EARLICOST is pleased to announce the launch of its Dissemination Conference Grants (DCG) Call for 2026.

The call aims to support EARLICOST Action participants in presenting their work at high-level international conferences, enhancing the visibility of both the individual researchers and the Action within the wider scientific community.

Dissemination Conference Grants are designed to:

• support oral presentations at conferences organised by third parties
• promote EARLICOST results to relevant stakeholders and end-users
• strengthen networking and collaboration within the atmospheric science community

Key Information:

• Call opening: April 2026
• Deadline: Open until available capacity is filled
• Evaluation: Monthly, starting 6 May 2026
• Eligible conferences: Must take place before 1 October 2026

Who can apply?

Applicants must:

• be EARLICOST Action participants
• be corresponding authors of an accepted oral presentation
• present work aligned with the objectives and deliverables of EARLICOST
• ensure proper acknowledgment of the COST Action in all dissemination materials

Financial Support:

The grant provides a fixed financial contribution to support participation costs:

• up to €2500 for in-person conferences
• up to €500 for virtual conferences

The final amount is determined based on the application and evaluation outcome.

How to apply?

Interested applicants are invited to:

1. Submit their application via the e-COST platform
2. Upload all required supporting documents, including:
   • accepted abstract
   • conference acceptance letter
3. Complete the additional application form

Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the COST funding rules and guidelines before applying.

After the conference 

Grant recipients are required to submit:

• a scientific report
• supporting documentation (programme, presentation, attendance certificate)
• communication material (e.g. short video or presentation) highlighting their experience and outcomes

These materials will contribute to showcasing the impact and visibility of EARLICOST activities across its communication channels.For full details and application instructions, please consult the official call document.

EARLICOST COST Action is offering funding opportunities to support networking, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.

Available Grants:

• Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) Grants – Funded research visits to partner institutions to develop new skills, access unique facilities, and strengthen international collaboration.
• Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) Conference Grants – Support for Young Researchers and Innovators from ITC/NNC countries to attend high-level conferences.
• Young Researcher and Innovator (YRI) Conference Grants – Funding to present your work at a high-level conference and expand your professional network.

How to Apply:  

1. Read the funding rules here:
   • Annotated Rules: https://www.cost.eu/uploads/2025/11/COST-094-21-Annotated-Rules-for-COST-Actions-Level-C-V3.0-25-IX-2025.pdf
   • Grant Awarding Guide: https://www.cost.eu/uploads/2025/01/COST-Grant-Awarding-user-guide.pdf
2. Register or log in to your e-COST profile: https://e-services.cost.eu/ 
3. Submit your application via Grant Applications.
4. Check the following document with the open calls, including additional information and application process for each grant:  https://bit.ly/earlicost_open_calls 

EARLICOST is structured around four complementary Working Groups (WGs) that drive the scientific, technical, and societal impact of the Action. Together, they advance lidar technologies, strengthen data exploitation, engage stakeholders, and ensure effective dissemination of results.

WG1 – Sensing Technology

WG1 focuses on advancing innovative lidar technologies, including High Spectral Resolution Lidars (HSRL), Fluorescence Lidars, and Thermodynamic Profiling Systems. The group works toward the optimisation, harmonisation, and standardisation of methodologies, algorithms, and calibration procedures, while fostering strong collaboration between researchers, users, and industry.

Learn more about WG1: https://earlicost.eu/wg1/

WG2 – Data Treatment and Synergies

WG2 enhances lidar data exploitation by improving retrieval techniques and strengthening synergies with complementary observing systems, such as ceilometers, cloud radars, and satellite datasets. The group develops scalable, synergistic approaches to improve aerosol characterization, spatiotemporal representativeness, and Aerosol–Cloud Interaction studies.

Learn more about WG2: https://earlicost.eu/wg2/

WG3 – Users’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement

WG3 bridges scientific innovation with operational needs by fostering sustained interaction with industry partners and end users. It supports the transfer of technological advances to the market and develops guidelines to improve the use of lidar products in satellite applications, modelling, forecasting, aviation safety, and air quality monitoring.

Learn more about WG3: https://earlicost.eu/wg3/

WG4 – Dissemination and Outreach

WG4 coordinates the communication and outreach activities of the Action, ensuring that EARLICOST results reach the scientific community, industry, policymakers, and the public. It also supports collaboration with European and international science and technology initiatives.

Learn more about WG4: https://earlicost.eu/wg4/

EARLICOST is an open and collaborative COST Action that welcomes researchers, innovators, industry representatives, and end users who wish to contribute to advancing atmospheric lidar technologies and atmospheric profiling science. At this early stage of the Action, we encourage interested participants from COST Member Countries and beyond to join the network and actively engage in its activities.

1. Read the Action Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

Before applying, interested participants are encouraged to consult the official Action description (MoU), which outlines the scientific objectives, structure, and implementation framework of EARLICOST:

Action MoU:
https://e-services.cost.eu/files/domain_files/CA/Action_CA24135/mou/CA24135-e.pdf

2. Inform the Action Chair

Prospective participants are invited to express their interest by contacting the Action Chair:
Dr. Eleni Marinou (elmarinou@noa.gr)

3. Apply to Join a Working Group

Participation in EARLICOST activities primarily occurs through its Working Groups. Interested experts may apply directly via the COST e-services platform:

Apply to join a Working Group:
https://e-services.cost.eu/action/CA24135/working-groups/apply

The Action currently includes four Working Groups focusing on sensing technologies, data synergies, stakeholder engagement, and dissemination.

Management Committee members are officially nominated by the COST National Coordinators (CNCs) of each participating country. For further information on CNCs and nomination procedures, please consult:

COST National Coordinators:
https://www.cost.eu/about/who-is-who/#tabs+Name:National%20Coordinators

Upcoming Grant Opportunities:

EARLICOST will soon open calls for:

• Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)
• Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) Conference Grants
• Young Researcher and Innovator (YRI) Conference Grants

These funding instruments support networking, collaboration, and scientific exchange within the Action framework. Detailed information and application guidelines will be published on the EARLICOST website and digital platforms.

We invite you to join EARLICOST and contribute to strengthening Europe’s atmospheric lidar community.

For further information, please visit the “Join Us” section of our website or contact the Action Chair.

We are pleased to announce the launch of EARLICOST, a new COST Action dedicated to advancing atmospheric lidar technologies and strengthening collaboration across Europe and beyond.

EARLICOST aims to deepen our understanding of atmospheric composition and enhance the capabilities of atmospheric lidars to address critical gaps in aerosol characterization, temperature, and water vapour profiling. The vertical distribution of these key atmospheric variables provides essential insights into air quality, public health, weather systems, and climate processes.

Aerosols, in particular, are among the most significant drivers of climate change and remain one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate models. Their complex interactions with radiation and clouds, combined with their strong spatial and temporal variability, make them a crucial yet challenging component of the Earth system. Improving how we observe and interpret aerosol properties is therefore fundamental for more reliable climate predictions and better-informed environmental policies.

Although important technological breakthroughs in atmospheric lidar systems have been achieved by research institutions and industry, there is still a pressing need to strengthen knowledge-sharing, harmonise methodologies, and enhance collaboration between scientific communities, technology developers, and end users.

EARLICOST responds to this need by fostering a multidisciplinary network that brings together academic researchers, industry experts, policymakers and commercial and scientific end users. The Action builds on the current state-of-the-art in lidar technology and aims to:

• Harmonise measurement methodologies across networks
• Standardise aerosol, water vapour, and temperature retrievals
• Develop innovative techniques to improve the accuracy of atmospheric profiling
• Promote technological innovation and improved data-sharing practices

By advancing lidar technologies and strengthening cooperation across sectors, EARLICOST will contribute to a better understanding of atmospheric processes and deliver tangible societal benefits — from improved air quality monitoring to more accurate climate predictions and evidence-based environmental policies.