European Research Council (ERC)
European Research Council (ERC) funding schemes are open to top researchers of any nationality or age who wish to carry out their frontier research in the 28 EU Member States or associated countries.
There are 4 core funding schemes and one additional scheme for ERC grant holders.
Starting Grants
ERC Starting Grants aim to support up-and-coming research leaders who are about to establish a proper research team and to start conducting independent research in Europe. The scheme targets promising researchers who have the proven potential of becoming independent research leaders. It will support the creation of excellent new research teams.
- For researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD (or equivalent degree) and scientific track record showing great promise
- Funding per grant: up to € 2.5 million
- Duration: up to 5 years
ERC-StG @ GFZ:
QUAKEHUNTER
Real-time monitoring of earthquake nucleation for faults near urban areas
Dr. Patricia Martinez-Garzon, GFZ [ERC-2022-STG]
ASTROGEODESY
Astrogeodesy by VLBI Global Observing System
Dr. Minghui Xu, GFZ [ERC-2022-STG]
TECTOVISION
What is controlling plate motions over the minutes to decades timescale?
Dr. Jonathan Bedford, GFZ & RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM [ERC-2021-STG]
COLD
Climate Sensitivity of Glacial Landscape Dynamics
Prof. Dirk Scherler, GFZ [ERC-2017-STG]
TRIPOD The transition to a renewable electricity system and its interactions with other policy aims
Prof. Johan Lilliestam, GFZ [ERC-2016-STG]
CCMP
Physics Of Magma Propagation and Emplacement: a multi-methodological Investigation
Eleonora Rivalta, GFZ [ERC-2009-StG]
Consolidator Grants
ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support researchers at the stage at which they are consolidating their own independent research team or programme. The scheme will strengthen independent and excellent new individual research teams that have been recently created.
- For researchers of any nationality with over 7 and up to 12 years of experience since completion of PhD (or equivalent degree) and scientific track record showing great promise
- Funding per grant: up to € 3 million
- Duration: up to 5 years
ERC-CoG @ GFZ:
WIRE
Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere and their Effects on Radiation Belt Electrons
Dr. Dedong Wang, GFZ [ERC-2023-COG]
GLASS2MELT Universal Model of the Density of Deep Silicate Melts
Dr. Sergey Lobanov, GFZ [ERC-2023-COG]
ROCKDEATH Role of fluids in rock deformation and the earthquake cycle
Dr. Nicolas Brantut, GFZ [ERC-2022-COG]
EMERGE
Measuring and Modelling Tectonic CO2 Emissions Through Time
Dr. Sascha Brune, GFZ [ERC-2022-COG]
GyroSCoPe
Geomorphic and Sedimentary responses to Climate Periodicity
Prof. Taylor Schildgen, GFZ [ERC-2019-COG]
VOLCAPSE
Volcano dome growth, collapse and coupled processes
Prof. Dr. Thomas Walter, GFZ [H2020-ERC-CoG-2014]
STEEPclim
Spatiotemporal evolution of the hydrological cycle throughout the European continent during past abrupt climate changes
Dr. Dirk Sachse, GFZ [H2020-ERC-CoG-2014]
Advanced Grants
ERC Advanced Grants allow exceptional established research leaders of any nationality and any age to pursue ground-breaking, high-risk projects that open new directions in their respective research fields or other domains.
- The ERC Advanced Grant funding targets researchers who have already established themselves as independent research leaders in their own right.
- Funding: up to € 3.5 million per grant
- Duration: up to 5 years
Advanced Grants @ GFZ:
DEVENDRA
Deciphering the Effect of Vegetation and Erosion on basalt and carbonate weathering by Novel Denudation Rate Approaches
Prof. Friedhelm von Blanckenburg, GFZ [ERC-2021-ADG]
Proof of Concept Grants
"Proof of Concept" is a funding scheme open to researchers who have already been awarded an ERC grant. Its purpose is to help ERC grantees explore the innovation potential of their research or support commercialisation of the results of their ERC-funded research.
- Funding per grant: up to € 150.000
- Duration: up to 18 months
ERC-PoC @ GFZ:
AIRWAVES
Automated high resolution water sampler for environmental monitoring
Dr. Dirk Sachse, GFZ [ERC-2018-PoC]
ERC Synergy Grants
Synergy Grants can bring together top researchers with complementary skills and knowledge and enable them to jointly address a commonly chosen challenging research problem in unconventional ways, potentially leading to major breakthroughs that scientists would not be able to achieve working alone.
The ERC Synergy Grant funding targets up-and-coming young researchers who can already provide evidence of the first independent research results, as well as established scientists with an outstanding scientific track record. There are no requirements for academic titles (e.g. doctorate, professorship).
- Funding: up to €10 million per grant
- Duration: up to 6 years
ERC-SyG @ GFZ:
ARCHEAN PARK
Relicts of Ancient Cellular Biochemistry in High-CO2 Subsurface Ecosystems
Dr. Jens Kallmeyer, GFZ & WESTFAELISCHE WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAET MUENSTER [ERC-2023-SyG]
ROTTnROCK Assessing the role of hydrothermal alteration on volcano morphology, instability, and unpredictable volcanic hazards
Dr. Thomas Walter, GFZ & UPPSALA UNIVERSITET [ERC-2023-SyG]
DEEP PURPLE
Essential field and laboratory measurements of critical physical and microbial processes which darken the Greenland Ice Sheet and accelerate sea level rise
Prof. Liane Benning, GFZ & UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL [ERC-2019-SyG]
MEET
Monitoring Earth Evolution Through Time
Prof. Dr. Stephan Sobolev, GFZ & UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES [ERC-2019-SyG]
