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MINKE Project Open Calls

MINKE
#1

Hello @all,

This is a general announcement about a project called MINKE we are part of as Fab Lab Barcelona (were Smart Citizen was born). This project funded by the European Commission within the Horizon 2020 Programme (2014-2020), Grant Agreement No. 101008724.

MINKE aims to bring together key European marine metrology research infrastructures to create an innovative ‘quality of oceanographic data’ framework.

:boom: As part of the project, we are providing access to low cost sensors for environmental monitoring in ‘coastal’ environments and we are happy to announce that we are providing full free-of-charge to sensor instrumentation (basically, we are giving sensors to anyone that needs them). In addition to that, we are also providing free-of-charge support on project implementation and deployment, as well as extensive documentation and course materials. We are doing all of this through some Open Calls for proposals, which has recently opened, and that will last open until February. The calls are Open to anyone, users, communities, research institutions

To give you more information about what we offer: the hardware and physical support falls into what we call TNA (Transnational Access), access which will need to be requested through the form linked below. The knowledge platform, data platform and additional forum support is what we call VA (Virtual Access), and is provided free of charge to anyone. You can read more about this and the other services offered in the project here: https://minke.eu/services/transnational-access-tna/ and here: Virtual Access (VA) – Minke .

In terms of hardware, we are offering up to the following amounts of sensors (to divide between all applicants), as mentioned above, to projects related with environmental and coastal monitoring:

  • 60-90 Smart Citizen Kits with outdoor enclosure and external power supply (What is it? - Smart Citizen Docs)
  • 30-60 Smart Citizen Kits with outdoor enclosure and external power supply with additional water quality sensors
  • 8 Smart Citizen Stations for Water quality monitoring (including pH, Conductivity, dissolved oxygen and water temperature) (Soil and Water - Smart Citizen Docs)
  • 8 Smart Citizen Stations for Water quality monitoring (including pH, Conductivity, dissolved oxygen and water temperature) and gps for dynamic readings (Soil and Water - Smart Citizen Docs)

The awarded projects can be citizen science projects, research initiatives, and they will be evaluated according to the criteria described in Apply for TNA/VA – Minke

For this reason, and given our previous collaborations, we would like to invite you to participate in the Open Call, and to do so we would need you to send an application form to minke.tna@upc.edu. This form and more instructions can be accessed in this link: Apply for TNA/VA – Minke

We hope that this comes as good news, happy to support if you need in the application process!

#2
#3

Hmm. Its interesting.

A short background story: In conjunction with my current project (SCS V3 with Wind and Rain) I reached out to a few people in Kaohsiung where I then lived to see if I could find an environmentalist interested for collaboration purposes.
I came across one guy that seemed very interested generally; but his interest focuses on water quality both for general environmental concerns but also (I think) for fish breeding and fisheries industry generally. Taiwan has a LOT of fish breeding going on and a HUGE fishing industry.
Its not like I do not have my hands full at the moment; but a miracle could happen and all of my problems could vanish overnight. But anyway; I wonder if the ‘cross border’ thing applies internationally (and might, therefore, apply to Taiwan) or whether it is limited to EU countries ?

#4

Hi,

Regarding this, according to the rules available here: Rules to Access – Minke

  • Access must be transnational (this means outside Spain); the user group leader and most group users must work in a different country than the country where the facility is located. The country in which the applicant works is considered, not the nationality of the researchers or researcher’s team.
  • The applicant, or most applicants within a group, must be employed by an organisation established in an EU Member State or an associated country.
  • Access for groups with a majority of users not working in the EU or a partner country is limited to 20% of the total number of accesses provided. While access from non-associated third countries is possible, it will require strong justification and will be closely monitored.

So, I don’t think we can offer that, unless there are connections with EU based initiatives that carry out activities in both places.

#5

I will see what my contact has to say about it.

The waters are a bit muddy when it comes to Taiwan representation on international bodies due to interference from China; but Taiwan does have its friends; and it’s something of a bright light when it comes to fish farming.

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