Brussels, 19/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 18 December, the European Research Council (ERC) unveiled projects that will receive special subsidies for synergies, totalling €150 million over the next six years, i.e. 10% of the ERC budget. Behind the term “synergy” lies the resolve to finance innovative projects, by promoting interdisciplinary exploratory research, although the outcome is risky.
Thirteen projects have been selected from 450 put forward in this last call for proposals in the context of the ERC pilot initiative. Those projects unite 45 researchers of 14 different nationalities working in 11 countries of the European Research Area. The maxim that guided the selection of the projects was “pushing the frontiers of our knowledge”, an expression used by Research Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn. The projects include: creating the first ever picture of a black hole and evaluating the environmental impact of the lack of phosphorus. The average subsidy for each project amounts to €11.5 million, with a ceiling fixed at €15 million. (JK/transl.jl)