EU researchers secure EUR 632m to tackle big scientific questions
Researcher - Photo © Alexander Raths - Fotolia
(BRUSSELS) - The European Research Council (ERC) awarded EUR 632 million of 'consolidator grants' Thursday to mid-career researchers to help them consolidate their teams and conduct pioneering research.
As part of the EU's Horizon Europe programme, 313 researchers will receive some EUR 632 million to explore a variety of scientific questions.
They will try to find out, for example, how to boost the security of computer software, what can be learnt from the history of diplomacy in South East Europe, how to treat heart arrhythmias, or how to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon society by leveraging social tipping dynamics.
This new round of grants will create an estimated 1,900 jobs for postdoctoral fellows, PhD students and other staff at 189 host institutions.
"The results of this European Research Council grant competition are a testament to the impressive excellence of European research," said research Commissioner Mariya Gabriel: " I am proud that the EU can help top researchers thrive in Europe. Finding new solutions in the fields of energy, health or digital technologies is only possible if we can attract and keep scientific talent."
Those awarded grants will carry out their projects at universities and research centres across 24 EU Member States and associated countries, with Germany (61 grants), UK (41) and France (29) as top locations. Scientists and scholars from around the world are eligible to apply to ERC calls.
This time, the winners represent 42 nationalities, with Germans (58 researchers), Italians (30) and French (26) leading the ranking in absolute numbers. Five researchers from the US and one researcher from New Zealand intend to move back to Europe with their grants.
In this latest call, 2,652 applicants submitted proposals and 12% of them will receive the funding. Male and female applicants were equally successful in winning the grants.
Male and female applicants were equally successful in winning the grants.
The ERC, the premier European funding organisation for frontier research, funds creative researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based across Europe. The ERC offers four core grant schemes: Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants and Synergy Grants.
Consolidator Grants (2021 call) – facts and figures
Examples of the research selected for funding
List of researchers selected for funding