Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : THEATRONOMICS (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Cultures and cultural production
Entité participante : Trinity College Dublin — Pays : Irlande — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : TCD
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 0.0 €

Eighteenth-century literary studies has taken a ‘theatrical turn’ over the past twenty-five years and the century historically associated with the ‘rise of the novel’ now acknowledges the centrality of the theatre to Georgian cultural and political life. However, we have virtually ignored its remarkable financial archive. Account-books, ledgers, and ephemeral manuscript folios contain rich data on ticket sales, audience members, revenues, actor salaries, repayments to investors, costume, scenery and other costs: this is richly detailed source material that needs to be understood. THEATRONOMICS places money at the heart of eighteenth-century theatrical culture. This project will apply financial and econometric analysis to this data to write a new history of eighteenth-century theatrical culture (1732-1809). Manuscript data for Covent Garden and Drury Lane—the two major theatres of Europe’s biggest city—will be transcribed, digitized, and analysed using econometric methods in order to incorporate the theatres’ underlying commercial operations to our research. Our central goal is the application of economic methodologies so that new perspectives on the careers of managers, playwrights, actors, and plays emerge. When we look at the hard financial data underpinning the performance scheduling decisions; the productivity and profitability of actors; the amounts spent on scenery, costumes, scenery, and candles; and the socioeconomic profiles of the audience, we will have a transformative understanding of the ‘back end’ of the theatre business. By synthesizing this complex data, THEATRONOMICS will further enable us, by interacting with other datasets, to ask new interdisciplinary questions about the place of theatre within the ecology of London. THEATRONOMICS’s insistence on gazing through the financial lens of cultural production gives us an innovative and sustainable basis for the next generation of eighteenth-century theatre studies.

Mots-clés : theatre history,theatre manuscripts,cultural economics,econometrics
Projet ERC : GADGET (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1361077.0 €

Elastic instabilities are ubiquitous, from the wrinkles that form on skin to the ‘snap-through’ of an umbrella on a windy day. The complex patterns such instabilities make, and the great speed with which they develop, have led to a host of technological and scientific applications. However, recent experiments have revealed significant gaps in our theoretical understanding of such instabilities, particularly in the roles played by geometry and dynamics. I will establish a group to develop and validate a theoretical framework within which these results can be understood. Central to my approach is an appreciation of the crucial role of geometry in the pattern formation and dynamics of elastic instabilities. As a starting point, I will consider the model problem of a pressurized elastic shell subject to a geometrically large deformation. This system develops either wrinkles or a stress-focusing instability depending on the internal pressure. As such, this is a natural paradigm with which to understand geometrical features of deformation relevant across length scales from deformed viruses to the subduction zones in Earth’s tectonic plates. My team will combine theoretical and computational approaches with tabletop experiments to determine a new set of shell deformations that are generically observed in contradiction of the classic ‘mirror buckling’. Understanding why these new shapes emerge will transform our perception of shell instabilities and provide new fundamental building blocks with which to model them. These ideas will also be used to transform our understanding of a number of other, previously mysterious, elastic instabilities of practical interest. Turning our focus to the dynamics of instabilities such as the snap-through of shells, we will show that accounting for geometry is again crucial. The new insight gained through this project will increase our ability to control elastic instabilities, benefitting a range of technological and scientific applications.

Mots-clés : theory of elasticity
Projet ERC : MOFAmmonia (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Ben-Gurion University of the Negev — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : BGU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1500000.0 €

Electrocatalytic N2 reduction reaction (NRR) stands as one of the most promising green alternatives to achieve clean, carbon-free and sustainable NH3 production, solving the globe’s future production of food and feed-stock chemicals, and serve as practical carrier of sustainable energy. Up to now, the NRR field has been dominated mostly by noble metals, transition metals and their corresponding oxides, carbides, nitrides and sulfides, and metal-free materials. Despite the significant progress in this field, NRR electrocatalysts exhibiting both high activity and selectivity do not exist today and novel materials are still much sought after. Thus, the development of suitable catalytic materials will be a game changer, allowing NRR to fulfil its role in the globe’s energy-economy landscape. The project’s aim is to develop a new concept to combine the virtues of both pristine and converted Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) based materials, forming a new strategy to overcome the activity and selectivity limitations of currently-explored NRR electrocatalytic systems. Specifically, we will (1) develop new, controllable synthetic pathways for the conversion of MOFs into porous, highly active NRR electrocatalysts, with tuned chemical composition, electronic, and catalytic properties, (2) design pristine MOF-based ion-gating layers to precisely regulate the flux of protons toward the underlying catalytically-active site, and thus suppress the competing HER process and boost NH3 faradaic efficiency, (3) combine the two previous strategies to construct and analyze a full NRR system for simultaneous activity and selectivity enhancement. This proposal is highly multidisciplinary, combining materials science, electrocatalysis and photo-electrochemistry. It has the potential to significantly accelerate the development of applications in renewable-energy, e.g. solar cells, light-emitting diodes, heterogeneous catalysts, batteries, water electrolyzers, fuel cells, and sensing devices.

Mots-clés : metal organic frameworks  mofs,electrochemistry,permselectivity,proton coupled electron transfer,solar fuels
Projet ERC : ZARATHUSTRA (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : Carlos III University of Madrid — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499375.0 €

Electrodeless Plasma Thrusters (EPTs) are a new type of space propulsion that promises to overcome the limitations of traditional electric propulsion technologies and to offer unparalleled advantages in terms of power scaling, throttling range, lifetime, propellant types, and simplicity. Nevertheless, EPT development is currently stuck due to the incomplete understanding of their physics, in particular electromagnetic (EM) plasma heating and anomalous transport. Additionally, the cylindrical geometry of existing EPT designs has inherent issues, with high plasma losses and erosion at the rear wall of the ionization chamber and a wide divergence of the generated plasma jet. ZARATHUSTRA aims to unravel the physical underpinnings of EPTs and revolutionize their design by accomplishing three objectives: (1) establish the first self-consistent model of EM plasma heating in these devices; (2) elucidate the role of plasma turbulence, wall interactions, and applied EM fields on anomalous transport and devise control solutions to minimize plasma losses; and (3) assess the feasibility and advantages of a disruptive non-cylindrical EPT concept. This will be made possible thanks to a unique multidisciplinary methodology based on: a ground-breaking two-level numerical simulation strategy with a novel electromagnetic-kinetic algorithm; state-of-the-art experimental measurements; advanced data analysis techniques; and thruster bread-board prototype development. As a result, the first complete theory of EM heating and anomalous transport in EPTs will be formulated, and the path will be paved for the development of a new generation of plasma thrusters with unsurpassed characteristics and performances. While the high ambition of the project represents high risk, this is more than compensated by the potential high gain: uncovering the physical mechanisms of EPTs, unblocking their progress, and claiming for Europe a privileged leadership position in this strategic field.

Mots-clés : electric space propulsion,electrodeless plasma thrusters,electromagnetic plasma heating,anomalous plasma transport
Projet ERC : ELECTROLYTE (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and analytical chemical sciences
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1996357.0 €

Electrolytes fill our natural environment and are crucial to many areas of modern technology. Animals and plants are made up of electrolyte and our oceans are enormous reservoirs of electrolyte covering 2/3 of the surface of the Earth. Energy storage and conversion technologies, such as batteries and fuel cells, incorporate electrolyte as a central and essential ingredient. Despite this enormous ubiquity and importance of electrolytes, these fluids are often relegated to the ‘background’, considered simply as a solvating environment or conduits for charge transfer, sufficiently well defined by a few general parameters. Recently, a new perspective has begun to emerge: of electrolytes as a complex, central player: A vast library of different chemistries are being discovered including molecular ions, eutectic mixtures, self-assembling liquid salts, and oligomeric solvents. This diversity brings an unexplored jungle of nano-architectures and dynamic heterogeneities, relevant across many orders of magnitude in time and space. The overall vision of the ELECTROLYTE project is to explore and understand molecular interactions in complex and high-concentration electrolytes. The philosophy and methodology of the project involves drawing on theories and predictions from far-separated disciplines of Coulomb physics, ionic liquid chemistry, soft matter, and the biology of halophiles and electric fish. From these foundations, a series of hypotheses will be tested through experimental investigations of the structure, dynamics, electrochemical, mechanical and confinement properties of a wide range of electrolytic materials. This will lead to deep insight into the properties of concentrated electrolytes, and demonstrations of radically new electrolytic materials with properties outside of what is currently possible. Ultimately, the project will bring new mindsets for understanding and innovating electrolyte materials for future technologies.

Mots-clés : electrolytes,soft matter,liquids,electrostatics,coulomb fluids,ionic liquids,self assembly,electrical double layer,screening,conductivity,capacitance,supercapacitors
Projet ERC : MolecQuantumMachines (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and analytical chemical sciences
Entité participante : Weizmann Institute of Science — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1995529.0 €

Electronic devices operating at the quantum limit have recently emerged following the vast miniaturization efforts of the electronics industry. Scientific developments of the past few years demonstrate that we are on the verge of a quantum computing revolution. In contrast, similar advances towards achieving quantum machines are still in their infancy despite the potential for novel functionalities and power saving operation. In the last two decades, single molecule junctions have become a versatile testbed for fundamental studies of electronic transport at the atomic scale. In the proposed work, we intend to use single-molecule junctions as quantum machines. We will use our expertise in fabricating, analysing, and controlling the structure and functionality of molecular junctions (e.g., Phys. Rev. Lett. (2014), Nat. Mater. (2016), Nature (2018)) to demonstrate and reveal the properties of quantum machines at the ultimate limit of miniaturization. For example, we aim to demonstrate heat pumping by electron-vibration interaction, work to heat conversion in atomic chains, magnetic control of thermopower in chiral molecular junctions, a thermopower diode, and a motor based on a single molecule Archimedean screw. From the mechanistic point of view, we intent to reveal the unknown to date properties of electron-vibration interaction under temperature gradients, work to heat conversion in atomic and molecular structures, several unexplored phenomena related to heat to electric power conversion, and the effect of current induced force on single molecule motors. This work can open a new pathway for experimental quantum thermodynamics, revealing the working principles of atomic-scale electro-mechanical systems, motors, heat pumps and heat converters.

Mots-clés : electronic transport,molecular junction,energy conversion,electron vibration interaction,electronic noise,thermopower,heat pumping,atomic chain,quantum transport,inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy,thermal noise,break junction
Projet ERC : PepZoSkin (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : Tel Aviv University — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TAU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Electronic skin is seen as the next generation of wearable technology, ideally made of thin, self-powered, self-healing and flexible electronics able to mimic or augment natural skin functionalities. Smart prostheses to give amputees the sense of touch, completely biocompatible skin patches for wound care, or new on-skin drug delivery systems are only few e-skin applications that are being explored by the research community for the last several years. The main problems hindering the e-skin revolution are the lack of fully biocompatible piezoelectric materials, which are the basic component of any e-skin system, and the unavailability of adequate energy harvesting technology, which allows realizing an extremely compact and energy autonomous device. In the PepZoSkin project, we propose to develop an ultra-thin, flexible, self-powered e-skin device that combines innovative piezoelectric materials, microelectronics and sensors for wearable and implantable applications. In the frame of the main ERC Grant, we have synthesized radically new peptide-based materials with exceptional piezoelectric performance, unprecedented mechanical properties, and inherent biocompatibility, and used these materials as an active layer in basic sensing devices. In this PoC project, based on these promising results, we will further develop these basic devices to a TRL5 self-powered biocompatible core technology for an e-skin device. Our vision is to turn our core material into a key component of next generation compact and self-powered wearable and implantable systems, targeting biomedical applications as a market entry point. The e-skin market is expected to be worth more than 15 B$ by 2028. During this PoC project, together with medical, business and industrial stakeholders, we will focus on the validation of the technological and business feasibility of turning our e-skin prototype into a marketable competitive product, which will be developed and commercialized by a spin-off comp

Mots-clés : peptides,self assembly,piezoelectricity,biocompatible,energy harvesting,self powered,electronic skin,bio nanotechnology,healthcare
Projet ERC : BELFORT (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : KU Leuven — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : KUL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2425875.0 €

Electronics are part of all aspects of our daily life, at home, at work, while on the road. Smart cities, medical devices, financial transactions, self-driving cars, all rely on electronics. At the same time, these activities generate huge amounts of data, which for privacy and security reasons, are stored encrypted on a possibly untrusted cloud server. Yet, many applications benefit from operations on this data. Statistics or machine learning on medical, financial, automotive or energy data could discover trends or abuse, could be used to monitor pandemics, to tune supply and demand, and much more. Ideally, the calculations on the data should be done without decrypting them first to avoid data leaks. Computing on encrypted data is the new magic in the field of cryptography: it enables calculations on the encrypted data, while data remains encrypted in the cloud and without the need to decrypt it. The result will only be decrypted by the final recipient. Challenging in these novel mathematical concepts is a gigantic blow-up in the size of ciphertext data, in the amount of calculations on the encrypted data, and in the novel lattice based arithmetic used. The core challenge addressed in BELFORT is to make this new technology feasible from a hardware perspective and in realistic scenarios, providing the best performance/energy balance, for it to run on cloud servers and edge devices, within reasonable memory, computation and energy budgets. We propose reconfigurable hardware-based acceleration with domain-specific programmable co-processors, which combine energy efficiency with domain specific programmability and with resistance to attacks from classic and quantum computers. We will develop multiple new ideas as well as bring them together in an end-to-end demonstrator. The PI has the unique expertise and is a pioneer in translating novel cryptographic algorithms into efficient and secure realizations on a wide range of hardware/software platforms.

Mots-clés : secure electronic circuits,digital hardware,fpga and asic,resistance to attacks,hardware security evaluation
Projet ERC : CHANGINGELITES (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1459462.75 €

Elites reveal the nature of inequality, allowing us to see the underlying structure of society. But, elites can also be the engines of inequality, driving forward changes ensuring the accumulation of power. So, when the people occupying elite positions change it says something about how the production of inequalities may have changed too. Most would agree (despite the paucity of data) that elites are different today than they were; but, what is contested is whether such changes signal a radical restructuring of the processes of elite formation. Two questions remain unresolved: 1) how has the composition of elites changed over time? and 2) did the major social, political, and economic upheavals of the last 200 years reconfigure elites through altering processes of elite formation? It has been difficult to answer these questions because of limited longitudinal data on elites. CHANGINGELITES will address these questions by creating a catalogue of the elite that is without equal in its empirical and temporal scope. This data set will combine information on education (schools and universities), club membership, parental wealth, economic capital, and family structure for around 120,000 people born since 1800. Alongside this data, we will also conduct 100 interviews with elites born in different periods, illuminating the varied trajectories that underpin this huge historical database. CHANGINGELITES will both shed light on the social composition of elites over time and seek to explain the changes and continuities within elites by exploring how institutional and policy shifts constrain and enable processes of elite reproduction. This ambitious, interdisciplinary study will radically alter our understanding of elite reproduction but, more than this, it will speak to a contradiction seen in many countries recently between the opening up of elite institutions and the massive accumulation of wealth, and in so doing will seek new ways to understand how inequalities are produced.

Mots-clés : elites,gender,education,institutions,policy
Projet ERC : EPIROSE (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Cellular, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Entité participante : University of Cambridge — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. Cambridge
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2477951.0 €

Embryonic development progresses through successive cell fate decisions and intricate three-dimensional morphogenetic transformations. Implantation is the defining event in mammalian pregnancy during which a fundamental morphogenetic transformation is initiated: the body axes are established and the embryonic germ layers created. Despite its importance, a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms, transcriptional pathways, cellular interactions, as well as the spatio-temporal development of the embryo at implantation stages is at present lacking, due to the embryo’s inaccessibility. To overcome these limitations, we generated a culture system that allows the development of mouse implanting embryos outside of the mother. This system provides the opportunity to address how architectural features and signaling events integrate to induce the emergence of the body plan. Combining this new technology with the analysis of genetically engineered mouse embryos, the aim of this research proposal is to fill the knowledge gap between pre and post-implantation development. Single cell sequencing, two-photon microscopy, high-content forward genetic screening, and modeling will be merged with a functional assessment of embryo development in vivo to reveal the determinants of implantation and early post-implantation development. This global understanding will be employed to explore the extent to which stem cells can recapitulate embryonic development, with tremendous potential for regenerative medicine. Knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that intertwine lineage specification, developmental potential, and tissue morphogenesis will offer novel insight on the pathological causes of embryo lethality and congenital disorders. The proposed studies will shed light on this crucial yet mysterious stage of development in the mouse and, by extrapolation, offer outstanding potential to advance our understanding of human development.

Mots-clés : rosette,epiblast,cell differentiation,morphogenesis