Following the selection of the first members of the “Ambassadors for the ERC” last year, the European Research Council (ERC), together with the Association of ERC Grantees, is expanding the initiative by appointing new Ambassadors. This joint initiative brings together ERC grantees from across Europe to advocate for frontier research and reinforce the ERC’s vision, particularly ahead of the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
The network invites Ambassadors to promote the importance of fundamental research to policymakers, media, and local communities, share their experience with ERC funding opportunities, and support outreach activities in collaboration with ERC National Contact Points and the AERG.
The newly appointed ERC Ambassadors come from a wide range of disciplines and represent several European countries:
- Ülo Niinemets (Estonia) – Head of the Department of Crop Science and Plant Biology at the Estonian University of Life Sciences and member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences
- Inta Mieriņa (Latvia) – Professor at the University of Latvia, where she leads the Centre for Diaspora and Migration Research
- Ivan Minev (Bulgaria) - Professor of Electronic Tissue Technologies at TUD Dresden University of Technology and leads a research department at the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research in Germany.
- Joana Gonçalves de Sá (Portugal) – Coordinator of the Social Physics and Complexity research group at LIP Portugal, an Invited Principal Investigator at NOVA University Lisbon, and External Faculty at the Complexity Science Hub, in Vienna, Austria.
- Judit Gervain (Hungary) – Full Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Padua and Senior Research Scientist at CNRS.
- Stefania Milan (Netherlands) – Professor of Critical Data Studies at the University of Amsterdam, affiliated with the European University Institute and Harvard University
- Urte Neniskyte (Lithuania) – Professor and Chief Researcher VU LSC-EMBL Partnership Institute
The Ambassadors of ERC will gather at their Annual Meeting on 23 April in Brussels, providing an opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration, and meet members of the ERC Scientific Council and ERCEA management.
As Samatha Christey, Head of Sector, Global Outreach and Stakeholder Relations at the ERC, stated: “Looking forward to welcoming the Ambassadors for the European Research Council to Brussels on 23 April. It will be a great opportunity to meet the newly appointed Ambassadors, share experiences, strengthen collaboration, and further amplify the impact of frontier research across Europe. I am delighted to work hand in hand with the Association of ERC Grantees to support this important initiative. "