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Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:38 am
by Mnt
Hi,
Thanks to all for the info you have been sharing during this time.
A question: do you think is it over? I mean the funds originally devoted to projects with a UK host have already been redistributed? Is it better to think about resubmission?

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 2:44 pm
by FairEnough
Even if the UK money distributed fully to the applicants in the reserve list, might some of the selected applicants drop the offer then you could be selected. Therefore it is early to judge if it is over ...
Mnt wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:38 am
Hi,
Thanks to all for the info you have been sharing during this time.
A question: do you think is it over? I mean the funds originally devoted to projects with a UK host have already been redistributed? Is it better to think about resubmission?

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:00 am
by melk
Thank you FairEnough!

MSCA is offering better salary and some extra money for the trainings/conferences etc. But FWO MSCA program is also giving good conditions to their fellows (I believe that the exact salary depends on your seniority).

I think I will decline MSCA after all and keep the FWO senior postdoctoral fellowship which may be financially less interesting for me but it covers 3 years instead of 2 years..

I feel that the reserve list may still move, many people sing for something else meantime so the hope for other candidates should not be gone yet!
FairEnough wrote:
Thu Jul 07, 2022 3:42 pm
Congratulations Melk!! As expected!

Apart from the prestigious, why do the applicants prefer MSCA over FWO MSCA, could you kindly advise?
melk wrote:
Thu Jul 07, 2022 12:01 pm
I got it as well!! I've got 94,2 in EF-LIF

Don't loose hope!!!

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2022 1:16 pm
by St_Remy
Declining the MSCA for the FWO because of 1 year may prove to be a costly mistake for your career! The MSCA has an EU-wide prestige compared to the FWO which is only restricted to Belgium. This makes sense when you consider that the competition for MSCA is truly global compared to FWO.

The doors which the MSCA will open for you might actually be much more than this 1 year that you hope to gain. In fact, in some Universities, winning and successfully finishing the MSCA project will facilitate a tenure track for you. Some universities even add a 3rd year for you. Of course, you could make the case that you will say you declined it in CV, but such arguments are not so convincing on paper.

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:50 pm
by melk
Thanks St_Remy for your input! I must say I am still torn in my decision (mostly because of arguments you just wrote) .. I am in contact with FWO and the grant office in my host institution, I need to clarify some things before making the final call about which fellowship I will accept.
St_Remy wrote:
Wed Jul 13, 2022 1:16 pm
Declining the MSCA for the FWO because of 1 year may prove to be a costly mistake for your career! The MSCA has an EU-wide prestige compared to the FWO which is only restricted to Belgium. This makes sense when you consider that the competition for MSCA is truly global compared to FWO.

The doors which the MSCA will open for you might actually be much more than this 1 year that you hope to gain. In fact, in some Universities, winning and successfully finishing the MSCA project will facilitate a tenure track for you. Some universities even add a 3rd year for you. Of course, you could make the case that you will say you declined it in CV, but such arguments are not so convincing on paper.

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:49 am
by Qube
Dear Melk,

Congrats on having the luxury to choose between two very nice career changing grants!
Here are some numbers from the ERC on career prospects in academia after your MSCA IF, those numbers are pretty much in favor of a MSCA:
Of former Individual Fellowships postdoctoral researchers, 80% were economically active within three months and 93% within two years following their MSCA project. Of those, 85% were still working in academia.
https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions. ... or-fellows

Here are some not so favorable numbers for postdocs in (accidentally) Belgium:
10% OF ALL POSTDOCS STAY IN ACADEMIA BUT NEARLY 80% HOPE TO PURSUE AN ACADEMIC CAREER Data from our own and other universities in Belgium indicate that most of the young researchers who stay in academia become postdoctoral researchers, only a few take over staff positions such as organizers of doctoral schools or specific study programs. Of these postdoctoral researchers only 1 in 10 finally reaches a long-term academic position as a professor. source: https://smartsciencecareer.com/become-a-professor/

I'm not saying that you should choose the MSCA over the FWO, and these numbers are not directly comparable, but there is a convincing argument to be made in favor of MSCA. I personally would assess the choice on
1) Academics, which project will let you grow the most, which project is scientifically the most interesting, which project gives me the most freedom, these arguments can be very convincingly defended.
2) Prestige, unfortunately MSCA gets you on a very different list for potential jobs
3) Duration


melk wrote:
Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:50 pm
Thanks St_Remy for your input! I must say I am still torn in my decision (mostly because of arguments you just wrote) .. I am in contact with FWO and the grant office in my host institution, I need to clarify some things before making the final call about wh:h fellowship I will accept.
St_Remy wrote:
Wed Jul 13, 2022 1:16 pm
Declining the MSCA for the FWO because of 1 year may prove to be a costly mistake for your career! The MSCA has an EU-wide prestige compared to the FWO which is only restricted to Belgium. This makes sense when you consider that the competition for MSCA is truly global compared to FWO.

The doors which the MSCA will open for you might actually be much more than this 1 year that you hope to gain. In fact, in some Universities, winning and successfully finishing the MSCA project will facilitate a tenure track for you. Some universities even add a 3rd year for you. Of course, you could make the case that you will say you declined it in CV, but such arguments are not so convincing on paper.

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2022 8:45 am
by FairEnough
Thanks Qube for sharing your point of view,''

A simple question, what does economically active stand for in this sentence"80% were economically active within three months and 93% within two years "

TQ
Qube wrote:
Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:49 am
Dear Melk,

Congrats on having the luxury to choose between two very nice career changing grants!
Here are some numbers from the ERC on career prospects in academia after your MSCA IF, those numbers are pretty much in favor of a MSCA:
Of former Individual Fellowships postdoctoral researchers, 80% were economically active within three months and 93% within two years following their MSCA project. Of those, 85% were still working in academia.
https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions. ... or-fellows

Here are some not so favorable numbers for postdocs in (accidentally) Belgium:
10% OF ALL POSTDOCS STAY IN ACADEMIA BUT NEARLY 80% HOPE TO PURSUE AN ACADEMIC CAREER Data from our own and other universities in Belgium indicate that most of the young researchers who stay in academia become postdoctoral researchers, only a few take over staff positions such as organizers of doctoral schools or specific study programs. Of these postdoctoral researchers only 1 in 10 finally reaches a long-term academic position as a professor. source: https://smartsciencecareer.com/become-a-professor/

I'm not saying that you should choose the MSCA over the FWO, and these numbers are not directly comparable, but there is a convincing argument to be made in favor of MSCA. I personally would assess the choice on
1) Academics, which project will let you grow the most, which project is scientifically the most interesting, which project gives me the most freedom, these arguments can be very convincingly defended.
2) Prestige, unfortunately MSCA gets you on a very different list for potential jobs
3) Duration


melk wrote:
Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:50 pm
Thanks St_Remy for your input! I must say I am still torn in my decision (mostly because of arguments you just wrote) .. I am in contact with FWO and the grant office in my host institution, I need to clarify some things before making the final call about wh:h fellowship I will accept.
St_Remy wrote:
Wed Jul 13, 2022 1:16 pm
Declining the MSCA for the FWO because of 1 year may prove to be a costly mistake for your career! The MSCA has an EU-wide prestige compared to the FWO which is only restricted to Belgium. This makes sense when you consider that the competition for MSCA is truly global compared to FWO.

The doors which the MSCA will open for you might actually be much more than this 1 year that you hope to gain. In fact, in some Universities, winning and successfully finishing the MSCA project will facilitate a tenure track for you. Some universities even add a 3rd year for you. Of course, you could make the case that you will say you declined it in CV, but such arguments are not so convincing on paper.

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2022 6:26 pm
by melk
Many thanks Qube!
It's true that MSCA is more prestigious and may open many doors for my future career. However, after discussion with my PI and the grant office, I've decided to refuse MSCA. FWO is offering me more time and additional bench fees for my research, which will increase my chances to publish during my postdoc.

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:03 am
by trina_80
Guys, where do you stand on the GA preparation of data? We've summited it to the EU, along with the declaration of honors. We then got it back, with some notes. We addressed those and had some questions of our own before resubmitting, but we haven't heard back from the PO in a few days.
I was wondering where you stand. Thank you!

Re: MSCA RESERVE LIST 2021

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 10:29 am
by FairEnough
Hi Trina_80 and welcome back

You are far ahead of my case. I filled in all the required data. However, the international funding office in my host is on summer holiday leave. So they are willing to submit my GA and declaration of honors sometime in mid of August.
trina_80 wrote:
Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:03 am
Guys, where do you stand on the GA preparation of data? We've summited it to the EU, along with the declaration of honors. We then got it back, with some notes. We addressed those and had some questions of our own before resubmitting, but we haven't heard back from the PO in a few days.
I was wondering where you stand. Thank you!