The European Research Council (ERC) has just announced its 2024 Consolidator Grants to 328 researchers. These grants, totalling €678 million, aim to support outstanding scientists and scholars as they establish their independent research teams and develop their most promising scientific ideas.
The laureates of this grant competition will carry out their projects at universities and research centres in 25 EU Member States and other countries associated with Horizon Europe.
The UK was awarded the second highest number of projects (38), ex aequo with France (38), after Germany (67 projects) and before the Netherlands (37).
There are nationals of 43 countries among the winners of this call, notably Germans (60 researchers), French (34), Italians (29) and from the UK (23)
The grants will support scientific projects spanning all disciplines of research from engineering to life sciences to humanities. Some examples of research that will be undertaken with 2024 Consolidator grant funding include better understanding what influences positive societal responses to immigrants; using AI to improve firefighting strategies with realistic 3D images and physical simulations; and analysing how the “losing” voters of a democratically conducted election can come to accept their loss.
You can view the ERC webpage for more statistics and examples of winning projects.