Three scientists from the University of Twente have received a European Consolidator Grant. Jeroen Cornelissen, Alexander Brinkman and Jacco Snoeijer, all scientists from the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, received this grant of two million euros for their outstanding and fundamental research.
The ERC Consolidator Grants are awarded annually to scientists by the European Research Council. It is the third major individual European research grant from the ERC, in addition to the Starting Grant (a maximum of 2 million euros) and the Advanced Grant (a maximum of 3.5 million euros). The Consolidator Grant is intended for talented, outstanding researchers with 7 to 12 years experience since the completion of their PhD research.
The University of Twente is very successful where the Consolidator Grants are concerned. Twenty-one percent of applications are approved. The European average is ten percent and fourteen percent in the Netherlands.
Jeroen Cornelissen
Jeroen Cornelissen is department chair of Biomolecular NanoTechnology. He has received the grant for his research into protein cages as mimics of bacterial nano compartments. "This entails us working on the smallest test tubes in the world", says Cornelissen. "The research on the nano scale focuses on understanding the chemical reactions of protein cages from viruses and virus proteins, which revolves around interactions in living cells. I am extremely happy with this grant. It is a confirmation of the department's fine work.”
Alexander Brinkman
Alexander Brinkman is chairman of the Quantum Transport in Matter group. He is concerned with quantum mechanics.. Brinkman tries to explain natural phenomena at the level of electrons, atoms and molecules. It is a field that involves many counterintuitive issues, such as teleportation, time travel, parallel universes and particles that are their own antiparticle.
Here you can see Alexander Brinkman's video in 'De Wereld Leert Door' TV programme.
Jacco Snoeijer
Jacco Snoeijer is active at the University of Twente within the Physics of Fluids department and at the TU Eindhoven in Mesoscopic Transport Phenomena. Snoeijer explores what happens when liquid droplets come into contact with fragile nano structures or soft materials ('soft wetting'). With the grant, he will examine at the molecular level how the surface tension of water droplets affects soft materials and how this influences the fluid flow on a macroscopic scale. This also provides new insights into the surface properties of materials such as hydrogels and elastomers.
Snoeijer received an NWO Vidi grant in 2010.
