Aalto University, founded in 2010, brings together science, art, technology, and business, and is now among the top universities in the world in its main fields. The University aims at high-quality research, excelling and making breakthroughs in and across its fields, sparking the game changers of tomorrow, and renewing society with research-based knowledge, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset. The Aalto University campus has rapidly grown into a world-class collaboration hub and meeting place, and we have transformed into one of Europe’s most international universities. The University’s seven research focus areas (ICT and digitalisation, materials and sustainable use of natural resources, arts and design knowledge building, global business dynamics, advanced energy solutions, human-centred living environments, health and wellbeing) provide a wide base for cooperation in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software.
Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) is Sweden’s largest individual research program and provides a platform for academic research and education, fostering interaction with Sweden’s leading companies. The program addresses research in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and software as enabling technologies for developing systems acting in collaboration with humans, adapting to their environment through sensors, information, and knowledge, and forming intelligent systems of systems. WASP strengthens, expands, and renews the national competence through new strategic recruitments, a challenging research program, a national graduate school, and collaboration with industry. WASP aims at increasing the gender balance and building a culture based on inclusion and diversity. The program is conducted in close cooperation between leading Swedish universities to promote the competence of Sweden as a nation within the area of AI, autonomous systems and software.
Aim and scope
The aim of the call is to strengthen the collaboration between WASP and Aalto University in the areas of AI, autonomous systems and software.
The project should be based on a joint research plan, including one postdoctoral fellow and Principal Investigator (PI) at WASP and one postdoctoral fellow and PI at Aalto University. The PIs eligible to apply, one faculty from WASP and one faculty from Aalto, are defined under “Who can apply”.
Who can apply?
A project is jointly lead by one faculty from WASP and one faculty from Aalto (at least 15 percent activity level dedicated to the project is expected). A faculty can be involved in maximum two applications.
The Aalto faculty should have their research focus within AI, Autonomous Systems or Software.
The WASP faculty should be affiliated with one of the WASP partner universities CTH, LiU, LU, KTH, UmU, or with research groups at ÖrU or UU that are members of WASP and have their research focus within AI, Autonomous Systems or Software. Please note that it is not necessary to be a formal WASP faculty (that has signed a WASP affiliation agreement) in order to apply for this call. Postdocs from the WASP area should be affiliated with one of the partner universities as described above.
The call aims to achieve a gender balanced outcome as a whole, and possibly in every project.
Budget
This is the first out of two calls for collaboration projects between WASP and Aalto.
The total funding available in this first call is 20 MSEK for the WASP part and 2 MEUR for the Aalto part over 2 years. Up to seven projects will be funded.
Each collaboration project should involve one postdoctoral position at Aalto and one postdoctoral position at one of the universities affiliated with WASP. It is expected that the two PI: s in a collaboration project can devote 15% each to the project.
Project budget for Aalto participants
The Aalto part of the budget in a project includes a standard postdoc position and up to 15% of a full-time equivalence for the PI according to the following:
- The postdoctoral fellow’s salary for two years (208 k€, including 44% side costs and 70% overheads)
- The postdoctoral fellow’s travel and material costs up to an amount of EUR 5,000 per year for two years.
- Salary for the PI up to 15% of full-time for two years including 44% side costs and 70% overheads.
Project budget for WASP participants
The WASP part of the budget in a project includes a WASP standard postdoc position and up to 15% of a full-time equivalence for the PI according to the following:
- The postdoctoral fellow’s salary and a maximum of 50% “LKP”.
- The postdoctoral fellow’s material costs up to an amount of SEK 5,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
- Travel costs up to an amount of SEK 15,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
- Salary and a maximum of 50% “LKP” for the PI up to 15% of full-time for a maximum of two years. The 15% consists of 5% for the hosting of the postdoc and 10% for research and project lead.
- OH costs are covered with up to 17.5% divided as 14% indirect costs and 3.5% for premises costs.
Proposal Structure/Format
- Name of the project
- Name, affiliations of the two PIs
- Project plan (max 2 pages) with clearly specified subject area and focus. References can be added in addition to the stipulated pages.
- Explanation of the collaborative benefits and the role of each of the PIs and parties (max 1 page)
- Short CV and top publications for two PIs (max 2 pages each)
- Commitment letter from hosting university, should be signed by the Head of the Department.
- Budget
Evaluation Criteria
Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Scientific quality
- Novelty and Originality
- Synergies in the planned collaboration
- Industrial and societal relevance
- Merits of the applicants
- Diversity of the applicants
We will also consider:
- Open science and data sharing aspects
- Impact on WASP/Aalto community
Evaluation committee
The evaluation committee consist of representatives from WASP and Aalto. Each application will be evaluated by two committee members from WASP and two committee members from Aalto.
Submission
The proposal should be submitted as a single PDF file to the EasyChair portal no later than 2022-04-06, 23:59.
Timeline
2022-02-08 Call approved by Aalto
2022-02-08 Call approved by the WASP board
2022-02-10 Call opens
2022-04-06 Call closes
2022-06-01 Last date for communication of results