Post-lockdown free access to over 30 marine biological stations and infrastructures The ASSEMBLE Plus team are launching a new and final call for access to some of Europe’s best marine research facilities and services, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Climate Change and Environment Fundamental Research © AquaTT Researchers from industry and academia are invited to apply for free access to more than 30 international institutions from December 2020 to June 2021. Funded by the European Union, the ASSEMBLE Plus programme supports marine researchers to carry out their own projects using resources not available in their home institutes. The initiative helps participants to enhance their skills, create new collaborations and contribute to scientific understanding. Since January 2018, the ASSEMBLE Plus Transnational Access (TA) programme has received more than 400 project proposals from European and non-European researchers. Projects have covered a wide range of marine research, including molecular biology, ecology and biochemistry. The many success stories emerging from these projects highlight their value. Matan Yuval, University of Haifa in Israel, received an ASSEMBLE Plus TA award to work with the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute in St Eustatius: “The core aim of my research is automated analysis of the benthos. Utilizing photogrammetry, I study sessile organisms along depth gradients. In Israel, we have access to the Red Sea as well as the eastern Mediterranean. I applied for access in the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI) in St. Eustatius to complement our local results with data from a dissimilar region. In ten days, we carried out over 25 scientific dives and mapped sections of the natural and artificial reefs around the island, and developed ideas and connections. The 3D map-models can be viewed online [https://skfb.ly/6KTp6]". Applications are now open for this TA programme call. The award covers access costs for up to 30 days, in addition to travel, accommodation and meal expenses for up to two researchers per project. The deadline to apply for this call is 4th October 2020. This is expected to be the last call for the TA programme and therefore the final opportunity for researchers to benefit. For more information about the TA programme, previous award holders, eligibility or the application process, please visit assembleplus.eu/access/transnational-access or get in touch with our access officer at assembleplus_ta@embrc.eu You can follow updates of our project on Twitter at @ASSEMBLE_Plus Keywords h2020, horizon 2020, marine science, TA, Transnational access, mobility
