89 researchers face a sunny future
24 November 2009
NWO awards Vidi grants to outstanding researchers
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded Vidi grants to 89 young and innovative researchers. Each of them will receive a grant, up to a maximum of 800,000 euro. This will allow the researchers to develop their own lines of research and build up their own research groups over a five-year period. All in all, NWO is distributing more than 70 million euro among the winners.
Once again the number of researchers receiving a Vidi award from the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme has increased. As of this year, more funds are available under the Veni, Vidi and Vici schemes. NWO has thus been able to increase the amount of each grant as well as the number of grants. From now on, Vidi laureates will receive 800,000 euro instead of 600,000 euro.
This year, NWO received an overwhelming number of applications; 508 researchers in all prepared a research plan. The applications were assessed by scientists from the Netherlands and abroad. Ultimately 89 proposals were honoured, 31 of which were submitted by women.
Use of knowledge
A new feature of the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme is that this year, for the first time, researchers from all scientific disciplines have been entitled to comment upon the impact or relevance of their research for society and industry. Until now, this had only been possible in the technical sciences. Around 80% of the researchers who completed a Vidi application filled in this section of the form. The contents of this 'use of knowledge' section only counted if it had a positive impact on the final assessment.
Domain panels
This year, again for the first time, the proposals were assessed by two different panels. Firstly, they were assessed by the distinct scientific discipline. Proposals of outstanding quality, which could not be approved in the phase devoted to the disciplines, were passed onto the cross-disciplinary domain panels for the Arts and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences. Two-thirds of the Vidi proposals were assessed by the discipline panels and one-third by the domain panels. Through this mechanism, NWO wants to award grants to the top of each scientific discipline and also increase the chance of the best proposals being honoured across the entire scientific spectrum.
Quicker decisions
The assessment procedure under the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme shall be further adjusted over the coming year. As NWO was using domain panel assessment during 2009, alongside the previous assessment based on disciplines, the applicants were kept waiting for quite a long time. The procedure will be tidied up in 2010, and those who file proposals that have already been approved in the cross-disciplinary assessment will be informed of the outcome quickly after that assessment. As soon as the domain panels have made their decision, the researchers whose applications have been approved at that point will be notified accordingly.
The Innovational Research Incentives Scheme
Vidi is aimed at excellent researchers who have successfully undertaken a number of years of research after receiving their doctorates. The Vidi winners have shown that they can come up with innovative ideas and push them to the development stage successfully and independently. The scientists are among the best 10% to 20% in their fields. The Vidi grants allow them to continue their research for five years and build up their own research groups.
The Vidi is one of three types of grant under the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (www.nwo.nl/vernieuwingsimpuls). The other two types of grant are the Veni (for those who have just secured their doctorates) and the Vici (for highly experienced researchers). The Innovational Research Incentives Scheme was set up in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Culture & Science (OCW), the Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts & Sciences (KNAW) and the universities.
All the Vidi winners at a glance
Here is an alphabetical list (partly in Dutch) of those who received grants, with the preliminary titles of their research projects.
About NWO
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the principal Dutch science funding body and its mission is to facilitate excellent scientific research in the Netherlands by means of national competition. Each year NWO spends more than 700 million euro on grants for top researchers, on innovative instruments and equipment, and on institutes where top research is performed. NWO funds the research of more than 5300 talented researchers at universities and institutes. Independent experts select proposals by means of a peer review system. NWO facilitates the transfer of knowledge to society.
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For further information please contact:
- NWO, Information & Communication Department
- t: +31 (0)70 344 0713
- e-mail: voorlichting@nwo.nl
