Seven Rubicon grants for physics
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 19 young, highly promising researchers funding from the Rubicon programme. Seven of the grants fall within NWO Physics and one of these has gone to former FOM PhD Marcos Guimarães. With a Rubicon grant NWO gives Dutch scientists who have recently gained their PhDs the opportunity to gain research experience at internationally renowned institutes abroad.
Each year, NWO can fund about 60 young researchers within the Rubicon programme. In this round, NWO received 93 applications for Rubicon. Nineteen of these applicants have received funding. With their funding from Rubicon they can do research abroad for a period of up to 24 months. The size of the funding is dependent on the destination chosen and the duration of their stay.
Brief descriptions of the seven research projects are given below.
Sugary proteins in breast-cancer
Dr. M.F. (Marjoke) Debets (f), Radboud University Nijmegen -> UC Berkeley, Bertozzi Lab (US), 24 months
After they have been made, proteins are equipped with sugar groups (carbohydration). Researchers have discovered that in breast cancer, for example, proteins are equipped with a different number of sugar groups. It will be investigated how this carbohydration proceeds and how this changes into breast cancer.
Revolution in chemical synthesis via programmable C-H activation
Dr. P.F. (Paweł) Dydio (m), University of Amsterdam -> University of California, Berkeley, Department of Chemistry (US), 24 months
Fine chemical synthesis currently involves multi-step procedures that waste material and are not energyh efficient. C-H bond functionalisation is a more efficient and eco-friendly yet challenging alternative to current methodologies. The researchers will study an innovative approach to enable general methods for powerful selective C-H bond functionalisation.
New electronics layer by layer
M.H.D. (Marcos) Guimarães MSc (m), Univeristy of Groningen -> Physics of Nanodevices – Kavli Institute for Nanoscience at Cornell University (US), 24 months
Electronic devices are getting smaller each year and the limit of this miniaturisation is rapidly coming into view. Therefore with the help of various layered nanomaterials researchers want to develop and study new types of devices that can be used for future electronics, based on magnetism.
Green fuels from CO2
Dr. A.L. (Annelie) Jongerius (f), Utrecht University -> Stanford University, Department of Chemical Engineering (US), 24 months
The greenhouse gas CO2 can be converted into fuels and chemicals by two different chemical processes. The researchers will investigate the similarities between these two reactions in order to develop improved processes for the production of green fuels.
Making moving materials
P.A. (Peter) Korevaar (m), Eindhoven University of Technology -> Harvard University, Biomineralisation and Biomimetics Lab (US), 24 months
Materials that continuously move, like intestinal muscles for example, are very interesting for range of applications. This research will try to design materials that convert a fuel in a continuous movement by cleverly combining chemical reactions and plastics that respond to this.
Nanolayers for future solar energy examined in greater detail
Dr. A.J.M. (Adrie) Mackus (m), Eindhoven Univeristy of Technology -> Stanford University, Department of Chemical Engineering (US), 24 months
The application of thin layers on nanostructured surfaces plays an increasingly important role in the manufacture of solar cells. The researcher will study the growth of nanolayers using infrared light and synchrotron radiation with the aim of improving the solar cells of the future.
Stongly fluctuating phases and frustrated oxidic materials
L. (Louk) Rademaker (m), Leiden University -> Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California (US), 24 months
Frustration occurs when there is a discrepancy between the reality and the desired state. This effect also exists in complex oxidic materials such as the nickelates and 'spin-ice' materials. In this research fluctuations that emerge from this frustration will be investigated.
For the complete list of researchers awarded funding please see the website of NWO.
More information
Website NWO or contact NWO Information and Communication Department, +31 (0)70 344 07 41.