Three Rubicon grants for physics
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 21 young, highly promising researchers funding with the Rubicon programme. 3 researchers received the grant in the field of physics: Wouter Dekens, Benjamin Mosk and Rifka Vlijm. With Rubicon, NWO gives Dutch scientists who have recently gained a PhD the opportunity to gain research experience at top international institutes abroad.
Each year, NWO can fund about 60 young researchers within the Rubicon programme, for an amount of seven million euros in total, divided over three rounds. In this round, NWO received 97 applications. In total, 21 of the applicants have received funding, 8 women and 13 men. With their funding these talents 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 research projects in in the field of physics are given below.
A window on the universal matter-antimatter asymmetry
MSc W.G. (Wouter) Dekens, (m), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen -> USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Division, 24 months
It is still unknown why our universe consists of so much matter, while there is barely any antimatter. The scientist will investigate this important mystery of early universe physics with the latest theoretical computational techniques.
Gravity by Entanglement
B. (Benjamin) Mosk (m), Universiteit van Amsterdam -> USA, Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics, Stanford University, 24 months
Einstein's theory on gravitation needs an update. The researcher will work on a model in which quantum entanglement describes this most fascination force in our universe.
Using super-resolution microscopy to visualize dynamics in the molecular architecture of the kinetochore in live cells
Dr. R. (Rifka) Vlijm (f), TUDelft -> Germany, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Division of Optical Nanoscopy, 24 months
During cell division, DNA is pulled towards the daughter cells by microtubili. It is currently unknown how these tubes attach to the DNA. The researchers will film the process on a molecular level in living cells, using super resolution techniques, in order to shed light on the border between DNA and microtubili.
For the complete list of researchers awarded funding please see the NWO website.
More information
Please see the NWO website or contact the NWO Information and Communication Department, +31 70 344 07 41.