Information Session on COST Actions: How These “European Super GDRs” Can Open Up New Collaboration and Project Opportunities
Participating in COST Actions—which can be seen as “European super GDRs”—is an interesting way to create new contacts and even establish new collaborations. Both are essential steps for later responding to other European calls for proposals (e.g., ERC, EIC). This is particularly relevant in a context where European calls often require multi-partner consortia, including participants from “Widening Countries.”
This participation can take place either during the setup of an Action (as a “main proposer” or “secondary proposer”) or by joining an ongoing Action.
Noëlle Gogneau, a researcher at C2N specializing in materials science, particularly in the epitaxy of III-Nitride nanowires for nano-energy applications, coordinated the COST Action OPERA (“European Network for Innovative and Advanced Epitaxy”) from 2021 to 2025 (cost-opera.eu). This Action brought together 35 countries, organized numerous workshops and training schools, and funded nearly 100 scientific missions for students and early-career researchers within the network. Through these major initiatives, many new collaborations emerged, acting as a catalyst for responding to calls for proposals.
She will discuss COST Actions in general, their benefits, and how to join them, drawing from her experience in setting up and managing the OPERA Action.
