News

Aalto nabs 3 ERC Advanced Grants

Aalto University awarded €6.3 million by European Research Council to support 3 research projects over the next 5 years.
ERC grant awardees 2019
Professor Aristides Gionis, Professor Kari Astala, and Professor Zhipei Sun

Aalto university has been awarded €6.3 million from the European Research Council to support pioneering work across a range of high-impact fields. The three projects are:

  • REBOUND:
    •  Designing algorithms to reduce filter bubbles in social media lead by Professor Aristides Gionis from the Department of Computer Science
  • QUAMAP:
    • Developing new mathematical methods for currently unsolvable problems led by Professor Kari Astala from the Department of Mathematics
  • ATOP:
    • Creating novel photonic devices by stacking together atomically-thin materials led by Professor Zhipei Sun from the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

ERC Advanced Grants are designed to support researchers exploring high-risk and groundbreaking areas of research. Aalto University strives to identify and solve grand societal challenges, a goal that the three projects receiving ERC support aim to achieve.

‘I am very pleased and honoured to be awarded the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant. The expected outcomes will result in significant advances in fundamental physics and breakthrough technologies to enable highly-integrated, wideband and high-efficient photonic systems. I am really looking forward to starting this ambitious project,’ says Professor Sun, about his project on atomically thin photonics devices.

‘By engaging with a range of stakeholders we hope to be able to improve deliberation online,’ says Professor Gionis about his research into polarisation in online media communities. ‘We aim to develop methods that can be applied to any topic, even topics coming from different domains, e.g., politics, current events, or social debates.’

Professor Astala describes his work as 'developing mathematics and tools for analysing different mathematical models, particularly those arising in statistical physics and materials sciences. Diverse phenomena in properties of materials, fluid mechanics, medical scanning and even invisibility cloaking will be susceptible to the methods of analysis developed in this project.'

  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

An Aalto University alumnus together with their spouse explaining why they support the activities of Aalto University Junior through a donation.
Cooperation, University Published:

Over 60 years together: “We want as many young people as possible to have the tools to succeed”

The story of Salli and Keijo Suila: why they donate to Aalto University and want to support young people in believing in themselves.
A red error notice window titled 'IT Services'
Incidents, University Published:

Ptrace system call disabled

This prevents the use of, for example, gdb and other debuggers.
Text 'Otaniemi on a sustainable path' and image of two people walking on campus.
Campus, Cooperation, Studies, University Published:

Make May the month of movement!

Take part in events on campus and make sustainable mobility part of your working or study day.
Saija Simola
Press releases, Research & Art Published:

1 in 4 mental health patients hurt by wording in electronic health records, finds study

Errors, disrespectful language and information perceived as unnecessary in electronic health records can feel offensive to patients