The selected projects will cover a broad spectrum of research fields from life sciences and engineering to social sciences and humanities. The funding, worth €705 million in total, will support 421 early-career researchers.
A Starting Grant provides up to €1.5 million over a maximum period of five years. Researchers may also apply for additional funding to cover eligible costs, such as acquiring major research equipment, accessing large-scale research facilities, or carrying out costly experimental work or fieldwork.
“The creativity and ambition of this new generation of grantees are inspiring,” said Professor Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council. “Over 50 nationalities are represented amongst these researchers who will carry out their work across Europe. ERC Starting Grants will give them independence and support early on in their careers, needed for them to push scientific boundaries. This is the best investment we can make to further strengthen our research base and Europe’s future.”
The Cambridge researchers recognised in this year’s call are:
Dr Stefano Racioppi from the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, a computational and theoretical chemist who specialises in condensed matter chemistry and physics under extreme conditions.
Dr Jon Roozenbeek, Director of the Influence and Technology Lab in the Department of Psychology, whose research focuses on (mis)belief formation, intergroup conflict (particularly in Russia and Ukraine), polarisation, underground manipulation markets, and the use and misuse of modern communication technologies.
Dr Grégoire Vernaz from the Department of Genetics, who studies the molecular mechanisms enabling species diversification and adaptation, with a particular focus on the cichlid fishes of Lake Tanganika.
A record 4807 proposals were submitted to this competition, up 22% from 3928 in last year’s call. Of these, only 8.8% were funded. The increased demand was also reflected in the number of applications from researchers based outside Europe. In particular, 169 US-based researchers applied for this funding, compared to 116 in the previous call.
The new grantees will be based at universities and research centres in 25 EU Member States and associated countries, notably in Germany (89 grants), the UK (47), France (38), Switzerland (36), and the Netherlands (33). Among the winners are 84 Germans, 50 Italians, 30 French, and 24 Spanish, as well as researchers of 48 other nationalities. Estimates show that the grants are likely to create more than 2,700 jobs in the teams of the new grantees.