NWO sends young researchers into the big wide world

7 July 2009

NWO awards Rubicon grant to 34 young researchers for foreign experience at a top institute

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Rubicon grant to 34 young, highly promising scientists. Dutch researchers who have recently gained their PhD can use the grant to gain research experience abroad. Foreign researchers may use this grant to carry out research in the Netherlands.

A total of 147 junior researchers submitted a proposal. The majority of the successful candidates gained their doctorates in the Netherlands and shall now depart for a period abroad. Most of them are leaving for the United States. The second most popular destination is the United Kingdom. Other candidates are starting in Indonesia, Canada, Germany, France, Greece, Hungary, Sweden and Norway. Host institutions include Oxford University, Harvard University and MIT.

Five foreign researchers shall use the Rubicon grant to carry out research at a Dutch institution. Over the coming years, NWO hopes to attract more foreign students for a research period in the Netherlands. For NWO the objective is to further stimulate the circulation of knowledge.
 
The candidates are receiving the grant for several reasons. The most important of these are the quality of the research proposal, the researcher and the host institute respectively. The feasibility of the research and the mobility of the researcher also play a role in the assessment.

The Rubicon River

The Rubicon grant (www.nwo.nl/rubicon) is a good step towards the Veni grant. Julius Caesar crossed the river Rubicon before he made his triumphant march which led to the statement 'veni, vidi, vici'. Rubicon is targeted at researchers who have recently gained a doctorate. This group often lacks the research experience necessary to obtain a Veni grant from NWO's Innovational Research Incentives Scheme.

Dutch institutes that offer a foreign researcher a position for a year receive a maximum payment of 55,000 euro. Dutch researchers who spend six months to two years abroad will receive an allowance which depends on the chosen destination. NWO makes €1.7 million euro available for each round of Rubicon. There are three rounds per year.

A list of researchers who have received a grant is given below. This can also be found here.

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For further information about Rubicon please contact:


List of researchers

Chronic inflammation due to an error in your own immune system
A.H. Field (m) 18-08-1977, Leiden University -> University of California Berkeley, Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, (USA), 24 months
A certain type of chronic joint inflammation occurs almost solely in people with a specific protein in the immune system. Yet how this happens is still not clear. Genetic studies suggest that another protein of the immune system also plays an important role in this process. The aim of this study is to investigate what goes wrong with the immune system during this disease.

Messages from the past
Dr C.L.A. Bary (f) 16-04-1981, Radboud University Nijmegen -> University of Oslo, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas (NOR), 6 months
Languages such as Dutch and English draw a clear distinction between direct speech (such as: Jane said:’ I am ill’) and indirect speech (Jane said that she was ill). This project shall investigate reporting constructions in Ancient Greek, where such a clear distinction is missing.

Direct interaction between software and molecules on a compact disc
J. Beld (m) 15-02-1978, ETH Zurich (CH) -> University of California, San Diego, Department of Chemistry and Biology, (USA), 24 months
The interaction between biomolecules (DNA, proteins) can be measured on a compact disc in a standard CD player. The researchers shall develop a simple system (software, chemistry) in which changes in the software are directly linked to detection of toxic bacteria.

Patronage networks as an infrastructure for ethnic violence
Dr W.J. Berenschot (m) 17-07-1977, University of Amsterdam -> Center for Research on Inter-group Relationship and Conflict Resolution (CERIC), University of Indonesia (IND), 18 months
How do political leaders manage to mobilise ordinary people to commit ethnic violence? This project shall investigate the extent to which mobilisation for violence in Sulawesi (Indonesia) was made possible by the everyday manner in which political leaders helped people to gain access to the government.

Bayesian approaches to visual perception
Dr R. van den Berg (m) 26-01-1979, University Medical Centre Groningen -> Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, (USA), 24 months
Visual observation is a process in which relevant information is obtained from uncertain sensory input. In simple cases the brain does this more or less optimally. We shall investigate the ins and outs of this optimal performance in different visual tasks of ecological importance.

A bird in the hand and a bikini in the other.
B. van den Bergh (m) 14-05-1980, Catholic University of Leuven -> Erasmus University Rotterdam, (NED), 12 months
Our decisions are often driven by our emotions, rather than our reason. The researchers shall ascertain to what extent we increase or decrease our risk-taking in economic decisions following exposure to affective stimuli. The scientists shall use behavioural experiments to try to explain this.

Neural processing of unseen images
Dr J.W. Brascamp (m) 24-12-1977, Utrecht University -> Vanderbilt University, Psychology, (USA), 24 months
The brain responds to images even if you do not notice them yourself. In this project, scientists shall investigate the neural processing of seen and unseen images. This will provide them with insight into the neuronal basis of conscious observation.

Walls tell us about people
J.J. (Josho) Brouwers (m) 27-01-1980, VU University Amsterdam, -> University of Thessaly, (GRE), 24 months
Town walls not only have a military purpose; they are the symbols that separate the civilised town from the barbarian hinterland, thereby splitting or actually uniting groups of people, et cetera. This research shall focus on the social and symbolic aspects of town walls in Ancient Greece.

Self-organisation of plankton
J. Bruggeman (m) 08-05-1979, VU University Amsterdam – University of Oxford, Department of Earth Science, (GB), 24 months
Plankton communities exert an important influence on our climate. However, as they are continuously adapting, the consequences for climate change are difficult to predict. This research shall study these adaptations by allowing ecosystems to organise themselves from large numbers of virtual plankton species.

Health insurance for the budget traveller
Dr D.M. Buehler (f) 19-01-1979, University of Groningen -> University of Toronto (CAN),
24 months
How do migratory birds which migrate tens of thousands miles a year remain healthy? The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of this by investigating the diseases which threaten migratory birds during their annual journey and the aspects of the immune system that the birds use to protect themselves against these.

Evolutionary eco-genomics of marine bacteria
O.X. Cordero Sanchez (m) 27-10-1978, Utrecht University -> Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (USA), 24 months
Although they are invisible, communities of microbes play a fundamental role in all ecosystems. Little is known about how the genome of these organisms changes as a consequence of interactions between the evolutionary and ecological dynamics and how such a high level of specialisation arises. The aim of this study is to use the complete genome of seventy different species of bacteria to reconstruct the evolution of these genomes. By doing this I hope to gain an understanding of how these organisms have adapted to their specific micro-environment in the ocean.

Heart cells in a dish
Dr R.P. Davis (m) 05-06-1980, Monash University (AUS) -> Leiden University Medical Center – Anatomy & Embryology, (NED), 12 months
Stem cells have the potential to specialise into heart muscle cells. These cells can potentially be used to treat patients with heart failure. We shall investigate which type of stem cells are the most suitable for this.

To brood or not to brood?
Dr H.L. Dugdale (f) 08-12-1977, University of Oxford, (GB) -> University of Groningen – Animal Ecology / Theoretical Biology, (NED), 12 months
Individuals can brood themselves, help others to brood, or abstain from brooding activities. This project shall combine field experiments with new theoretical methods and models to investigate the evolutionary advantages and disadvantages of these brooding decisions. The starting point for this is a cooperative breeding bird species for which the social and genetic relationships between individuals are known. The aim of the study is to determine the adaptive basis for the different breeding strategies.

What does information loss teach us about quantum gravity?
S. El-Showk (m) 20-08-1978, University of Amsterdam -> IPhT CEA-Saclay, (F), 24 months
What happens when quantum mechanics and black holes are combined? Do black holes remain cloaked behind their mysterious horizons or do quantum effects expose them? The answers to these questions will reveal something fundamental about the structure of quantum gravity.

How cells use physics to orientate
Dr S. Fenz (f) 21-11-1979, Research Centre Jülich, (GER) -> Leiden University, Biophysics, (NED), 12 months
Target-oriented cell movement is the basis of cancer metastasis. The researchers aim to identify the universal physical laws that govern the onset of cell motility. They shall use specialised microscopy techniques to analyse overall cell movement and the movement of individual molecules in the membrane.

Age and growth of deep-sea squids
Dr H.J.T. Hoving (m) 20-05-1978, University of Groningen -> Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, (USA), 24 months
Squids are becoming increasingly prevalent in the oceans as a result of overfishing and climate change. The majority of squids live in the deep sea and we scarcely know anything about their biology. Researchers shall capture living deep-sea squids with remote-controlled submarines to determine their age and growth.

Vibrating stars reveal their secrets
H. Hu (f) 05-12-1979, Radboud University Nijmegen -> University of Cambridge – Astronomy, (GB), 24 months
The inner core of a star is not directly visible. Yet the internal structure can still be determined by observing light fluctuations caused by vibrations in the stars. Astronomers can use this information to determine the history of a star and important physical processes.

The fastest radio astronomy
C.W. (Clancy) James (m) 13-04-1983, University of Adelaide, (AU) -> Radboud University Nijmegen – Astronomy, (NED), 12 months
Some of the most exciting astronomical phenomena take place faster than the blink of an eye. This research shall make use of the LOFAR radiotelescope to detect extremely short radiowave pulses that originate in the most energetic particles in the universe.

Down to the bone: peptide nanotubes and implants
L.T. the Jonge (f) 08-10-1979, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre-> Imperial College London, Institute for Biomedical Technology, (GB), 24 months
The research concerns the application of a new strategy for realising an optimal anchoring of implants in a bone. Biofunctional covering layers of peptide nanotubes shall be applied to implant surfaces in order to improve the attachment to the surrounding bone tissue.

How traffic jams develop
V.L. Knoop (m) 10-07-1981, Delft University of Technology -> INRETS Lyon (F), 14 months
If extra cars join a busy road then a traffic jam develops as a result of drivers changing lanes and overresponding. This research shall use video images to study how people drive and what exactly happens.

Meter perception in adults, newborns, and non-human animals
O. Ladinig (f) 10-07-1978, University of Amsterdam -> Research Institute for Psychology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, (HUN), 24 months
Newborn babies hear the 'beat' in music. This recent research result supports the view that beat induction is a unique human and music-specific skill. The proposed study shall further specify this by carrying out listening experiments with babies, adults and apes.

Memory, dopamine and sleep: storage of memorable events
Dr C.S. Lansink (f) 18-06-1977, University of Amsterdam -> University of Maryland - School of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, (USA), 24 months
While we sleep, emotional information is stored in our memory. Yet how does this work? It is known that the neurotransmitter dopamine is involved and that the sleeping brain repeatedly picks up and plays back the information. The researchers shall examine the role of dopamine in playing back emotional information for subsequent storage in the memory.

A census of thermonuclear explosions on neutron stars
M. Linares (m) 14-10-1980, University of Amsterdam -> MIT, Cambridge, (USA), 24 months
Explosions take place each day in our Milky Way as a result of hot dense material accumulating on the surface of neutron stars. Within a few seconds the accumulated material is combusted in thermonuclear reactions giving rise to an intense flash of X-rays. In this project a recently launched satellite shall be used to study and understand how often these processes occur.

Optimal transport and gradient flows in infinite dimensions
J. Maas (m) 06-04-1982, Delft University of Technology -> Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, Bonn, (GER), 24 months
Can diffusions be described mathematically? The researcher shall analyse this phenomenon by combining new techniques from probability and surveying.

Analysis of data by visualisation
L.J.P. van der Maaten (m) 20-04-1984, Tilburg University -> University of California,
(USA), 12 months
The analysis of large quantities of data is essential for online shops, Statistics Netherlands, medical research, et cetera. An important aspect of data analysis is the visualisation of data. In this research project a new visualisation technique shall be developed to simplify the analysis of data.

Computer-guided agent learns language in the virtual world
Dr H.G.B. Reckman (f) 26-12-1978, Leiden University -> Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (USA), 24 months
Our understanding of language is partly based on our experiences with the world we talk about. In this study language comprehension shall be simulated in a virtual world similar to the real world to facilitate the development of intelligent computer programs which use human language.

Are atrial fibrillations genetically determined?
Dr M. (Michiel) Rienstra (m) 13-03-1978, University Medical Centre Groningen - Cardiology -> Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School, Boston, (USA), 12 months
Atrial fibrillation is the most frequently occurring heart rhythm disorder. It is not clear why some heart patients develop atrial fibrillations whereas others do not. The researchers shall study the genes of thousands of patients worldwide to potentially find new leads for the treatment of atrial fibrillations.

Synthetic antibodies
E. Schwartz (m) 14-08-1980, Radboud University Nijmegen -> Scripps Research Institute, (USA), 24 months
Medical diagnostics mostly uses molecules based on antibodies. These molecules are, however, costly and not always stable. In this research an effort shall be made to produce cheaper and safer antibodies by using a unique combination of synthetic chemistry and biochemistry. Such antibodies could, for example, be used to detect proteins in cancer cells.

Reconsidering depression in friendships
M.H.W. Selfhout (m) 30-09-1981, Utrecht University -> Örebro University, Department of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences Youth and Society (SWE), 24 months
During adolescence friendships become increasingly important for a healthy emotional development of young people. However, do friendships in leisure time and friendships on the Internet have the same influence on young people as friendships within school? In this project the friendships of young people within these different contexts shall be simultaneously investigated for the first time.

Better digital terrain models
R. Silveira (m) 10-06-1981, Utrecht University -> UPV- Barcelona Tech, (SPA),
24 months
Digital terrain models have important applications. For example, they can be used to predict potential floods by simulating the way in which rainwater flows over the Earth's surface. However, current models are frequently inaccurate and this can severely affect the outcomes of simulations. The aim of this study is to produce models that better represent actual terrain so that more reliable results can be obtained.

If the brain were to speak for itself
B. Sorger (f) 12-01-1972, Maastricht University -> University of Liège, (BE), 12 months
In the so-called ‘locked-in’ syndrome completely paralysed people can no longer communicate by normal means despite being fully conscious. In this project scientists shall cooperate with patients to develop alternative communication devices based on brain signals.

How are the electrons distributed in the molecule?
Dr I. Swart (m) 05-12-1980, Utrecht University -> University of Regensburg, Faculty of Physics, (GER), 24 months
A molecule’s chemical and physical characteristics are determined by the number of electrons it contains and their spatial distribution within the molecule. In this study, the distribution of electrons in a molecule shall be visualised.

An overview of Kurdish archaeological heritage
A. Wossink (m) 05-05-1978, Leiden University -> University of Baffle, Oriental Institute / CAMEL, (USA), 24 months
The semiautonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan is making a quick political and economic recovery after the chaos of the last decades. However, the archaeological heritage is suffering badly from this. This study shall develop a predictive model using satellite images so that future damage can be prevented.

Predicting the success of breast cancer treatment
Dr W.T. Zwart (m) 26-08-1980, Netherlands Cancer Institute -> University of Cambridge, (GB), 18 months
During the treatment of breast cancer, resistance to the medication often occurs. The aim of this research is to find genes that can predict which medicine shall work best for each individual patient.

last modified on 1 December 2009