Te c h n o S p h e r e
Volume 01 | Spring 2015
How was the application process?
In the beginning, it was very complicated for me. This was many years ago, but at
the time, there were several forms with instructions laid out on many documents
and some of the terminology was inconsistent. There were page limits that needed to be followed so it was hard to determine the level of detail that I needed to
write for the proposal.
The university, especially the International Relations Office, was very helpful. Also,
I worked with the TUBITAK to get feedback on my draft, recommendations on
what needed to be emphasized, what details IZTECH should provide, and how to
create the budget.
What are the ways it has helped your career?
The overall experience was great; the project helped in so many ways. It allowed me
to establish my lab, which then attracted students because I was able to offer funding.
Financially, the Marie Curie program does not restrict the expenditures so I was able
to spend the money on a variety of things, including equipment and office supplies. I
purchased different types of electronic equipment for measurements testing reinforced concrete structures. I was even able to design and manufacture my own custom equipment. This is the type of innovative equipment that is not typically supported by other programs. I also attended several conferences and published conference
papers, recently graduated three Master’s students, and currently have two additional
articles in preparation.
“APPLICANTS SHOULD
EMPHASIZE INTEGRATION AND
FOCUS ON HOW YOU WILL
ESTABLISH YOUR LAB,
RESEARCH GROUP, AND
TRANSFER YOUR
KNOWLEDGE.”
In addition to providing funds, the program also provided me a network in Turkey
and the honour has been very well-received. There are some special events for Marie Curie fellows that awardees can attend too. I am also working with TUBITAK to
mentor other applicants and offer support for the program.
What advice would you give to other applicants?
If you have a good idea or a project you want to complete, I really encourage researchers to try. More important than the
technical aspects of the proposal or success probability of the project, applicants should emphasize integration and focus
on how you will establish your lab, research group, and transfer your knowledge I attended meetings with EU officials
after my award and they were mostly interested in the integration of the fellow to his/her country and institute, not necessarily the scientific outcome. Remember that the EU wants to see you active so be sure to include a plan for transferring knowledge back to the country or passing on to others by being involved.
TechnoSphere
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