9M Euros to fund 44 excellent young researchers
27.11.2023
The University of Padua allocates 9 million euros in funds to 44 excellent young researchers thanks to the success of their innovative and visionary projects approved by a panel of international experts corresponding to three research domains, PE: Physical Sciences and Engineering, LS: Life Sciences, and SH: Social Sciences and Humanities.
Unipd is dedicated to rewarding excellence by encouraging high profile and merit-based competitions. By promoting the ever-wider participation of young researchers in international competitive calls, the procedures and selection criteria of the STARS @UniPd program closely follow the framework of the European Research Council (ERC) calls.
Results of the STARS @UniPd 2023 program www.unipd.it/stars2023
The panel of international experts came from various prestigious universities (Imperial College London, Columbia University, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, University of Zurich, University of Cambridge, and Stockholm University, just to name a few). Each boasts long and consolidated experience in selecting the best talents in the context of European tenders and ERC calls. At the end of the evaluation process, the panel congratulated the University of Padua not only for an unparalleled initiative aimed at directly supporting excellent researchers with substantial financial funding but also for the quality of the projects presented.
In addition to the 44 winning projects, the panel of international experts identified 9 additional high-quality projects, included in a special "reserve list", to be financed with funds possibly recovered from the STARS program, as resources become free.
The €9 million is divided into two funding schemes
- STARS Starting Grant (STARS-StG): for PIs, of any age and nationality, who will establish their research team and/or to start their independent research. PIs must have defended their first Doctoral degree within a maximum of 5 years before 1 January 2023
- STARS Consolidator Grant (STARS-CoG): for PIs, who are already conducting research at the University of Padua and are consolidating their research team and/or their independent research. PIs must have defended their first Doctoral degree within a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 years before 1 January 2023
Funded projects will begin in early 2024 and will last 30 months, from which the PIs of each project must submit a request for funding to the ERC or to another international and highly competitive program, which shows similar characteristics to those of the ERC.
Now in its fourth edition, the University of Padua STARS program promotes and encourages innovative and ambitious research of high international standards in Padua, with the final objective of strengthening the ability to attract external competitive funding.
The program has contributed to promoting the independence of young researchers and supporting their scientific activities while encouraging the University's participation in competitive European calls. When those in Padua participate in calls such as the European Research Council (ERC), a positive and open attitude towards funding opportunities for basic research at an international level directly improves the performance of the University of Padua in obtaining funds for individual research.
