Short Term Scientific Mission

What Are STSMs?

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are exchange visits aimed at supporting researchers’ individual mobility, strengthening existing networks and fostering collaboration. STSMs are intended especially, but not solely, for young researchers.

An STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the COST Action while enabling those partaking in the missions to establish new partnerships, learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions/organisations.

Watch a COST Animation video about the Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)

Who can apply?

STSMs are open to Early Career and Advanced Career Researchers, including PhDs and Postdocs. STSMs must be performed between COST countries – researchers cannot apply for an STSM within their own country.

Awards throughout the annual grant period will be made to support scientific excellence and to support a variety of researchers in terms of gender, career stage, affiliation, and nationality.

What can you apply for?

You can apply for a Short Term Scientific Missions duration between 5 and 90 days (and up to 180 days if the applicant is an ECR). The STSM will be a fixed grant to cover part of the travel expenses and living allowance. The cost of research materials is not eligible for consideration as part of the grant.

Please note that the awarded grant will be paid only after the STSM has been completed – therefore the applicant must have approval and prior financial support e.g., from their own institution.

How can you apply?

For a step-by-step guide to applying for an STSM and the criteria by which STSM applications will be assessed, please see here.

STSM awards may be combined with other funding sources, but these must be acknowledged in the application.
In your application, you will have to describe the goal of the proposed STSM, how it contributes to the scientific remit of the COST Action “SharingAndCaring”, the planned expenses and the outputs planned as result of the STSM. For ECIs, two support letters by advanced career researchers will be required.

For detailed rules regarding eligibility and financial support, please see the relevant sections of the COST Annotated Rules.

For further queries please contact the STSM committee at info@cosmoanelixis.gr

2022/23 CALL is now OPEN

For further queries please contact the STSM committee at info@cosmoanelixis.gr

STSM Awards

Maite Larrucea-Iruretagoyena

2023 Awards

Maite Larrucea-Iruretagoyena

Short-Term Scientific Mission

Maite Larrucea-Iruretagoyena conducted her research between 01/06/2023 and 03/07/2023. Her report is attached.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Isabel Jaramillo

2023 Awards

Isabel Jaramillo

Cross-cohort evidence on perinatal mental health and birth-related trauma

Isabel Jaramillo conducted her research between 03/07/2023 and 07/07/2023. Her report is attached.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

2023 Awards

Rosita Gabbianelli

Going inside maternal psychological stress due to birth-related trauma: can epigenetics be disturbed?

Rosita Gabbianelli conducted her research between 05/06/23 and 12/06/23. Her report is attached.

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Luisa Bergunde

2023 Awards

Luisa Bergunde

Investigating the link between birth mode and child DNA methylation over the life course using ALSPAC data

Luisa Bergunde conducted her research between 19/3/23 and 26/3/23. She is based at the Technische Universität Dresden and visited the Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg for her research. Her report is attached.

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Alessia Melacca

2023 Awards

Alessia Melacca

Is maternal subjective birth experience associated with maternal and offspring DNA methylation? Findings based on the ALSPAC data.

Alessia Melacca conducted her research between 27/02/2023 and 03/03/2023. She is based at the University of Florence and visited the Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg for her research. Her report is attached.

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Ruveyde AYDIN

2022 Awards

Ruveyde Aydin

Examining the Effects of Traumatic Birth Experience on Symptoms of Birth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Maternal Attach

Ruveyde Aydin conducted her research between 04/06/22 and 06/08/22. She is based at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey and she visited the City, University of London for her research.

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2021 Awards

Roser Palau Costafreda

Women’s experiences in different maternity care settings and fundamentals of biomechanics in pregnancy and childbirth: A knowledge-exchange research program

Roser Palau Costafreda conducted her research between 18/10/21 and 29/10/21. She is based at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona and visited the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, for her research. Her report is attached.

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Julika Hudson STSM

2021 Awards

Julika Hudson

Comparing Iceland’s to Ireland’s response to Covid-19. What can we learn?

Julika Hudson conducted her research between 13/9/21 and 17/9/21. She is based at Trinity College Dublin and visited the University of Akureyri, Iceland for her research. Her report is attached.

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2021 Awards

Rosita Gabbianelli

Stress, nutritional behaviour and epigenetics in mothers living in Nord
Europe

Rosita Gabbianelli conducted her research between 13/8/21 and 21/8/21.  Her report is attached.

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2021 Awards

Dorothea Kasiteropoulou

Computational modelling approach to study maternal-fetal heat exchange under different physiological and clinical conditions.

Dorothea Kasiteropoulou conducted her research between 12/7/21 and 13/8/21.  Her report is attached.

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Myrto Chronaki

2021 Awards

Myrto Chronaki

An analysis of the special factors contributing to perinatal trauma

Myrto Chronaki conducted her research between 10/5/2021 to 19/5/2021. Her report is attached.

2021 Awards

Georgia Kontosorou

Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology could reduce inequalities and improve maternity services

Georgia Kontosoru conducted her research  between 29/03/2021 to 9/04/2021. Her report is attached.

2021 Awards

Katharina Hartmann

Perinatal mental health and birth trauma

Dr Katharina Hartmann from Germany conducted her research in Croatia  between 19/04/2021 to 3/05/2021. Her report is attached.

2021 Awards

Ursula Nagle

The prevalence of self-reported traumatic birth in an Irish maternity setting.

Ursula Nagle from Dublin conducted her research in the UK  between 16/02/2021 to 19/02/2021. Her report is attached.

Olga Gouni

2021 Awards

Olga Gouni

Parents as agents of Change: Respectful Childbirth

Ms Olga Gouni from Prenatal Sciences Research Institute, Athens completed her Short Term Scientific Mission between 7-17th January 2021 and her report is attached.

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2020 Awards

Julie Horgan, Midwife

Why does Sweden have a lower Cesarean Section rate?

Julie was awarded an STSM to visit a member university to learn why Sweden had such a low C-section rate compared to Ireland.

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