As part of the call for the prestigious ERC Advanced Grants launched in 2018, five experienced professors from ETH Zurich have been selected – Andy Jackson (Geosciences), Ilya Karlin (Aerothermochemistry), Dirk Helbing (Sociology) and Erick Carreira and Peter Chen (Organic Chemistry). As previously, we can also confirm that ETH researchers have been extremely successful with their applications for funding. Seven of the fourteen proposals made it through to the second round. Five applications were ultimately successful, which equates to a success rate of just under 36 percent. Each of these researchers will receive 2.5 million euros for their respective projects through these grants. This result is also impressive when compared with the number of successful entries from across Switzerland, as ETH provided five of the eighteen successful proposals put forward from Switzerland, i.e. more than a quarter!
Chemistry, geosciences and sociology
This time, three of the funded projects being carried out at ETH Zurich will focus on basic chemical research, the findings of which could be key for the development of new molecules and materials. In addition, one project will focus on how cities can be designed with the help of their residents in the future and another project will conduct research into planetary magnetic fields.
In this round, the ERC received 2052 proposals from all over Europe. A total of 222 researchers were awarded a grant, which equates a mere 11 percent of the submitted proposals. The successful candidates can now look forward to receiving a great deal of support, with the ERC handing out over half a billion euros in Advanced Grants. In its media release, the ERC revealed that it expects this round of grants to help create up to 2000 new jobs.
A barometer for the quality of ETH research
Detlef Günther, ETH Vice President for Research and Corporate Relations, is extremely impressed that ETH scientists from a wide range of fields regularly demonstrate that they carry out first-class research in Europe. “My colleagues have repeatedly secured ERC Grants in an extremely competitive international environment. This remarkable success speaks for the relevance and strength of the entire spectrum of ETH research.”
In order to maintain this high level, however, researchers from Switzerland still needed the full support of politics and society as well as unhindered access to the European Research Area, emphasised the ETH Vice President: “This is why the country’s position towards EU politics which Switzerland is currently discussing is so important. The debate is also focussing on the significance of cutting-edge research for the country and the openness of Switzerland as a centre of education, research and innovation – and thus the country’s future.”