The work of ERC grantee Ülo Niinemets has shown that monitoring plant stress emissions could help us to better understand atmospheric processes. This has led to a rethink on global climate modelling and strengthened research into crop resilience. His project’s successful international collaboration has also demonstrated how ERC funding can boost scientific excellence in smaller countries like Estonia.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Ülo Niinemets

Pioneering new methods for identifying ancient fragments of human bone have helped to prove that human species interbred. The techniques, developed by ERC grantee Katerina Douka, are currently being shared through a growing global network of researchers and could provide insights that extend well beyond historical analysis.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Katerina Douka

The pioneering work of ERC grantee Roberto Navigli has brought computer language learning and translation closer to the level of human comprehension. Not only has this been used to deliver large-scale lexical resources that are used by language learners, universities and organisations across the world, but it could also have important implications for artificial intelligence, robotics and the future of machine translation.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Roberto Navigli

ERC grantee Maya Schuldiner has harnessed 21st-century microscopy and employed an interdisciplinary approach to visualise basic cellular phenomena for the first time. Her work radically altered the established understanding of organelles – the functional elements of a cell – in the field of cell biology. The findings also have implications for human health and, more specifically, for understanding and treating rare genetic conditions.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Maya Schuldiner

Developing mathematical models to describe the role of musical performance could open the door to new applications, including treating cardiac arrhythmia. ERC grantee Elaine Chew has brought together radically different disciplines in order to drive and expand our understanding of this complex and elusive concept.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Elaine Chew

Frontier research led by ERC grantee Anne L’Huillier has led to progress in the understanding of the dynamics of electrons within atomic systems. In parallel, advances in the field of ultrafast laser technology spun off from her fundamental research have opened up further opportunities in this field – both in terms of scientific application and commercialisation.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Anne L’Huillier

Now, more than ever, many of our interactions take place online. ERC grantee Stefania Milan has performed innovative, quantitative research on personalisation algorithms, addressing what they are and how they influence user behaviour and perceptions on social media. Her open-source software is a promising, user-friendly tool for building digital literacy among researchers, civil society advocates and citizens at large.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Stefania Milan

ERC grantee Uğur Şahin is driving a new generation of mRNA cancer vaccines. His interdisciplinary team is using cutting-edge technology to develop vaccines that enhance immune responses to tumour mutations in individual cancer patients. This frontier research is not only changing the course of personalised cancer treatment, but also stimulating a general acceptance of mRNA as an immunotherapy solution with high potential in terms of vaccines against infectious diseases such as COVID-19. In this podcast, we interviewed Mustafa Diken, Deputy Director of Immunotherapy Development Center at TRON, and a key member of Şahin’s team.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Mustafa Diken

Through combining their expertise, four ERC grantees have awoken the scientific community to what nutrient imbalances could mean for our planet, and for our species. Their findings could lead the world towards more accurate climate modelling, more equitable policymaking, and more sustainable food production. In this podcast, we interviewed one of the four grantees who are part of this ERC Synergy Grant project: Josep Peñuelas from the Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC in Spain.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Josep Peñuelas

Prize-winning ERC grantees Anna Akhmanova and Marileen Dogterom combined cutting-edge research in the fields of biophysics and biology to achieve a better understanding of how cells self-organise. Their findings could have far-reaching implications for our ability to manipulate cells and treat diseases such as cancer. In this podcast, we interviewed one of the grantees in this ERC Synergy Grant project: Anna Akhmanova, Professor of Cell Biology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

How the ERC transformed science - interview with Anna Akhmanova

A new acoustic paradigm for cities

Architecture and urban design have traditionally tended to focus on what we see rather than what we hear. When sound is taken into account, it tends to be viewed as a problem to be dealt with through noise control. 

Reducing noise is certainly important, especially because the kind and level of noise people are exposed to in urban environments often reflects socio-economic inequalities. And noise can also have a damaging effect on ecosystems, for example by interfering in communication between different species of birds at certain frequencies. 

But the Soncities project aims to go beyond the traditional focus on noise control, and to develop more creative approaches towards sound in urban environments. The project brings together specialists from different fields including sound theorists, urban sociologists, architects, urban designers and sound artists. It is also engaging local communities in several cities through field recordings, audio diaries and sonic mapping of neighbourhoods. New tools developed and tested through these collaborations are intended to help create more inclusive and enjoyable sonic environments.

In this episode in our series of podcasts featuring ERC grantees, we spoke with Gascia Ouzounian, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Oxford, about her work to develop a “new acoustic paradigm for cities”.

Urban Sounds - Interview with Gascia Ouzounian

ERC project on cichlid evolution (Prof. Walter Salzburger)

What does success look like, and how is it achieved? Teenagers may be developing a distorted image of success due to popular media narratives, according to research conducted by Professor Laura Vandenbosch at KU Leuven. In this podcast, Professor Vandenbosch talks about her ERC-funded MIMIc project, which is looking at the impact of media narratives on the personal wellbeing of teenagers, as well as their perspectives on wider social issues. She also shares some tips on applying for an ERC grant. Check out the story on the ERC website https://erc.europa.eu/projects-statistics/stories/teenagers-wellbeing-affected-media-narratives and the MIMIc website http://www.projectmimic.eu/ for further information.

Teenagers’ wellbeing affected by media narratives - Interview with Laura Vandenbosch

What are the impacts of visual technologies like facial recognition, deepfakes and image filtering? Research carried out by Professor Jill Walker Rettberg at the University of Bergen suggests that they may fundamentally affect our perception of the world around us. Listen to this podcast interview to hear about her ERC-funded ‘Machine Vision’ project, and visit the project website to find out more! https://www.uib.no/en/machinevision

How are we affected by visual technologies? - Interview with Jill Walker Rettberg

How do universities and research institutions communicate about science? Saman Musacchio https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanmusacchio/ is International Communications Manager at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)https://www.cnrs.fr . The CNRS is the largest research institution in Europe, with over 1000 labs and some 30,000 researchers (including many ERC grantees!). In this podcast interview, Saman shares his experiences as a science communicator, and explains how he and his colleagues promote the work of the CNRS around the world.

Science communication today - Interview with Saman Musacchio

In this podcast, Oana Stroe, a Senior Communications Officer at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)https://www.embl.org/ shares her experience communicating frontier research in simple yet engaging ways through storytelling, navigating the role of media in shaping public perception, reaching out to policy-makers and harnessing the power of digital platforms. With 28 member states, EMBL has more than 110 independent research groups and service teams covering the spectrum of molecular biology at six sites across Europe. Tune in to hear more about how EMBL embraces its role as a storyteller and advocate for the wonders of scientific discovery.

Communicating frontier research - Interview with Oana Stroe

In this episode, Professor Michael Kramer, a renowned radio astronomer and astrophysicist and Professor Alberto Sesana, a theoretical astrophysicist, talk about their recent detection of low-frequency gravitational waves. 
 
Tune in to hear about the latest breakthrough that opens up the possibilities for astrophysicists to understand fundamental questions about the origins and evolution of the universe, our existence and to what happened closer in time to the Big Bang. 
 
Michael Kramer, University of Manchester and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
 
Alberto Sesana, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca

New gravitational wave astronomy: black holes, the Big Bang and the early universe

What is important for researchers to have in mind when preparing an ERC grant application? What are the tips to follow and the pitfalls to avoid? Prof. Andrea Mattevi from the University of Pavia vividly narrates his experience both as being a chair in an ERC evaluation panel, and being an ERC grantee himself, explaining the intricate and, at the same time, intriguing journey of an ERC grant.

What does it take to chair an evaluation panel at the ERC? Bonus: tips for potential applicants

Electrical impulses that occur naturally in the heart could one day be used to detect and repair irregular heartbeats known as arrhythmias. In this episode, we speak with Daniël Pijnappels, Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology at Leiden University Medical Center. His research, funded by the ERC, aims to develop a completely new type of ‘biologically integrated cardiac defibrillator’ that would replace more invasive treatments, improve patients’ wellbeing, and save lives.

Helping the heart to heal itself

In this podcast episode, Trinity College Dublin's biochemistry immunologist, Luke O'Neill, shares his insights into the world of science communication. He discusses the importance of scientists engaging in public discourse, building trust, and emphasizing the scientific method. Luke encourages fellow researchers to overcome anxiety and delve into science communication to inspire, inform, and reassure the public, ultimately making complex topics more accessible through storytelling and relatable narratives.

Unlocking the power of science communication with Luke O'Neill

Professor Baroness Susan Greenfield, a renowned neuroscientist, talks about defeating Alzheimer’s, how digital tech affects children’s brains, and what drugs and alcohol do to our heads. Also, she shares her own uncommon career path and weights in on the question of women in science.

Drugs, alcohol and social media: The science of the brain

In conversation with Professor Michael Bruter on voter psychology and democracy
What goes through people’s minds when their vote? Should we be concerned about disinformation? Can technology help get out the vote? Michael Bruter is Professor of Political Science and European Politics at Department of Government of the London School of Economics and Political Science. On 24 January 2024 he delivered the 2024 STOA Annual Lecture at the European Parliament in Brussels.  He also sat with Tony Lockett, ERC’s head of communication, for a conversation on voters and democracy in the year in which Europeans and half of humanity will go to polls.

Inside the mind of a voter: Elections and democracy in times of political hostility

Eleni Zika who heads feedback to policy at the ERC executive agency and Anne Nielsen, policy adviser, sat with the ERC’s head of communication Tony Lockett to explore how the agency maps the research it funds and how it makes sure policymakers are aware of the scientific results achieved by its grantees. The new report on ERC-funded research on democracy, published ahead of the European elections in June, was the occasion to discuss the ERC’s feedback-to-policy activities.

TASCAM DR-05

ERC contributes to policy-making on democracy

The war in Ukraine has had a profound impact on the country’s scientific community. Research infrastructure has been destroyed or badly damaged. Many scientists have left the country, while others have been forced to abandon or scale back their research. But international support is helping to preserve Ukrainian science and to train the next generation of researchers. The ERC is contributing to these efforts by extending is mentoring scheme to researchers based in Ukraine. In this episode, we speak with Fedya Kondrashov from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Professor Kondrashov is behind the organisation of a biological data science summer school that will be taking place in Ukraine for the second time in summer 2024. He is also the chair of one of the ERC’s evaluation panels.

Preserving science in war-torn Ukraine

ERC grantee Alina Badescu, associate professor at the Politehnica University of Bucharest, explains her project, the importance of her ERC grant in setting up her team and the improvements made in the science field in Romania. Prof. Badescu received an ERC Starting Grant to study the detection of cosmic neutrinos in salt mines.
These episodes originally featured as a sponsor feature in the Working Scientist podcast - https://www.nature.com/nature/articles?type=nature-careers-podcast0.  They were produced for the European Research Council by Nature Research Custom Media, which operates independently of other Nature Research editorial departments.

Sound careers with the ERC: Alina Badescu

Two eminent female scientists who’ve decided to come back to Europe to pursuit their scientific careers. ERC grantee Juleen Zierath is a professor of physiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and also the Executive Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen. Prof. Lydia Lynch is an immunologist and associated professor at Trinity College Dublin. Listen to the reasons of their returns and the role played by the ERC funding in these decisions.

These episodes originally featured as a sponsor feature in the Working Scientist podcast - www.nature.com/nature/articles?t…-careers-podcast0. They were produced for the European Research Council by Nature Research Custom Media, which operates independently of other Nature Research editorial departments.

Sound careers with the ERC: Juleen Zierath and Lydia Lynch

This last podcast is about opportunities for non-EU researchers to spend time in ERC-funded teams. It starts with Prof. Bourguignon’s priority, in terms of evaluation process, for 2019 and followed by Helen Tremlett’s, Canadian researcher in neuroepidemiology and multiple sclerosis, testimony on her experience joining an ERC team at Max Planck Institutes. 

These episodes originally featured as a sponsor feature in the Working Scientist podcast - www.nature.com/nature/articles?t…-careers-podcast0. They were produced for the European Research Council by Nature Research Custom Media, which operates independently of other Nature Research editorial departments.

Sound careers with the ERC: Jean-Pierre Bourguignon and Helen Tremlett

ERC grantee and computational propaganda expert Philip Howard, from the University of Oxford, talks to the ERC about who stands to benefit from disinformation during the pandemic, why fake news spread, and how we can behave to prevent untrustworthy information from circulating.
Read more: https://erc.europa.eu/news-events/magazine/frontier-research-service-coronavirus-epidemic-response#COMPROP

#Covid19 and fake news - Interview with Professor Philip Howard

Lockdown measures have led to a proliferation of online yoga and gym classes. Working from home also gives us more time to exercise. We all know that exercise makes us healthier and happier but why? To find out, we talked to ERC-funded researcher Katrien De Bock of ETH Zürich.
With: Katrien De Bock, Giulia Gabrielli, Ivona Lerman
Music credits: Tomasz Wojciechowski

#ERCasks - Lockdown Life - Katrien De Bock on the benefits of physical activity

#INTERVIEW with Maciej Lewenstein - The jazz of physics

Opening address by Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, to the Workshop: SEX AND GENDER DIMENSION IN FRONTIER RESEARCH https://erc.europa.eu/event/sex-and-gender-dimension-frontier-research

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