Vidi grants for eight TU Delft researchers

Vidi grants for eight TU Delft researchers 

 

 

Never before have so many scientists received a Vidi grant from the NWO’s Talent Programme. There were 101 in total, including 8 from TU Delft. The number of applications was also exceptionally high.

 

No fewer than 625 people applied for the grants for experienced researchers, which amount to a maximum of 800 thousand euros. Such a high number of applications has not been seen since 2011. Of these, 16 percent actually received the grant.

 

In 2020, at the beginning of the corona crisis, only 402 researchers tried to obtain a Vidi grant. This dip may explain why there are so many a year later.

 

^{Three grants go to 3mE researchers. (Photo: Justyna Botor)}

 

With the money, winners can set up their own research group for the next five years. Eight TU Delft researchers now receive a Vidi:

 

• Kim Batselier (3mE) for ‘Sustainable learning from Artificial Intelligence with large-scale noisy data’;
• Sonia Conesa-Boj (AS) for ‘Moire materials from one-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures;
• Willem Haverkort (3mE) for ‘Hydrogen bubbles quantified’;
• Jeannette Heiligers (AE) for ‘Space vacuum on sunlight’;
• Asterios Katsifodimos (EEMCS) for ‘Accessible programming of cloud applications’;
• Kateřina Staňková (TPM) for ‘Game theory with data science and control engineering for improved treatment of metastatic cancer’;
• Axelle Viré (AE) for ‘Physically based data-driven modelling and control of floating wind turbines’;
• Michaël Wiertlewski (3mE) for ‘Robots with a soft touch’.

 

More men than women applied, but women were more successful. Of the men, 15 per cent received the grant, of the women 18 per cent. In total, there are 53 male laureates and 48 female. (HOP, BB / Delta, SB)