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EURAXESS Smart Talks
Actionable Advice for MSCA Applicants - Part 2
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s flagship funding programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training of researchers. MSCA support research excellence, mobility, and collaboration across borders, sectors, and disciplines. They offer funding for doctoral training, postdoctoral fellowships, staff exchanges, and co-funded programs, fostering career development at all stages. MSCA strengthens the European Research Area by promoting knowledge transfer and building global networks between academia, industry, and society, making it a cornerstone of EU research and innovation policy.
We are excited to present part 2 of this two-part series on Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
In this episode we are honored to host Dr. Stefano Moncada and Dr. Pedro Manuel Sobral Pombo, Director and Marie Curie Research Officer, respectively, of the Islands and Small States Institute.
Part of the University of Malta, the Institute promotes research and training on economic, social, cultural, ecological and geographical aspects of islands and small states.
Drs. Moncada and Pombo share how their journey with MSCA began and how they successfully navigated the application process. They discuss what it takes to develop a strong proposal, the realities of balancing research with administrative and mentoring responsibilities, and how their projects have evolved over time. They also reflect on lessons learned, offer advice for young researchers considering MSCA, and provide guidance for organizations working within the program. It is a thoughtful exploration of MSCA from application to impact.
Hello, and welcome to Euroxis Smart Talks.
SPEAKER_04The Smart Talks Podcast Series is an EU-funded Euraxis project, which provides information and assistance to researchers at any career stage. We support researchers in mobility, careers within and beyond academia, innovation and entrepreneurship.
SPEAKER_01We strive to enhance scientific collaboration between Europe and the world.
SPEAKER_04We are continuing our conversations about Marie Sklodovska Curie Actions, the EU's flagship funding program for researchers. Today we are honored to host Director of the Islands and Small States Institute, Dr. Stefano Moncada, and Dr. Pedro Manuel Sobral Pombo, Marie Curie Research Officer at the Institute. Drs. Moncada and Pombo share their experiences with MSCA from crafting successful proposals to balancing research, mentoring, and administration. They'll offer practical advice for young researchers and organizations, reflecting on the program's challenges and impact, as well as the opportunities it provides.
SPEAKER_03So, first of all, thank you for having us with you. This is a great opportunity to share what we do, what we like, what our passion lies. So I'm very happy to share our experience. So, as you rightly said, our Islands of Small State Institute is considered to be a center of excellence in uh Islands and Small State Studies. We've been around for 35 years, give or take. And uh, you know, we've always been uh contacted and interacted with students from all over the world, not just Malta and Europe, you know, but especially from um uh small island states all over the country, uh all over the world, and we uh you know were receiving uh excellent research proposals and and ideas for projects, we're consulting and providing consultancies to governments, authorities. So I think the excellence required by the Maricori Actions was a natural progression for us. So we wanted to go out there and look for people who share our same uh passion for research to be applied in islands from a multidisciplinary point of view, so coming from different disciplines, and uh, I think the um possibilities that uh the Marikuri actions offered were great. Um, you know, get in contact with uh a set of uh scholars who are looking also for the same opportunity to flourish and to develop their ideas and concepts, and I think we um matched them very well so far, so good, I would say.
SPEAKER_04Wow, sounds um right, it sounds like that really shines through. And and um I'm I'm curious how many applications you got considering you know uh you know the pro the process of uh applying through and I just gotta flick your reactions and the excellence. Um how many applications did you get and how much time did it take to develop um a good proposal that was finally approved?
SPEAKER_03Thank you for the question, Jacob. We have so uh I have to make a little bracket here before answering to your question. We were, since, as I mentioned, was the first time that we wanted to get out there and also test a little bit the water, we published our call to receive applications on the teams that where we feel we were strong and where we pioneered some work and some excellence in the area of the economic and social and environmental vulnerability and resilience of islands and small states. We centered it around climate change because that is my area of expertise, but we were ready to also consider other options. So when we published the call, we were overwhelmed by the response. We received around, I believe, 12 uh people who were interested and sent us their initial concept notes. So not only I'm interested, but you know, sending their their initial ideas. So after that, we kept in contact with the most promising ones. I would say around half of that, so six more or less, and uh eventually we um ended up submitting two from our end, um, two very good proposals. Of course, one of them was uh extremely good and had promises to be from day one when uh our soon uh friend that you'll and colleague will be hearing from um uh contacted us. So I would say overall we took uh maybe three four months to do all of this, and uh of course, uh you know, developing the proposal with Pedro took a bit longer because we uh kind of you know uh delved into the subject much more, and we thought uh it would be it had very good promising to you know to be to be an excellent one.
SPEAKER_00Thank you very much. And um next question is uh for Pedro. So Pedro, tell us please what your proposal was about, why it was the best, because you understand why it is uh needed, why exactly you had an expert expertise in the in the same field, and uh uh the necessary uh I would say uh necessary expertise that is aligned with this future your your future work. And where did you find the application and why you decided to apply actually?
SPEAKER_05Okay, thank you. I will start to answering um from the last question. Yes, yes, I decided to apply. Well, it was the the one of the several uh COVID periods in India where I was I was I was in Goab at the time, I was teaching at university, and you know, I think you know I was trying to see you know what the future brings. And I the I usually browse the Euro Access uh webpage quite frequently, usually just to see what's around, because it's good to discover new projects or you know European funding. So that was something that I was doing, but at that time I started to kind of looking for something that could be exciting to apply, uh, because everything was online. I was tired of being at home. And I saw an application by an institute. Uh I didn't know anything about it by the time. Stephen was the University of Malta. I'd never been to, I didn't really know about it. I thought um, well, the fact that it uh islands and small states institute, I thought it was very, very engaging and very exciting because I didn't know it existed. And by that time I was more and more interested in islands um research. I mean, my research was mostly Mauritius or a little bit of Seychelles and Zibarba at that time. And um it took me some time to apply because I was not sure. I was coming from a heritage and a more ethnographic anthropology. And you know, in terms of climate change, for example, I knew that I didn't have really an experience of that, but I I I it stayed in my mind, and I kept browsing back the web page to see what the people were, what they were doing. And this morning I told Stefanu, uh, tomorrow we'll we'll make four years since we exchanged the first emails. So it was 23rd April 2020 when I wrote, and then Stefan wrote back very quickly. And so we started to we started to discuss, and what probably I was interested in trying to connect uh you know background on on heritage and culture to to the you know to the to the concerns of climate change and environmental change and sustainable development, which the the the institute is is excellent at, and from that we start um you know our conversations. But I I mean I think I'm speaking for both, it was a very good initial click. I think we it it was very good since from from the beginning, and then the long process um started from that dive four years ago almost exactly. We had a we had an online meeting that kind of trying to understand you know if it would be a good feed from my background, the institute, if you know, if Stefan would at the institute would be interesting or not. And then I think I sent like a first very rough draft of a general idea, probably maybe a month and a half later, something like that, six weeks, I think. But that was just an idea, and then um then Stefan would say, Yeah, okay, I mean, let's work on this, which I mean I was very excited, of course. And the submission was late September, so it it was from April to late September, working on it. Long process.
SPEAKER_00How did you find it?
SPEAKER_05I searched at a good time because I think uh the institute it it was a recent call, I think, by by April. Um, so it it was coming, you know, one of the first when you put the fields, islands, or anthropology, or so it was one of the first coming, so that was quite visible. And uh, I mean it was exciting to you know think about some a place I I didn't know it was there, but uh the call was very interdisciplinary since the beginning because uh I mean it doesn't really look very well on me to say I didn't know the institute, but because disciplinaries, we always tend to you know to keep updated in our own disciplines, although I work interdisciplinarity, and the call was very interdisciplinary since the beginning. That's that's the reason that I was also very interested, because you know, it was something that was trying to gather different perspectives, disciplines. So it was an exciting call, you know, even if you know at the beginning was coming, you know, an interest of climate change, for example, which was something that I was thinking about, but I I didn't work on it before. It was an engaging call, an engaging text to to think about it. And I think that's really that's very good.
SPEAKER_00Yes, and to have this perfect match that you understand what your research is about, and the research organization needs you because of that. Uh uh tell us please, Stefani, about your like everyday life. How how's your everyday life looks like? Um, your working day I would say. So, how much uh I don't know how you can explain it in per percentages or anything. So, how much time does administrative work takes, research takes from you? So, because you are like uh at least, for example, uh from your experience, uh, how much time does it take to onboard a person? How does it look like?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I would like to I would like to add one thing about this. Uh we um of course we uh um let's say that even the Pedro didn't know us, so we were quite you know, let's say um familiar or were known in other um areas, but uh the study of uh let's say that the uh uh the the study and the settings of islands and small states is a relatively you know minor niche within the uh you know study of uh uh other settings. Um so it is always a bit more difficult to find space in the arena, right? Uh so you have to compete with uh you know other uh you know, giants or or other um uh settings which are more important, you know, the global powers, the big countries, uh, you know, where there is more economic uh um uh interest or political or diplomatic interest. So the you know, the area of studies of violence in small states it's intrinsically a bit more difficult to get out there because of what's relatively less importance. However, in recent years, we've seen that you know this has risen importance. It has uh um uh risen in terms of um you know the extent to which small countries have done um uh you know progress in uh international diplomacy, in uh and climate change, in uh both suffering the consequences of climate change, for example, and the answering to it, right? So uh demanding a response from bigger countries and et cetera. It's also the area where we test some of the established theories, whether they make sense in the context of violence. And some of the cases they don't. So we need to revise some of these theories, right? Uh, because they have might have been applied only in big countries, on a few set of countries, and therefore, you know, all of these have created an interest, which resulted also in uh all that high number of applications we received. Therefore, from the Euro Access website, uh from the dissemination that the the we have seen, there was a test, right, for for issues related to Alliance of Most State. And perhaps other people might find you know, posting to Ouraxis and having access to this um uh important platform another opportunity for them to you know let their work shine.
SPEAKER_04Thank you for that. And it's it's interesting to hear about your day. And now I'd love to juxtapose what your day is like as a manager with Pedro's day. Pedro, can you tell us a little bit about your everyday?
SPEAKER_05The paperwork and administrative um you know, whites, Stefano's. I mean, it's when I'm in Malta or when I'm you know when I'm not in fieldwork research. Um it's uh reading, writing, doing research. Uh a few, I I taught a couple a few models for our for our master students. Um, I mean participating in the life of the institute, but it's a very privileged life because it's dedicated to the project research, so which is a luxury. I I was already a teacher, and when you have to, you know, with administrative teaching and research. Now I feel very privileged because the research is coming, you know, it's coming as the mind, but I'm very happy that I participate in the institute's activities. It's uh especially the teaching, um, because it's a different teaching I was used to, students from different parts of the world, um, very interdisciplinary. So it was a really good and beautiful experience, and different from my previous experience in teaching. So that was also very good. Well, um, our research, we have quite long periods of field work where you know we go to the locations we study, so several uh islands in the Western Indian Ocean. Um, Mauritas, Seychelles, uh, Comoros, Mayotte, and Reunion, and the island of Malta. So, besides the field work there, interviewing, ethnographic research, uh, bibliography, visiting the heritage elements we are studying, try to engage with the managers, local population. In Malta is also reading, analyzing, doing bibliographical reviews, uh, setting up networks, um and trying to think how to write, what kind of outputs we want, work together, prepare conference presentations. We are just uh last week we were in Barcelona on a side event for the UNESCO Ocean Decades conference, which thank you, which is very good because you end up also sharing your work, having feedback, and that has been quite a strong part because last year and this year there are other conferences that we go, and I mean that's also a part of also sharing the work, but it's uh between desk and reading and active field work, uh, which is I mean, it's the most exciting part.
SPEAKER_03This is such an interesting and tricky question. I I wish I could give you different numbers, but unfortunately, the administration is taking over a bit too much. Um also being the director of an institute, you always have to deal you know with more uh decisions and administrative procedures, which have to be followed, of course. You know, I mean I'm all for it. We have to establish that you know these procedures are there to safeguard the students, the the academic and non-academic stuff. So it's important as an institution we keep them there. Um so I would say maybe a good 40% of the day is taken by that by administration, and the rest is divided equally between teaching, research, and outreach, I would say. So uh, you know, and then I'll try to keep at least one day a week only for research. Uh bar all the administrative urgencies that might crop up and they always do. Uh, but you know, I think it's important to keep that uh research going. And I guess the work that we're doing with Pedro and also the other applications which we are receiving at the moment, we're working on, uh, keep the uh need to do research always alive. And and of course, uh, as far as I'm concerned, that uh is a very fun part of my job. So where most of the passion lies, and it's very nice. Of course, also it goes along with training students and see how they progress and they shine through their uh you know uh progression. So that is also another very interesting part.
SPEAKER_02Uh, talking about the climate change, do you have any good news, so to say, for us?
SPEAKER_03No, no, there is there is some, there is some, and let's let's share it together. Um, also thanks to the word that Pedro is is um you know pioneering. Um I think we find and from other work that we've been doing in the Caribbean, in the Pacific, in the Indian Ocean, in the Mediterranean, many many islanders tend to know how to cope with both the extreme events as well as the slow onset, so like sea level rise. The issue is that of course this capacity of people uh and their ability to cope is linked to the amount there are a series of factors, the amount of resource available, uh you know, including income, but also the support structure that they have around them. And most of the islanders tend to have a support structure which is strong, relatively stronger than people who don't live in islands, because in islands you have a lot of networks that support you. So if you are it's very difficult to fall uh behind, right? Because you have either your family or your group of friends or the church or any religious organization or or any cultural organization or the state. They're all very heavily present in different degrees, so it's very difficult to fall behind. However, we notice that this because of the radical and more increased changes in climate and the impacts that this is having, this kind of um uh you know coping ability of the people is becoming less and less powerful because, of course, the impacts are more uh you know they're heavier, they're more impactful. So it's very important that there is a coordination with the role of the state. So government institutions have to dialogue better with this initial response of people. And I think the trick and the key in the future will be to find a good balance between these two. So the autonomous community and individuals who react and try to cope, and the help that government authorities can give. And to understand how to help. Because sometimes authorities help not necessarily with the, I wouldn't say with the interest, you know, but with the mind uh how the communities are already acting. And that's where research is important, because we can provide these two policies and say, look, this is what they're doing, this is how they should they can be supported. Perhaps you should consider policies to help this. And I think the research that Pedro is doing via the Marico reaction um uh is goes exactly in this direction.
SPEAKER_04So it's it's nice to see, and it's a little bit um almost inspiring or optimistic to see that the research that you're doing, which started from seeing a call on the Axis page and then an email conversation and developing and learning about how islands and small states react to climate change, can hopefully ultimately have an effect on the global response to climate change, which I think could be very, you know, that's some amazing to see something that in theory starts out so small have very large effects, hopefully. Um cautiously optimistic.
SPEAKER_03Correct, correct. So kudos to Pedro to have spotted the to have spotted the the advert on Auraxis. Good for us to have put it there, and we urge we urge all the researchers to do this. Ah, we got it. We got the line.
SPEAKER_00Great. I think that many early stage researchers that are like listening to us would envy a little bit you and take into consideration that they they need also to uh they can try because uh interdisciplinarity allows also some variations on the topic. It it doesn't need to be very straightforward like it was probably some time ago. And uh we would like uh to ask you, Pedro, if you can uh uh if you have any advice for those who want to apply. What do they need to think about? What would be your advice on preparation of proposal or anything?
SPEAKER_05No, but what um I mean I what is interesting in all this is that uh when I was saying and Stephanie said it's interesting because, for example, even if I was working on my field work was mainly on islands already, but because I was focused on you know diaspora, uh cultural heritage, and even if we had an idea of interdisciplinary, I didn't know any center or institute on island studies, for example. My my references on island studies scholars was still very small, and that's why I didn't know you know Stefan's institute. And this is a very good because when you start to combine expertise and fields that I mean I really had to quite read a lot about climate change, resilience, because our concept set I was not working with before. And it's quite interesting how how the field of island studies really makes you be aware of you cannot not be interdisciplinary. I think it's almost impossible because you really touch all the fields, and that is a very, you know, it's very exciting because you are reading things that you were not reading before, but make all the sense for your research. You bring your your own background, your own knowledge, but you learn so much more, and and even the field work is quite interesting because what Stefan was saying is I mean, for us, we we really I mean, cultural heritage and knowledge about the environment and cultural attachments to the landscape are really vital, you know, to cope with environmental change and climate change. And another thing that we see is that at the same time there is a loss of knowledge or a loss of connection because also the environment, the landscape changes so much. So the population is not able to cope in the same way because you know the environment is different. But as Stefan was saying, there is still so much to records, to learn with, you know, to recommend, to observe, to register, because it's uh it's really fascinating. Now it and it starts you know parallel. Um, you know, there's so much more around what we are studying in concrete, and that's quite a fascinating um thing.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. And Stefano, what would be your summary? I would say, if uh uh you would advise anyone to apply, or to the not only to to the peers, I would say, to but also to the organizations, to the to to those who want to have uh MSA uh stuff.
SPEAKER_03So thank you for the question, and also thank you, Pedro, for the very nice words, but you know, it's really been uh an incredible um um so if if um uh if this was a marriage, Euraxis would be the celebrator because you know it really helps us to find uh to find the people you know to to come together. So no, look, I would definitely definitely uh suggest the institutions to identify their point or points of excellence and uh write uh a proposal, a call for application that goes around what they're strong at. And uh and this would include, I think, an element of interdisciplinarity. So where you think you are strong, and you can also supply some uh good elements of interdisciplinarity. That would be a good starting point. And go out there, just you know, don't be afraid because you know these are all very good opportunities. So it's an element uh of growth for many of the organizations too. And for the applicants, I would uh definitely recommend to um get in contact, perhaps you know, via an initial email to find out whether there is an interest from the people, not to give up if there isn't any reply because people might be busy, not uninterested, um especially if they're under staffed like us, but uh you know, also doing great. And uh and I would definitely uh try to um uh present yourself to the institution with uh a strong concept note, if not a short proposal, so that you can show that you mean business, you can show that you are uh able and capable of having that initial idea that can be you know can flourish with the support of the organization, but you know that would put you already in the you know top 10% if you present something that uh uh where you where you have a passion, that you have worked for, that is qualitatively good. Don't send, of course, um we're talking about excellent scholars here who aspire to send something they wouldn't do this, but don't send something sloppy, you know, just for the sake of it. You know, put your your your your reference to it, and I'm sure that this will be noticed if it is worth uh um you know working for.
SPEAKER_02And what about you, Pedro? What would your advice be?
SPEAKER_05Um well, I mean, I think really uh see what what is open there, see the call. I think, I mean, for me, but I think it's it's uh for everyone in this sense. You really have to find a place where you really have a very good support. I mean, because since the first time me and Stefan will, you know, exchange emails at an online meeting, then the first draft, and then it goes, you know, Stefanu shared with me templates of the proposal because there's a there's a part which is more technical, you have several areas where you have to to to fill in the application form, so it's something that I never done by that time. And I remember then we had a service from the university and from the European Union uh Horizon um team, a national contacts that reviewed the and I remember the first time someone reviewed the text. It well, it's difficult because you are used to write, you know, in a more academic setting, and the language is different. You have you know it's an application, the grant application, language text format, and that was essential for I mean, for the writing of the proposal. You really I I don't believe it, I think it will be very difficult if you don't have a very supportive host institution. I mean, in my case, I I had the best I could hope. And it's not because that's here, it's I tell this everyone it's true, and I would not I would not do it. I mean, we would not have it uh without a very good support from everyone, and then even from the first evaluation, so don't give up if the first because the first time we applied it was already very good, very well evaluated. So it was close to have the funding, but we didn't. But the comments were very helpful from the the team that reviewed at the European level that reviewed the proposal, and we worked, we wrote again based on the comments. So, one advice is find a really good host institution that makes you feel that you know they are interesting in working with you because I think it's fundamental to have that feeling that someone you know is willing to help you, uh, you know, what because I think I would not have it with without that support. A place that you feel you identify with, because I think it's very not only the you know the on the you know the core skills, but personally meet the people, see if there's you know, if you identify with the way of working, with the topics, and and because I think that's very important, that you feel are in the right place for you, and then have very good support in writing, uh, because so many revisions of the so it's endless, but and don't you know don't give up in the first. I mean, uh it can be possible.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_04Thank you very much for that. Um, I guess here I'll just summarize and say thank you so much for for sharing your stories, thank you for sharing your experience, your testimonials of your research, um, your projects, how you guys came together. Um, it's really fascinating to hear how at the end of the day, sometimes we read a research paper or you see an article or um something on a news site of some breakthrough or some new explanation for some uh research topic. And it's hard to see where it comes from and you know, all the work that was done up until then, down to the administrative level of how the two researchers met up and how the mentor and the researcher came together. And I think it was fascinating today to really get that full picture, the full story arc from the beginning until now. And I wish you all success. Um, you know, thank you, you know, as a citizen of the world on behalf of humanity, thank you for the research that you do. Um I I don't live on an island or a small state, but I uh I think it's it's amazing work and it's fascinating. And I think our listeners at home have gained already so much insight, both into the work that you do and the research that you do, but also as researchers, how they can go about getting to the same points and how they can go about accessing the same opportunities and developing their career further as well. So thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for listening to this episode of Yuraxcess Smart Talks.
SPEAKER_01We hope you enjoyed this episode and can't wait to share more with you next time.
SPEAKER_04You can follow us and find more episodes on the Yuraxcess portal or wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode is published under the Creative Commons CC BY license.
SPEAKER_01Thanks for listening.
