For posters, the COST logo and EU emblem  must be included.  All NERO participants are urged to follow the guidelines set out in COST Visual Identity. 

For more information and inquires, please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator of NERO:

Dr. Valentina Bacciu
National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
Email

Memorandum of Understanding of NERO
Grant Awarding System document of NERO
COST Grant Awarding User Guide
COST Annotated Rules

Any NERO participant under the age of 40 with a primary affiliation to a legal entity located in a COST ITC or NNC can apply to receive a grant from the Action.

An affiliation is any form of recognized relationship between the individual and the legal entity. Examples of affiliation may include (non-exhaustive list):

• A work contract
• Enrollment in a research performing study programme (e.g., MSc student, PhD candidate, Post-doc researcher)
• Voluntary service in an NGO
• Emeritus professorship

In case of doubt, grant applicants shall contact the Action Science (Dr. Ralph Stübner) or Administrative Officer (Ms. Rose Cruz Santos) to seek clarifications.

A legal entity can be (non-exhaustive list) a public entity (national, regional, local public authority or any other kind of public entity), a university, a research center, company, association, Specific Organization or any other form of legal entity recognized under a national or international framework.

• WG1: Historical Extreme Wildfires
• WG2: Process-based Analysis of Extreme Fire Behavior
• WG3: Capacity-building
• WG4: Communication and Outreach

Applications are welcome all year round and will be evaluated on a rolling monthly basis. For Grant Period 1 of NERO (01.11.2023 – 31.10.2024), the following limitations apply:

Application deadlines: 30.04.2024, 31.05.2024, 30.06.2024, 31.07.2024
Expected decision: 14.05.2024, 14.06.2024, 14.07.2024, 14.08.2024
Conference dates: Any date between 01.06 – 01.09.2024

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

Starting on 01.04.2024, candidate NERO ITC Conference grantees shall prepare and upload to the dedicated e-COST tool:

• The ITC Conference Grant Application Form, where the relevance of the conference to NERO’s objectives and the motivation of the applicant shall be briefly described.
• Copy of the abstract of the accepted oral/poster presentation.
• The acceptance letter from conference organisers.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

Applications will be processed all year round on a rolling monthly basis. In the beginning of each month, the Grant Awarding Committee will perform the scientific and budgetary evaluation of the ITC Conference grant applications submitted up to the last day of the previous month (see Important Dates Section). The Grant Awarding Committee shall communicate evaluation results within the 14^th day of each month (e.g., applications submitted between 1 – 31 May will be evaluated and results will be communicated to the applicants by 14 June at the very latest). Evaluation shall be based on the following quantitative grading scheme:

Criterion 1: Alignment of the work to be presented with the objectives of NERO (Awarded points: 1 – 5).
Criterion 2: Trajectory of the applicant and involvement within the network (Awarded points: 1 – 5).
Criterion 3: Young practitioner from ITC/NNC (Awarded points: 2).

The minimum points an ITC Conference Grant application shall receive to be considered eligible for funding is 8. The maximum points an ITC Conference Grant application can receive is 12.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Grant Awarding System document of NERO.

All ITC Conference Grant payments shall be exclusively claimed through the e-COST platform. To claim payment, NERO ITC Conference grantees are requested to prepare and submit the following documentation:

• TheITC Conference Report, summarising the outcome of the grantee’s participation in the conference, including the establishment of new contacts or collaborations.
• The certificate of attendance.
• The conference programme or book of abstracts or proceedings.
• Copy of the given presentation (oral/poster)
• A brief (max. half-page) summary of the presentation (ideally including some photos/graphics) to be used for public dissemination through the NERO website.

Please note that ITC Conference grantees have 30 calendar days to submit the documentation required for the reimbursement of the mission. Payment of the grant shall be expected 2 – 4 weeks after the submission of the documentation.

ITC Conference grantees must acknowledge the support of NERO as follows:

“This paper/article/work/contribution is based upon work from COST Action NERO, CA22164, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).”

For posters, the COST logo and EU emblem  must be included.  All NERO participants are urged to follow the guidelines set out in COST Visual Identity. 

For more information and inquires, please contact the Grant Awarding Coordinator of NERO:

Dr. Valentina Bacciu
National Research Council of Italy (CNR)
Email

Memorandum of Understanding of NERO
Grant Awarding System document of NERO
COST Grant Awarding User Guide
COST Annotated Rules