Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : PRODUCE-H2 (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 18750.0 €

Hydrogen (H2) generated from renewable energies, such as solar and wind, and water has a huge potential as a carbon-free energy vector which can be exploited on demand through fuel cell technologies. Proton-exchange membrane electrolysers (PEMEL) are a mature technology that can be coupled with intermittent renewable power sources. However their wide deployment still depends on innovative breakthroughs regarding the design of alternative catalysts avoiding the use of precious metals and fulfilling three main characteristics: sustainability, cost-effectiveness and stability. In the “PhotocatH2ode” ERC Frontier Research Starting Grant (consolidator stream), we explored a coordination polymer structure for amorphous molybdenum sulfide (a-MoSx), refined the understanding of its catalytic mechanism (Artero and coll., Nature material 2016) and developed strategies to remedy reductive corrosion issues that so far limited the implementation of such earth-abundant H2 evolution catalysts in PEMEL. We aim at exploiting these new findings in PRODUCE-H2, an ERC Proof of Concept project which proposes to (1) optimize the formulation of these catalytic materials and assemble them in polymer-membranes, (2) assessing their performance and quantifying their stability during long-term tests performed under realistic operating conditions, (3) upscaling their production thanks to a newly developed synthetic process and (4) implementing them in a noble-metal-free PEMEL prototype. PRODUCE-H2 will exploit pre-existing and newly created intellectual property with the aim of proposing a cost-effective industrial solution for PV-coupled on-site hydrogen production. This project will be in close collaboration with Toyota Motor Europe who have been selling fuel cell cars since 2015.

Mots-clés : electrocatalysis,photo electrocatalysis,hydrogen,artificial photosynthesis
Projet ERC : PlanArt (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : LMU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 9275.0 €

I address major controversies relating to the basic underpinnings of the human speech production system. These concern a) the nature of the mental representations of speech sounds (symbolic vs. spatiotemporal; phonemic vs. non-phonemic gestural), b) the goals of movement (articulatory vs. explicitly acoustic; with emergent vs. explicit surface durations), and c) the processes for planning and generating speech articulations (oscillator-based mechanisms vs. Optimal Control Theory and Lee’s Tau theory). PlanArt will offer the first systematic attempt to determine which theoretical assumptions about each of these three fundamental components are required to provide an adequate account of human speech production behaviour. This ambitious task requires a cutting-edge two-pronged approach. First, through novel experiments I will test predictions of theoretical alternatives for types of phonological representations, output goals, and planning processes. Many of these experiments are inspired by theory and techniques in the non-speech motor literature, which are new to the field of speech production. In the second prong of my research, I will provide a comparison of the articulatory outputs of computational models based on particular sets of core theoretical assumptions. This second, modelling prong will include the development of a flexible, modular platform allowing for parallel implementation, testing, and comparison of competing theoretical assumptions in terms of model outputs, as well as the development of a computational implementation of a new approach, proposed by team members Turk & Shattuck-Hufnagel (2020a) to address shortcomings in the literature. Taken together, this work will provide converging evidence for the nature of the bedrock elements and processes of speech production and will deliver answers to longstanding questions in phonology and phonetics about the way we plan the pronunciations of words in different contexts.

Mots-clés : speech planning,speech articulation,phonology,phonetics
Projet ERC : PlanArt (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Pays : Etats-Unis — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : MIT
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 93193.75 €

I address major controversies relating to the basic underpinnings of the human speech production system. These concern a) the nature of the mental representations of speech sounds (symbolic vs. spatiotemporal; phonemic vs. non-phonemic gestural), b) the goals of movement (articulatory vs. explicitly acoustic; with emergent vs. explicit surface durations), and c) the processes for planning and generating speech articulations (oscillator-based mechanisms vs. Optimal Control Theory and Lee’s Tau theory). PlanArt will offer the first systematic attempt to determine which theoretical assumptions about each of these three fundamental components are required to provide an adequate account of human speech production behaviour. This ambitious task requires a cutting-edge two-pronged approach. First, through novel experiments I will test predictions of theoretical alternatives for types of phonological representations, output goals, and planning processes. Many of these experiments are inspired by theory and techniques in the non-speech motor literature, which are new to the field of speech production. In the second prong of my research, I will provide a comparison of the articulatory outputs of computational models based on particular sets of core theoretical assumptions. This second, modelling prong will include the development of a flexible, modular platform allowing for parallel implementation, testing, and comparison of competing theoretical assumptions in terms of model outputs, as well as the development of a computational implementation of a new approach, proposed by team members Turk & Shattuck-Hufnagel (2020a) to address shortcomings in the literature. Taken together, this work will provide converging evidence for the nature of the bedrock elements and processes of speech production and will deliver answers to longstanding questions in phonology and phonetics about the way we plan the pronunciations of words in different contexts.

Mots-clés : speech planning,speech articulation,phonology,phonetics
Projet ERC : 3DX-FLASH (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and analytical chemical sciences
Entité participante : Lund University — Pays : Suède — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1999213.0 €

I aim to develop an X-ray imaging technique capable of filming processes in 3D, with a temporal resolution several orders of magnitude faster than up-to-date 3D X-ray imaging techniques. The unique penetration power of X-rays allows us to study systems in their native environment. This property has led to the development of X-ray microtomography (µCT). µCT acquires 3D information, which determines the functionality and mechanical properties of nature, by rotating a sample with respect to the X-ray source. µCT is a crucial tool for several scientific disciplines such as physics, biology, and chemistry. Over the last decade, µCT has become a technique capable of not only recording 3D information but also filming dynamical processes. Several breakthroughs have made this possible: i) intense X-ray sources (synchrotron light sources), ii) efficient and fast X-ray detectors, and iii) fast 3D reconstruction algorithms. Despite all of these developments, the acquisition protocols remain unchanged, i.e., the sample is only rotated faster. This fast rotation introduces forces which may alter the studied dynamics and ultimately limit the achievable temporal resolution. My project is to establish an X-ray microscope that avoids the sample rotation, obtaining 3D information from a single X-ray flash by splitting it into nine-angularly resolved beams which illuminate the sample simultaneously. This approach, when implemented at intense X-ray sources such as synchrotron light sources and X-ray free-electron lasers, will allow the filming of natural processes with micrometer to nanometer resolution and resolve dynamics from microseconds to femtoseconds. To demonstrate its capabilities, I will study fundamental processes in cellulose fibers, a renewable biomaterial, which can replace fossil-based materials, such as plastics. This technique will open up the possibility to film dynamics in 3D to answer questions coming from industry and natural sciences at rates not accessible today.

Mots-clés : x ray imaging,x ray free electron lasers,synchrotron light sources,3d imaging,time resolved structural characterization,x ray instrumentation,novel materials characterization,and biomaterials
Projet ERC : Psychosystems (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : University of Amsterdam — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UvA
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1959690.0 €

I have recently introduced the Network Approach to Psychopathology. This approach is based on the interpretation of mental disorders as causal systems. Such systems have two basic building blocks: symptoms (i.e., problems like insomnia, fatigue, and concentration problems) and connections between symptoms (i.e., causal and homeostatic relations, such as insomnia → fatigue → concentration problems). Together, these building blocks constitute a network, which can be analyzed as a complex system. I have successfully used this approach to explain important phenomena in psychopathology research, such as comorbidity, spontaneous recovery, and prevalence differences between disorders. In addition, I have invented techniques to identify dynamic network structures from time series data, as obtained through experience sampling methodology. This proposal consolidates the Network Approach to Psychopathology through (a) further development and testing of methodologies, and (b) applications of the model to important research domains in clinical psychology. The project is structured in two postdoc projects and two Ph. D. projects. Postdoc project Network estimation and control develops analysis techniques for the estimation of large symptom networks. Postdoc project Early warning signals and transitions investigates whether transitions in symptom networks can be predicted using early warning signals, such as critical slowing down. Ph. D. project Resilience and vulnerability tests the hypothesis that more strongly connected networks are more vulnerable to disorders and investigates whether depressive episodes lead to prolonged changes in network structure. Ph. D. project The dark matter of psychopathology investigates the role of "anti-symptoms" – networks of positive factors that have buffering effects on symptom networks. This new approach to the study of psychopathology aims to establish a breakthrough in the understanding of mental disorders.

Mots-clés : network analysis,multilevel modeling,time series analysis,psychometrics,statistics,dynamical systems,complexity
Projet ERC : ConPhoNo (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : University of Wuppertal — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : BUW
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

I invented a thin plastic foil capable of collecting sunlight from a certain incident angle and guiding it to a spot of intense light emission, thereby concentrating the light by a factor of 300 and more. In the first step, ConPhoNo will evaluate the application of the foils for safety features. Here, the foils will be laminated to a product showing bright colorful pictures when properly aligned to the sun. This application exhibits a high chance of success as the technical feasibility has already been proven, and the relevant market is well-known by the ConPhoNo partner. It is therefore the goal to put these safety features on the market. In parallel, the application of the concentrator foils will be tested in concentrated photovoltaics (CPV), which is the most efficient of all solar energy concepts (world record of 46%). In that case, solar cells will be placed at the spots of intense light emission. Differently from safety features, where a customer is actively checking a product for authenticity by holding it at the right angle into the sun, this is more complex in CPV. In step two, the concentrators will be used with mechanical sun-tracking like state-of-the-art CPV. Here, the concentrator foils will replace the Fresnel lens based concentrators used today. I am confident that these concentrators are superior as they are a hundred times thinner, much easier to produce, and they enable bandgap matching, which may double the efficiency of CPV, reaching a theoretical limit of about 86%. The ability to produce very thin concentrators will also increase the motivation of the CPV industry to scale down the bulkiness of the sun-tracking system. In the third step, it will be evaluated if thin beam steering devices based on electro-wetting may become industrially available and if they can be combined with the new concentrators. The resulting thin CPV modules would drastically reduce the cost of CPV and literally boost worldwide solar energy production.

Mots-clés : quantum optics,polymer technology,roll to roll manufacturing,counterfeit protection,concentrated photovoltaics
Projet ERC : Mechanocat (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Ruhr University Bochum — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : RUB
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1496350.0 €

I propose a novel concept of catalysis neither utilizing light, thermal heating nor an electric potential as in conventional catalysis, but simply mechanical energy. In this mechanochemical approach, mechanical energy is provided by the collision of milling balls inside a ball mill. The catalyst is neither dissolved (as in homogenous catalysis), nor a powder or bed of shaped bodies (as in heterogeneous catalysis), but the milling ball itself. I want to study how even in the absence of any solvent, solid reactants can be brought into reactions mechanocatalytically - only using milling balls that refresh their catalytically active surface constantly during their continuous collisions. I want to showcase this concept for a type of reactions that is commonly in the hand of homogeneous catalysis – C-C-cross coupling reactions catalysed by Pd, Cu or Ni. Understanding this novel concept involves 1) identifying reactions and reactants that can be applied to direct mechanocatalysis, 2) elaborating how mechanochemical reaction parameters such as milling speed, ball size and ball roughness replace common reaction parameters such as concentration or type of solvent and 3) elucidating the underlying mechanisms by employing in situ characterization techniques that allow for the monitoring of the reaction directly inside the moving milling vessels. I believe direct mechanocatalysis to be ground-breaking as it involves reactants that can hardly be brought into reaction via conventional approaches because of low solubility or limited stability in solution. The proposed solid-state approach will be fundamentally different from the conventional solution-based procedures, and I foresee new reactions to be possible. This approach is highly sustainable as it makes the use of any solvent obsolete and may develop to a new type of catalysis due to the exceptionally facile catalyst separation after synthesis; simply taking the milling ball out of the vessel.

Mots-clés : mechanochemistry
Projet ERC : LOGOS (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : University of Ljubljana — Pays : Slovénie — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 806292.5 €

I propose a revolutionary photonic technology based on self-assembled soft matter that is likely to evolve into currently unforeseen, futuristic technologies. The liquid nature and responsiveness of soft matter delivers the spontaneous self-assembly of tuneable liquid micro-lasers, liquid micro-fibres, liquid light switches, and tuneable optical micro-resonators with extremely smooth interfaces, low optical losses, elastic deformability and self-healing, all of which are difficult to obtain with hard matter. These photonic micro-devices operate exclusively on light and can be easily integrated into 3D photonic chips by micro-injection into a polymer scaffold or elastic binding via topological defect loops and points. LOGOS will create integrated and self-organized photonic chips with the focus on four specific challenges: (i) an all optically switchable spherical 3D Bragg-onion optical transistor made of chiral liquid crystals (LCs), (ii) logic micro-gates made of LCs that operate entirely on light, (iii) optically switchable Whispering-Gallery-Mode LC micro-resonators that redirect light, and (iv) soft-matter photonic integrated circuits in 3D assembled using topology. The validity of the approach will be demonstrated by AND and NAND logic gates, and an add-drop Whispering-Gallery-Mode filter, which will be assembled from soft matter and will use only light to perform the logic operation and optical signal gating and redirecting beyond the GHz range. This very high-risk, high-gain proposal challenges the mainstream photonic roadmaps by offering a disruptive technology that reduces production times, waste and energy, and enables light processing by light, all currently difficult to obtain in the solid state. LOGOS’s results will not only have a major impact on future data centres and optical networks, but could also revolutionize implantable, biocompatible and wearable photonics.

Mots-clés : soft matter,liquid crystals,photonics,logic circuits,microlasers
Projet ERC : GUPPYSEX (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Entité participante : University of Edinburgh — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 930607.5 €

I propose an integrated programme of molecular genetic studies to fill fundamental gaps in our knowledge of sex chromosome evolution. Specifically, I will use a fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), to test the sexual antagonism (SA) hypothesis of sex chromosome evolution, which is plausible, but lacks direct evidence. SA mutations (that benefit one sex but lower fitness of the other) are proposed to arise in a partially sex-linked (pseudo-autosomal region, or PAR) gene, and establish polymorphisms. To reduce the conflict between the sexes, suppressed recombination between X and Y chromosomes then evolves (unless sex-specific expression evolves first). The guppy is ideal for studying this hypothesis because SA polymorphisms are well documented: male coloration phenotypes make males attractive to females, but also make them conspicuous to predators (while females gain no compensating benefit). Moreover, guppies have a recombination-suppressed sex-linked region that carries multiple coloration genes, yet is thought to have evolved recently. However, no non-Y-linked coloration factor has yet been mapped, and the genetics is complicated by modifers making some XX individuals male, and by male-specific expression of some phenotypes. I will map coloration genes and identify PAR genes using DNA-based markers to take account of these problems. I will test for the predicted lower coloration allele frequencies in natural populations with high versus low predation rates, and do population genetic analyses to test for closer linkage under high predation. I will also use X-Y sequence divergence to estimate the age of the guppy sex chromosome. The project tests predictions that emerge from well-documented differing selection regimes in natural guppy populations. I have therefore assembled a team of collaborators experienced with guppies who can provide behavioural and ecological genetic expertise to complement the strength of my own group in molecular evolutionary genetics.

Mots-clés : sex chromosomes,recombination suppression,sexual antagonism
Projet ERC : CONCERTO (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1285505.24 €

I propose for funding to construct a spectrometer to map in 3-D the intensity due to line emission, a technique known as Intensity Mapping. Instead of detecting individual galaxies, this emerging technique measures signal fluctuations produced by the combined emission of the galaxy population on large regions of the sky in a wide frequency (i.e. redshift) band, and thus increases sensitivity to faint sources. Capitalizing on a recent technology breakthrough, our intensity mapping experiment will measure the 3-D fluctuations of the [CII] line at redshifts 4.5<z<8.5. [CII] is one of the most valuable star formation tracers at high redshift. My project will answer the outstanding questions of whether dusty star-formation contributes to early galaxy evolution, and whether dusty galaxies play an important role in shaping cosmic reionization. My team will first build, test, and finally install the instrument on the APEX antenna following an agreement with APEX partners. The spectrometer will be based on the state-of-the-art development of new arrays in the millimeter using Kinetic Inductance Detectors. Spectra (200-360 GHz) will be obtained by a fast Martin-Puplett interferometer. Then, we will observe with CONCERTO a few square degrees and offer a straight forward alternative for probing star formation and dust build-up in the early Universe. Finally, CONCERTO will set to music the various cosmic evolution probes. Cross-correlation of the signals will be used in particular to capture the topology of the end of reionization era. CONCERTO will be one of two instruments in the world to perform intensity mapping of the [CII] line in the short term. The novel methodology is extremely promising as it targets an unexplored observable touching on some of the fundamental processes building the early universe. In the flourishing of new ideas in the intensity-mapping field, CONCERTO lies at the forefront.

Mots-clés : submillimeter and millimeter astronomy,high redshift galaxies,reionization