Five physicists receive Vici grants
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Vici grant to five physicists. The Vici grant is worth 1.5 million euros per person. The researchers can use their grant to set up their own line of research over a period of five years. In total 36 leading scientists received a grant.
The five physics-related research proposals awarded funding are described below. The complete list with the 36 proposals awarded funding and the associated press release can be found on the NWO-website.
Hybrid nanophotonic architectures for ultrafast quantum optics
Femius Koenderink, FOM/AMOLF - Nanophysics/-technology
The fact that a single molecule can emit, absorb or scatter a single photon is the basis of how we observe and illuminate the world, and send each other classical or quantum secured information. A combination of miniature mirror palaces and nanoscale antennas should make information processing via packages of several photons ultra-fast, ultra-efficient and ultra-broadband.
Tomography of the Quark-Gluon Plasma - beauty quarks as a key probe
André Mischke, UU – Subatomic physics
Shortly after the big bang, the young, evolving universe was in a quark-gluon plasma state. This research project will investigate the dynamic properties of this fundamental form of matter, which also briefly appears in the laboratory whenever atomic nuclei collide with great energies.
Information-driven optical imaging in turbid materials
Allard Mosk, UT - Condensed matter and optical physics
Light can be shaped in such a way that it can answer questions about an object: "Is it long, round, smooth or spiky?" Even if objects are hidden deeply within a scattering or light absorbing material, these relevant properties can be unveiled.
From the NeverEnding Atom Laser to the Ultimate Clock
Florian Schreck, UvA - Condensed matter and optical physics
Atoms are not just particles, they are waves as well. The researchers will use this fundamental property to build a never-ending atom laser. They will use this laser to build the ultimate clock: an optical laser with an unprecedented stability.
Quantum simulation on a chip
Lieven Vandersypen, TU/d - N anophysics/technology
Materials and molecules are often too complicated to be calculated by computers. The researchers will therefore reproduce and measure complex materials and molecules in a lab setting, with the help of nanotechnology. They hope to acquire new insights which could lead to improved medication and clearer technology.
A total of 216 researchers applied for a Vici-grant. To select the best proposals, each proposal was considered by several scientists within the field of the applicant. Committees of leading scientists from a variety of research fields then considered all proposals in respect to each other, and interviewed the applicants about their proposals. To make the selection, the judges consider the quality of the researcher, the innovative character and the scientific impact of the proposal and valorisation.
Vici-grant
The Vici-grant is part of the NWO Talent Scheme. Besides the Vici grant the Talent Scheme has two other grants, Veni for researchers who have recently gained their PhD and Vidi for experienced postdocs.