With this, Professor José Capmany has received 4 ERC grants in 6 years, specifically two Advanced Grants -the most prestigious grants awarded by the ERC- and two Proof of Concept grants.
We are delighted to announce that the groundbreaking project “Nu-MESH,” conducted by José Capmany from the Photonic Research Labs (PRL-iTEAM) at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), has been included in the prestigious list of #ERCPoC 2023 funded grants announced by the European Research Council (ERC). The Nu-MESH project aims to develop new architectures for programmable waveguide meshes by integrating carefully selected artificial “defect” cells.
Under the ERC’s Proof of Concept (PoC) Grant, Nu-MESH has been awarded €150,000 to explore the commercial and societal potential of its cutting-edge research findings. This funding is part of the European Union’s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe.
The ERC has selected 66 projects in the second round of the 2023 competition, covering a diverse array of fields and inquiries. These range from tackling the carbon footprint of generative AI to devising innovative ways to mobilize bystanders on social media and reduce online hostility. The grant recipients will utilize this funding to validate the practical viability of their scientific concepts, explore business opportunities, and prepare patent applications.
Nu-MESH’s inclusion in the #ERCPoC 2023 competition is a testament to the outstanding contributions made by the research team at the PRL-iTEAM. Their innovative approach to developing programmable waveguide meshes has been recognized for its potential to unlock new possibilities in the field of photonics and beyond.
The PoC grant competition is exclusively open to ERC grantees who are eligible to apply if they have ongoing or recently completed research projects supported by Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy Grants. With this, Professor José Capmany has received 4 ERC grants in 6 years, specifically two Advanced Grants -the most prestigious grants awarded by the ERC- and two Proof of Concept grants.
Out of 183 proposals evaluated, 66 projects, including Nu-MESH, were selected for funding. The grant recipients hail from 14 countries, with Spain being host to the highest number of grants (12), followed by Germany (9), the UK (8), Italy (7), France (6), Belgium (5), Netherlands (5), Ireland (3), Israel (3), Denmark (3), and Sweden (2). Additionally, one grant has been awarded to researchers based in Czechia, Austria, and Portugal.
These groundbreaking projects will delve into a diverse spectrum of topics, with approximately 58% of the funded projects linked to physical sciences and engineering, 33% to life sciences, and 9% to social sciences and humanities.
Congratulations to the Nu-MESH project team at the PRL-iTEAM for this remarkable achievement, and we look forward to witnessing the significant impact of their research on photonics and the wider scientific community.