Since 2007, when ERC (European Research Council) grants were created by the European Research Council, NOVA University has performed well above the national average and is the second University with the highest number of ERC grants awarded, a total of 15, representing 23 million euros.
Professor Elvira Fortunato, Vice-Rector of NOVA, was featured in a newspiece by the Expresso newspaper which focused on these grants and its impact on research done in Portugal over the last ten years. The Professor was one of the first scientists working in Portugal to have received a 2.25 million euros ERC grant back in 2008.
The funding was used for the installation of the Nanofabrication Laboratory at the Materials Research Center (Cenimat/i3N) of the Faculty of Science and Technology of NOVA, acquisition of equipment and hiring of researchers. The results allowed to continue and expand the work of the research center which is currently one of the top 7 research centers with the largest number of ERC scholarships nationwide.
To date, NOVA researchers have obtained 9 Starting Grants, one Advanced Grant, 4 Consolidator Grants and a Proof of Concept Grant. The latest ERC grant, of 2.53 million euros, was obtained by researcher Mariana Pinho from ITQB / NOVA and is one of the largest awarded in Portugal.
Know more about ERC Grants at NOVA.
Since 2007, Portugal has received 88 ERC grants totalling 142 million euros.