JERICO FP7 (G.A. 262584) - D1.5: Second Call for TNA proposals

The primary objective of the JERICO Transnational Access (TNA) activity is to enable scientists and engineers to freely access coastal infrastructures not available in their own countries. The JERICO Consortium includes research facilities such as ferryboxes, fixed platforms, gliders, and associated calibration laboratories. Access to these facilities will contribute to o building a long-term collaboration between users and JERICO partners, facilitating staff exchange and scientific cooperation; o building an European facility for science dedicated to innovation (new sensors, new automated platforms), open to Europe and also to countries of common regional interest (South Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic Sea); o promoting the infrastructure by transferring know-how from the partners to users, with a view to future expansion that will include new partners (possibly also from non-European countries). JERICO has planned to organize at least two calls for proposals requesting Transnational Access to targeted facilities within its network. Visiting scientists and technical personnel working on approved projects will be provided assisted access to relevant facilities. The first call for access to the JERICO Coastal Observatories and Calibration Facilities was launched on 12 January 2012 and closed on 3 April 2012. Nine of thirteen submitted proposals were approved and their implementation is on-going. The second call will open from 14 January 2013 to 18 March 2013 with activities scheduled to start in the early summer of 2013 subsequent to a formal screening and selection process. The launch of a further call is planned before the end of 2013.