Five Rubicons in physics
NWO has awarded five young physics researchers a Rubicon grant. With the Rubicon programme NWO gives scientists who have recently gained their doctorates the opportunity to gain research experience at internationally renowned institutes. A total of 29 researchers received a grant during this funding round.
The five researchers and their proposals are:
Quantum magnetism at room temperature
D. (Daan) Brinks (m), ICFO (Spain) -> Harvard University - Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Department of Physics (US), 24 months
Electrons are quantum mechanical magnets. The researchers will manipulate electrons in biomolecules one-by-one at room temperature with highly concentrated magnetic fields and use this to make high-resolution images and to study the reactions between individual molecules.
Strange particles: anyons
P. (Pieter) Naaijkens (m), Radboud University -> Leibniz University Hannover (DE), 24 months
Anyons are a strange class of quasiparticles that have only recently been experimentally demonstrated. Their strange properties make them ideal for performing quantum calculations. The researchers will try to find a mathematical description for such particles.
Hunting for the Majorana quasiparticles
Z. (Zhixiang) Sun, MSc (m), Utrecht University –> Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (DE), 24 months
Topological insulators are novel materials. Theoretical physicists have predicted that Majorana quasiparticles, a type of fermion which is its own antiparticle, can be observed at the interface between a topological insulator and a superconductor. This research project aims to detect these quasiparticles.
Exploring the early universe with quantum gravity
Dr. F. (Francesca) Vidotto (f), University of Pavia (IT)-> Utrecht University - Theoretical Physics (NL), 24 months
What was the shape of the universe at the Big Bang? How did the small irregularities, from which all the cosmic structures such as our galaxy come from, form? The tool to answer to these questions is Quantum Gravity, a theory that takes into account both Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity.
Nanoscale oxide electronics
X. (Xiao) Wang (m), National University of Singapore (SG) -> University of Twente - Faculty of Science & Technology (NL), 24 months
Materials engineered down to the nanometre scale will exhibit non-classical novel properties. The research aims to explore these novel properties and to establish future nanodevice concepts for utilising them.
Rubicon
Fifteen 15 researchers who gained the doctorate in the Netherlands are going abroad and 14 researchers from abroad who were awarded funding are coming to the Netherlands. This round was the last one in which foreign researchers could submit an application to come to the Netherlands. Four researchers are going to the United States, four to the United Kingdom, five to Germany, one to Switzerland and one to Australia. The vast majority are going for 24 months (24 researchers). For many researchers foreign research experience is an important part of their curriculum vitae.
With their Rubicon grant the laureates can do research for a period of up to 24 months. The size of the grant depends upon the destination chosen and the duration of the stay. NWO received a total of 240 applications for Rubicon and 12% of these could be awarded funding. The award rates for men and women were more or less the same.
The grant derives its name from the river Rubicon. Julius Caesar crossed the river before embarking upon his series of victories that led to the statement 'veni, vidi, vici'. Rubicon is a good springboard for a Veni grant from the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme of NWO.
Rubicon in 2012
For the funding rounds in 2010 and 2011, NWO received co-funding from the 'Marie Curie Cofund Action' programme of the European Commission. This European funding was a one-off award. As a result of funding cutbacks, NWO has decided to continue the Rubicon programme in a limited form in 2012. Consequently with effect from 1 January 2012, the Rubicon programme will only be open to applicants who have been employed at a Dutch university for at least 3 of the past 5 years.