Valentine’s Day at the American College of Greece (ACG) proved that romance isn’t confined to roses and chocolates—sometimes, it takes the form of a brisk, 50-minute workshop on the art of funding research. Aptly titled “I Love Research Day”, the session was a spirited affair aimed squarely at the Center of Excellence in Food, Tourism & Leisure (CoEFTL) community, where the promise of collaboration and well-crafted proposals took center stage.

The Valentine’s-themed workshop was organized by CoEFTL’s Assistant Director Maria Vrasida, who took the lead breaking down how to transform a mere funding call into a robust research proposal. Dr. Vrasida crafted a comprehensive route starting from the source of research calls, directing eager participants to the European funding portal. Here, she detailed the essential filters, the necessary thought process, and, importantly, how to sift through the often voluminous call documents by focusing on details such as eligibility criteria, project length, and offered budget.

The workshop didn’t just dwell on the mechanics of finding a call. Dr. Vrasida went further down the route into proposal crafting, laying out the anatomy of a winning submission. She underscored that a well-thought-out proposal is not merely a bureaucratic exercise but a narrative that sells one’s research vision. She reminded everyone that the CoEFTL is there to support their endeavors throughout the process and to not hesitate to tap into the community’s collective expertise.

Constantinos B. Papadias, Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Graduate Studies, added his own dash of encouragement by commenting, “Play ball, we are here to support you”. Later in the workshop, Executive Director Athanasios Krystallis shared his pragmatic optimism: “One does not need to start from zero… If you want to give a call a try for your research portfolio, keep the Center in mind”. Together, their remarks served as a reminder that the world of research funding is a team sport rather than a solitary quest.

As the session wrapped up, Dr. Vrasida thoughtfully offered all participants some chocolate, conveying the message that in research, as in love, a little guidance and a touch of collective spirit can make all the difference.