SLU news

Apply for grants for research initiatives in biological control

Published: 24 June 2021
A hoverfly on a buckwheat flower. Photo.

SLU Centre for Biological Control (CBC) announces a call for projects, workshops and other initiatives in biological control. With a total budget of 400,000 SEK allocated to this call, individual project proposals should each fall within the range of 25,000-200,000 SEK. The maximum duration of individual projects is 12 months. The last day to apply is September 24, 2021.

SLU Centre for Biological Control (CBC) develops knowledge about biological control of harmful organisms. The aims are to develop long-term sustainable pest and disease control methods through the use of living organisms, and to create a strong research environment in the field of biological control in collaboration with SLU researchers and external stakeholders.

To further the role of CBC as a university-wide environment for research on biological control agents, CBC now opens a call for projects, workshops and other initiatives in biological control (for definitions, see SLU Centre for Biological Control). With a total budget of 400,000 SEK allocated to this call, individual project proposals should each fall within the range of 25,000-200,000 SEK. The maximum duration of individual projects is 12 months.

All SLU researchers welcome to submit proposals

The projects proposed can range from scientific literature reviews through laboratory studies to projects aiming to test new ideas. Funding can also support already ongoing research where additional resources can widen the scope or allow for the use of new technologies. All SLU researchers are welcome to submit proposals for projects. We encourage proposals on any aspect of biological control, and are happy to review innovative proposals in less common areas of application and using less established methods. New research collaborations are particularly encouraged.

Proposals are evaluated based on the scientific merits (i.e. scientific excellence) of the project plan and applicant(s). Applicants should not currently hold a position within the CBC. However, projects can include actors both within and outside of CBC as collaborators. Regardless, we expect grant recipients to initiate active communication with the current researchers of CBC.

Facts:

How to apply

  • The application should include a project plan, a letter of motivation, and complete CVs and lists of publications for the project PI(s)
  • The project plan should be a maximum of two A4 pages of text, outlining well-defined research questions, methods, and a timetable. A third page may be used for figures. In addition, the application must include a project budget prepared using the “simplified project calculator” of SLU.
  • The application should be sent to CBC by email to kristine.koch@slu.se with a mandatory cc: to Registrator@slu.se no later than September 24, 2021.

Decisions on the allocation of grants will be made by the Steering Group of CBC by mid-October 2021. The granted projects are expected to start in December 2021. All projects must be reported to CBC by December 2022 at the latest. Beyond publication deliverables, the reporting should include a popular science summary to be published on CBC’s web page, along with a seminar to be delivered as an open, university-wide CBC seminar. CBC must be acknowledged in any output resulting from the funded project.

Related pages:

For more information, please contact the Chair of the CBC Steering Group:

Tomas Roslin, Professor Insect Ecology
Department of Ecology, SLU
tomas.roslin@slu.se 018-672383