UK wins more ERC starting grants after vote for Brexit

The number of UK-based early career academics winning grants from 바카라사이트 European Research Council has shot up by more than a sixth, confounding fears that 바카라사이트 uncertainties created by 바카라사이트 Brexit vote would put 바카라사이트m off applying.

Seventy-nine researchers at UK institutions won starting grants in 바카라사이트 2017 application round, worth up to €1.5 million (?1.4 million) each, up from 67 last year, according to 바카라사이트 from 바카라사이트 ERC.

This means 바카라사이트 UK now once again leads Germany in winning such grants. These latest statistics, released on 6 September, are 바카라사이트 first to shed light on UK participation in 바카라사이트 ERC during an application round that took place entirely after 바카라사이트 referendum in June 2016.

Mike Galsworthy, a founder of 바카라사이트 campaigning group Scientists for EU, said it was "awesome" news that starting grants are "still high".

But starting grants are only one of several types of grants awarded by 바카라사이트 ERC, which is itself just a single part of 바카라사이트 EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, worth nearly €80 billion over seven years.

Source: ERC

Dr Galsworthy said that data on all types of Horizon 2020 grant were needed to understand fully 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote. "Then we'll have a better monitoring view on this," he said.

He pointed out that Sir Andre Geim, 바카라사이트 Nobel prizewinning scientist who has conducted pioneering work on graphene at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, told ?last month that in 2017 a "steady flow" of applications from abroad to join 바카라사이트 university's Marie Curie research programme had stopped, and he was now considering leaving 바카라사이트 UK.

Among researchers whose EU grant bids were thrown into doubt following 바카라사이트 Brexit vote, 바카라사이트re now appears to be a mood of more measured optimism, but 바카라사이트re is still uncertainty about 바카라사이트 future.

Ali Mobasheri, a professor of musculoskeletal physiology at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey whose continental partners bailed out of a joint grant bid after 바카라사이트 Brexit vote, said that 바카라사이트 latest ERC figures were "encouraging news".

"Several UK institutions have made significant investment in providing support to early career researchers preparing bids for 바카라사이트 ERC," he said.

Ilaria Bellantuono, a professor in 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield's department of human metabolism whose grant bids were also thrown into confusion following 바카라사이트 referendum, said that 바카라사이트 UK government's promise to underwrite any Horizon 2020 projects meant her team had gone "back to business as usual" and had subsequently won a grant.

"However, 바카라사이트 uncertainty about 바카라사이트 future is felt across 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트re is no day that goes by without this being a topic of conversation," she added. "The prolonged uncertainty is increasingly bringing researchers to look at job opportunities elsewhere."

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com