Oxford chemist among ‘outstanding research leaders’ awarded major ERC grants
Four University of Oxford researchers, including Professor Véronique Gouverneur, have been awarded European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grants of up to €2.5 million each to explore their most innovative and ambitious ideas. These grants recognise leading researchers who have a proven track record of significant achievements.
The ERC is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research, and the ERC Advanced Grants are amongst the most prestigious and competitive EU funding schemes. These provide leading senior researchers with the opportunity to pursue ambitious, curiosity-driven projects that could lead to major scientific breakthroughs. The new grants, worth in total nearly €652 million, are part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.
Professor Véronique Gouverneur will use the ERC Advanced Grant to develop ground-breaking new methods for fluorine chemistry that will convert naturally occurring fluorspar into critically-needed fluorine-containing molecules. Her project will apply innovative techniques she has developed that are energy-efficient and that bypass the production of dangerous hydrogen fluoride gas.
Professor Gouverneur said:
I am delighted to receive this award as it will enable my team to tackle some of the most pressing problems facing the fluorochemical sector. Our objective is to develop new chemistry to produce critically-needed fluorochemicals in a safe and clean manner directly from readily-available natural minerals and waste products.
In this new work, her team will focus on creative ways to release the fluorine content of fluorspar using solid-state chemistry techniques as well as solution-based methods. With circular fluorine chemistry in mind, her team will also investigate new methods to recover the fluorine content of waste and harmful fluorochemicals for upcycling. Professor Gouverneur said: ‘Ultimately, this work will benefit the wide range of industries that depend on fluorochemicals, including polymers, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars and smartphones.’
This latest call for proposals attracted over 1,800 applications, of which around 14% were selected for funding. The successful projects will carry out cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from life sciences and physical sciences to social sciences and humanities.
Iliana Ivanova, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, said:
To all the new ERC grantees, my heartfelt congratulations! These grants will not only support leading researchers in pushing the boundaries of knowledge, but also create some 2500 jobs for postdoctoral fellows, PhD students and other research staff across Europe. This investment nurtures the next generation of brilliant minds. I look forward to seeing the resulting breakthroughs and fresh advancements in the years ahead.
The other three Oxford recipients of ERC grants were Professor Shadreck Chirikure, School of Archaeology; Professor Vili Lehdonvirta, Oxford Internet Institute and Department of Sociology; and Professor Jin-Chong Tan, Department of Engineering Science. You can read more about them all on the University of Oxford website. Further information about the ERC Advanced Grants can be found on the ERC website.
