Minister Faßmann: New chapter in Austrian ERC success story with 9 Starting Grants
Congratulations to excellent researchers at five local institutions – FFG is a strong partner for successful application at the European Research Council
The Austrian ERC success story will continue with nine Starting Grants: the European Research Council (ERC) announced that nine researchers working in Austria will receive funding of up to 1.5 million euros each. "I congratulate all these excellent researchers", says Science and Research Minister Heinz Faßmann. "From my experience as a scientist and a Vice-Rector, I know about the high importance of the ERC Grants. They are incredibly valuable for young researchers as well as for their teams, and also a clear quality reference for the local universities and research institutions", says the minister. With the nine grants, a total up to 13.5 million euros will go to the University of Vienna (four grants), the IST Austria (two grants), the University of Graz, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT).
The ERC Starting Grant supports young, excellent scientists in establishing their own independent research team. Starting with up to 1.5 million euros (for five years), the following researchers in Austria will receive Starting Grants:
- Dan Alistarh, Institute of Science and Technology Austria
- Maria Filipa Baltazar de Lima de Sousa, University of Vienna
- Nicla de Zorzi, University of Vienna
- Mikhail Lemeshko, Institute of Science and Technology Austria
- Gustav Oberdorfer, University of Graz
- Eva Oburger, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna
- Jillian Petersen, University of Vienna
- Bernhard Schrenk, Austrian Institute of Technology
- Alice Vadrot, University of Vienna
"We are constantly working to support researchers with their submission to the highly competitive European Research Council. We are therefore a strong partner for the researchers", say Henrietta Egerth and Klaus Pseiner, managing directors of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG. As a national contact point (NCP), FFG offers a wide range of information and services. These measures are funded by several ministries (Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research/BMBWF, Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs/BMDW, Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology/BMVIT and more) and the Austrian Economic Chambers. Concerning ERC, the support ranges from personal advice and application training courses to "ERC Proposal Reading days" and Proposal Checks.
The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation "Horizon 2020" (2014 – 2020) is the world's largest, transnational programme for research and innovation. The top research programme ERC is implemented within "Horizon 2020" and supports researchers at various career stages in ambitious research projects. From an Austrian perspective, the ERC is with 194 million euros so far the strongest individual programme in "Horizon 2020".
The next deadline for the ERC Starting Grant is scheduled for fall 2018.