RESEARCH : ERC GRANTS 575 MN EURO TO 312 MID-CAREER SCIENTISTS.

The European Research Council (ERC) has released the list of selected scientists who will benefit from the first round of the so-called Consolidator Grant, aimed at enabling mid-career researchers to "consolidate their teams and go further in developing their ideas". As announced on 14 January, the ERC will award a total sum of 575 million to 312 scientists, who will receive an average grant of 1.84 million, and up to a maximum of 2.75 million.

As the number of submissions for the ERC Starting Grant had heavily increased in the past, the scheme has been split in two. Since 2013, the Starting Grant targets researchers with at least two and up to seven years of post-PhD experience, whereas the new Consolidator Grant is aimed at researchers with over seven and up to 12 years of experience. Over 3,600 proposals were submitted to this first separate grant competition.

Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, newly appointed president of the ERC, stated that he was "very impressed by...