78 Vidi grants, four for Erasmus MC

Research financier NWO has awarded 78 researchers a Vidi grant of 800,000 euros. The grants will enable them to set up their own research group in the next five years.

How does our self-image distort our memory? What are the implications of interactions between respiratory viruses for vaccination policy? How can you assess the safety of bridges with satellite data? These are all examples of questions to which 78 experienced researchers are trying to find answers with support from NWO.

For the 2020 application round NWO assessed the proposals of 402 researchers. This involved 206 men and 196 women, of whom 38 (18 percent) and 40 (20 percent) received a grant respectively.

With 12 awards, the University of Amsterdam was again the most successful. Erasmus MC was awarded four grants. As the only Dutch research university, EUR failed to secure one unfortunately.

Julius Caesar

The Vidi grants are part of NWO’s Talent Programme. Starting scientists can apply for the Veni grants, followed by the Vidi grants for experienced scientists, and very experienced scientists can apply for the Vici grant.

The grants derive their name from the message that Julius Caesar sent to the Senate of Rome in 47 BC after a battle he had won: veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered).