The Max Planck Society (MPS) has once again demonstrated its preeminence in European research by securing 17 ERC Starting Grants in the latest round of awards from the European Research Council (ERC). This success comes from a total of 56 applications, resulting in a commendable success rate of 30 percent. The ERC’s Starting Grants support exceptional early-career researchers, enabling them to develop innovative projects and build their own research teams.
In a competitive landscape, the Max Planck Society shares the top position with the French CNRS, both institutions leading the European ranking. Following closely are the University of Oxford with 12 grants, the University of Amsterdam with 10 grants, ETH Zurich with 9 grants, and the Helmholtz Association with 8 grants. Overall, the ERC received 3,928 applications, approving 478, which translates to a 12 percent approval rate.
Germany’s research landscape is thriving, leading the European ranks with a total of 99 grants. The United Kingdom follows with 60, the Netherlands with 44, and France with 41. Within the Max Planck Society, the Humanities and Social Sciences Section (GSHS) excelled, achieving a remarkable 46 percent success rate, with 6 out of 13 applications approved. The Biology and Medicine Section (BMS) saw 4 out of 15 applications approved, resulting in a 27 percent success rate, while the Chemistry, Physics, and Technology Section (CPTS) had 7 out of 28 applications approved, a 25 percent success rate.
List of Successful Grant Recipients
The ERC Starting Grants awarded to researchers from the Max Planck Society span various disciplines. The recipients from the Chemistry, Physics, and Technology Section include:
– Anna De Graaff – Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
– Christian Renggli – Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
– Mariya Toneva – Max Planck Institute for Software Systems
– Rahul Trivedi – Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics
– Alexander Wietek – Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems
– Alexander Winkler – Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
– Guanqui Qiu – Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung
In the Humanities and Social Sciences Section, the successful candidates are:
– Ugofilippo Basellini – Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
– Arthur Kocher – Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
– Marília Nepomuceno – Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
– Hannah Sarvasy – Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
– Oleg Sobchuk – Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
– Sofie Valk – Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
From the Biology and Medicine Section, the awarded researchers are:
– Can Aztekin – Friedrich Miescher Laboratory
– Valentin Flury – Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics
– Juliane Glaser – Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics
– Martina Preiner – Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
Impact of ERC Grants on Research
The ERC Starting Grants provide an average funding of €1.5 million over a period of five years. This substantial investment allows early-career researchers to pursue original ideas and establish their own research teams without the constraints typically associated with early-stage funding.
The continued success of the Max Planck Society in securing these grants reflects its commitment to fostering innovative research and supporting the next generation of scientists. As the landscape of European research evolves, the Max Planck Society remains at the forefront, contributing significantly to scientific advancements across multiple disciplines.
