I often compare @ERC_Research Starting grants to the #WorldCup. Both are very competitive and can be life changing. But where we expect footballers to receive top notch care, scientists are often not supported at all by institutions. This year a grand total of ZERO came to PT 1/
https://twitter.com/ERC_Research/status/1595011727711940608
Is it because PT scientists are stupid? Unlikely, as routinely Portuguese are awarded these grants, but to work abroad. Is it because only a few select ones apply? In part yes, but our success rates are not that amazing anyway. 2/
Why then? Top footballers receive support: masseuses, green fields, private planes (not to mention pay that puts these millions to shame). Scientists from several countries get sabbaticals to write proposals, help from professional coaches, start-up funds for preliminary data 3/
We get nothing like this. Most PT scientists are expected to write very competitive proposals while juggling heavy teaching loads, no national funding, no institutional support, no role models, no professional stability, nothing going for them except brains and stubbornness 4/
@ciencia_pt is supposed to announce today that PT scientists that get shortlisted for an #ERC will receive automatic support which can work as incentive for more people to apply and that is excellent. But the problem is in the funding structure and in the institutions 5/
We need institutions that understand the value of #FundamentalScience. That support their researchers and foster their potential. We need agencies that can fund more than 8% of the proposals (less than the ERC success rate!) with more money and for longer, riskier projects 6/
We need to ask our Federação Portuguesa de Ciência (no it does not exist) for better playing fields: out with the mud, in with beautiful green fields, so that in one generation we can be competing for the Science World Cup
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