COMPETITION ACRI "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM"

FOR 13 INVESTIGATORS (under 40)

Aesthetics of Emotions: Arts and Cognitive Science

This competition aims to award 13 one-month research visit fellowships in Italy to as many young investigators of any nationality carrying out research outside of Italy.

Art. 1 – OVERVIEW

The project Aesthetics of Emotions: Arts and Cognitive Science, financed by ACRI, aims to investigate the relation between aesthetics and the cognitive Sciences from an original, interdisciplinary and transversal point of view.

The project will take place from 26^th September to 28^th October, 2016. During this period, the 13 researchers selected will work in one of the 8 host institutions (as detailed below).

The project will end with a conference at the Università degli Studi di Milano. The selected researchers and some of the tutors of the 8 host institutions will attend the conference as speakers. Some of the most prominent scholars in the scientific fields involved will also attend and present at the conference. Among these are Peter Lamarque (University of York), Winfried Menninghaus and Alessandro Tavano (Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics), Mireille Losco-Lena (Passages XX-XXI, Université Lyon 2), Patrik Juslin (Uppsala Universitet), Julien Deonna (University of Geneva), Jérôme Pelletier (Institut Jean Nicod), Maria Filomena Molder (Universidade Nova de Lisboa) and Carole Talon-Hugon (Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis).

The conference will last three days, from 26^th to 28^th October. It will be divided into three different sections:

(1) Aesthetics of the Emotions;

(2) Philosophy of the Emotions;

(3) Cognitive Science of the Emotions.

Each one of the 13 young researchers selected will be assigned to one of the following 8 Departments of the 8 host institutions listed below (by considering the research project of the candidate and the researches carried out in each Department):

Host institution

Departments	Leaders
DIPARTIMENTO DI BENI CULTURALI E AMBIENTALI – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO	PROF.SSA MADDALENA MAZZOCUT-MIS
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE UMANISTICHE – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO	PROF. SALVATORE TEDESCO
DIPARTIMENTO DI LETTERE E FILOSOFIA – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE	PROF. FABRIZIO DESIDERI
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE DEL PATRIMONIO CULTURALE – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNO	PROF.SSA PINA DE LUCA
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE UMANE E SOCIALI – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI L’ORIENTALE	PROF.SSA ELENA TAVANI
DIPARTIMENTO DI STUDI UMANISTICI – UNIVERSITÀ DELLA CALABRIA	PROF.SSA SILVIA VIZZARDELLI
DIPARTIMENTO DI FILOSOFIA – UNIVERSITÀ CATTOLICA DEL SACRO CUORE	PROF. ROBERTO DIODATO
DIPARTIMENTO DI ANTICHISTICA, LINGUE, EDUCAZIONE, FILOSOFIA – UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA	PROF.SSA RITA MESSORI

Art. 2 – ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

Candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Not have turned 40 years old at the moment of the publication of this call;
• Have completed a Ph.D. (or equivalent qualification) in philosophy or human sciences, in Italy or abroad, at the moment of the publication of this call;
• Work at recognized institutions outside of Italy (Universities or Research Centers) or have a continuous collaboration with an University or a Research Center abroad Italy(adjunct professor, research contract, research grant, post-doc grant, teaching collaborations with University, temporary or permanent, or equivalent), at the moment of the publication of this call;
• Absence of a criminal record.
• Have a recognized expertise in one of the following research areas: Aesthetics, Philosophy of the Emotions, or Cognitive Science;
  • Knowledge of one of the following languages: English, German, French or Italian.

Art. 3 – APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The deadline for submission of applications is May 2^nd, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. (CET).

Applications must be written according to the form enclosed in the competition notice (Attachment 2) and include name, surname, place and date of birth, address, telephone number, competition notice information.

They must be submitted by registered letter with attached reply-coupon to the address:

Università degli Studi di Milano

COMPETITION ACRI "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM"

Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali

Via Noto 6

20141 Milano

(the stamp and date of the post office will be considered)

or sent by certified e-mail to the address : direzione.bac@pec.unimi.it  (with aesthetics.acri@unimi.it as CC).

The message should state in the object field: COMPETITION ACRI "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM”_Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali.

For any further information please write to aesthetics.acri@unimi.it

Application forms not signed or incomplete or sent after the deadline will not be considered.

The application form must include:

• FIRST DEGREE WITH FINAL MARK AND (WHERE APPLICABLE) MASTER’S-LEVEL DEGREE WITH FINAL MARK
• PHD DEGREE;
• SCIENTIFIC QUALIFICATIONS, DIPLOMAS, SCHOLARSHIPS, ATTENDANCE OF POST-GRADUATE COURSES;
• PUBLICATIONS;
• CURRICULUM OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES.

The documents above mentioned can be presented as follows:

• Academic and professional qualifications can be self-certified (Attachment 1).
• Qualifications which require evaluation, publications included, can be presented in PDF by self-declaration in substitution of attested affidavit according to D.P.R. 28/12/2000 n. 445 (Attachment 2).

Candidates who do not have a Ph.D. must supply the necessary documents to demonstrate a scientific-professional curriculum and appropriate research experience to carry out research activity as from this competition notice, otherwise they will be excluded from the competition.

Art. 4 - SELECTION PROCESS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

The selecting committee will be composed of all the indicated above leaders of the departments joining the project.

The selecting committee has max 50 points so divided:

• Ph.D. or equivalent qualification max 15 points;
• scientific professional CV (specialization post-lauream, research activities,
• fellowships, grant) max 10 points;   
• competences in the research fields required by this call max 15 points;
•  scientific publications max 10 points.

In details:

a) Ph.D. or equivalent qualification: max 15 points, so divided:

1) Ph.D.: 5 points;

2) pertinence with the research fields required by this call: 5 points;  

3) scientific relevance of the Ph.D. thesis: 5 points.  

b) scientific-professional CV (specialization post-lauream, research activities, fellowships, grants): max 10 points, so divided:

1) specializations post-lauream relevant for the research fields required by this call: 5 points; 

2) research activities, fellowships, grants: 5 points.

c) competences in the research fields required by this call: max 15 points, so divided:

1) philosophical competences: 3 points;

2) competences in aesthetics: 5 points;

3) competences in cognitive sciences: 3 points;

4) competences in presenting a paper to conferences: 2 points;

5) linguistic competences: 2 points.

d) scientific publications: max 10 points, so divided:

1) monographs: max 5 points;

2) articles: max 3 points;

3) translations and reviews: max 2 points.

In case of a tie the younger candidate will be selected.

The selection process consists of the two phases described below and is expected to last about 5 weeks after the closure of the call:

1. Administrative eligibility check

At the closure of the call, all applications received will be checked against the eligibility conditions stated in article 2 of this call for proposals. The eligibility is checked by an Internal Committee on the basis of the information provided by the candidate in the application.

2. Scientific evaluation

The Internal Committee will assess the applications based on the following evaluation criteria:

1)           Scientific career of the candidate (including international experiences and particularly scientific communications in English, Ph.D., specialization and post-doc experiences, masters, if finalized to the research theme);

2)           Quality of the research (included research course, its continuity and regularity, originality of the formative course, of the research, of the publications and awards).

In accordance with the most advanced international standards and respecting equal opportunities, the members of the selecting committee will pay attention to ensure diversity among the selected researchers group (compatible with their quality). This diversity is to be intended in intersectional terms, considering differences in gender, ethnicity, nationality, (dis-)ability, etc.

The final score will be the weighted sum of the score assigned for each criterion. A ranking list will be drawn up and published on the website after 5 weeks from the deadline for the presentation of the application.

Art. 5 – OBLIGATIONS OF THE YOUNG RESEARCHERS

The fellowship involves carrying out the activities briefly mentioned below:

1)           Participation in the research activities of the department to which the candidate will be allocated, under the guidance of her/his tutor and her/his research team, according to the modalities discussed with them;

2)           Access to departmental libraries;

3)           Other activities, including presentations/participations to internal seminaries, working in teams on papers in preparation, collaborations on funding applications for future research projects.

Besides the activities above, each researcher is expected to deliver:

1. An introductive paper on her/his research, on her/his first day in the host institution;
2. A research project to be developed at the host institution, on her/his first day in the host institution;
3. A weekly report of her/his activities;
4. A final report, evaluated by her/his tutors, in the form of a paper to be presented during the closing conference;
5. 5.   A presentation at the closing conference at the Università degli Studi di Milano;
6. An essay (within the two months following the closing conference) to be published in a collective book in English, containing the proceedings of the closing conference.

Art. 6 - THE FELLOWSHIP

The Università degli Studi di Milano will communicate, by e-mail at the address in the application form, the awarding of the fellowship to the winners.

Within 10 days after receiving the communication, the winner must send the acceptance declaration required, otherwise he/she will loose the fellowship; afterwards he/she will be called to stipulate a contract.

Art. 7 - REMUNERATION

The gross amount of the fellowship is of 3,000.00 Euro (for researchers affiliated to EU institutions) and 4,000.00 Euro (for those affiliated to non-EU institutions).

Art. 8 - ACCEPTANCE AND SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT

Declarations and certifications of acceptance must be sent by registered letter with attached reply-coupon within ten days from the communication to the address

Università degli Studi di Milano

COMPETITION ACRI "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM"

Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali

Via Noto 6

20141 Milano

(the stamp and date of the post office will be considered)

or sent by certified e-mail to the address direzione.bac@pec.unimi.it (with aesthetics.acri@unimi.it as CC)

The message should state in the object field: COMPETITION ACRI "YOUNG INVESTIGATOR TRAINING PROGRAM”_Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali.

The winners will be called to stipulate the contract of collaboration to research activity, which will start from the 26^th September and end on the 28^th  October.

Art. 9 - LOSS OF THE RIGHT TO THE FELLOWSHIP AND CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT

If the contract is not signed within the deadline established or if the candidate does not complete the above mentioned activities, the winner loses any right to the fellowship.

Art. 10 - PERSONAL INFORMATION

According to D.L. 196/03, the Università degli Studi di Milano will commit itself to respect all confidential information provided by the candidate: “all information provided will be handled only for aims connected to the selection and to the stipulation and management of the relationship with the University”.