The “Connect Talent” International Call for Applications The purpose of the “Connect Talent” call for applications is to provide support for hosting world-class researchers at a laboratory in the Pays de la Loire region, on the west coast of France. “Connect Talent” seeks to attract technological or scientific breakthrough projects with unquestionable social and economic impact. Beneficiaries “Connect Talent” is intended for leading international scientists, alone or with a team. A leading scientist means a researcher with unquestioned international recognition: quality and dynamics in terms of scientific production, number of citations, distinctions (from the European Research Council, for example), international openness, scope of existing industrial relations, etc. Topics The call for applications is open to all scientific disciplines. Special attention will be paid to projects that will accelerate the development of an existing dynamic in the region, notably in the fields of production technologies, healthcare, the sea, plants, food, as well as cross-cutting topics in digital technologies, electronics and the human and social sciences. Eligibility requirements The award criteria are the following: - the applicant must have a high academic level and international recognition; - risk-taking and ambition of the scientific project; - social and economic impact; - acceleration of the scientific and technological dynamic in the Pays de la Loire region; - feasibility (cost, schedule, support methods, governance, collaborations, etc.) Applications When you go to the www.connectalent.org/en website, you can: 1) read the text of the call for applications, which presents the objectives of “Connect Talent”, the selection process and the assessment criteria; 2) learn about research in the region and contact a host institution; 3) download and fill in the application file. The deadline for filing applications is Monday, October 1st, 2018. All applications must be posted on the website by the researcher’s host institution. For further information, you can contact the Region’s services by e-mail: aap.recherche@paysdelaloire.fr.