ERC Starting Grants draw funding from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme to enable excellent scientists, with up to seven years of post-PhD experience, to pursue their most promising ideas. 

The funds also enable recipients to significantly grow their research teams over the five-year duration of the projects they support. 

Dr Vos’ project: Exometeorology: Probing Extrasolar Atmospheres (Exo-PEA) 

Over the past 30 years, astronomers have uncovered thousands of new extrasolar planets, which vary from small, rocky worlds, to giant planets like Jupiter. Additionally, lots of isolated or free-floating worlds have been discovered. We have already learned that the atmospheres of these strange worlds are highly complex, hosting a range of weather processes. 

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) enables a new era in our understanding of extrasolar atmospheres. By providing observations of unprecedented quality, this ground-breaking facility opens a new window into these atmospheres. 

Dr Vos was recently awarded three observing programmes as PI with the JWST that form the basis of her ERC project. By combining new data from these programmes with state of the art computational and data-driven techniques, her team will reveal the dominant atmospheric processes that give rise to weather on giant extrasolar worlds. 

Dr Vos, Assistant Professor in Trinity’s School of Physics, said:

“I am honoured to have been awarded this ERC Starting Grant and for the opportunity to expand the breadth and scope of research in my group. This funding will allow me to build a team that will make use of ground-breaking data from JWST to provide key insights into the atmospheres of worlds beyond our solar system.” 

Dr Vos is one of 2 Trinity recipients of the ERC Starting Grant in this round. Dr Michael-John Dolan, researcher in the School of Genetics, has also secured funding for his project on uncovering the secrets of brain disorders and repair.  

Dr Linda Doyle, Provost and President of Trinity College Dublin, said:

“ERC Starting Grants come at a critical point in a researcher's career, allowing awardees to build the foundations from which they can become leaders in their fields, while freeing them to pursue truly innovative, 'blue skies' research. 

“I warmly congratulate Johanna and Michael-John in securing these prestigious and highly competitive awards. Winning an ERC grant is an acknowledgement that their projects are not only scientifically excellent, but will break new ground for their disciplines. The focus of their efforts – understanding weather patterns in strange worlds in deep space, and how we might drive misfiring human brains to repair – also underline the extraordinary breadth of world-leading research that is nurtured at Trinity.” 

Professor Sinéad Ryan, Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, said: 

“I congratulate Johanna and Michael-John on securing funding for these ambitious and exciting projects. These will embrace new cutting-edge technologies to transform our scientific understanding of the universe and the human brain. 

“As they grow their research teams in Trinity, they will create focal points at Trinity for talented postdoctoral and PhD researchers, helping to establish the next generation of research leaders with the skills to impact their disciplines and wider society.” 

The School of Physics would like to extend warm congratulations to both recipients on this prestigious win.  

 

For more visit https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/2024/weather-in-deep-space-and-brain-repair--trinity-duo-win-erc-starting-grants/