University of Münster
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ERC Starting Grant

Basic data of the distinction

Type of award: Research award or other distinction
Awarded by: European Research Council (ERC)
Award given to: Schwering, Angela
Announced at: 16/01/2015
Date of awarding: 15/01/2015
Amount of prize money: 1300000 EUR

About the distinction

"Biegen Sie in 180 Metern rechts ab. Folgen Sie dem Straßenverlauf sechs Kilometer. Bleiben Sie links." Mit derartigen Anweisungen lenken Navigationsgeräte Autofahrer in der Regel sicher ans Ziel. Aber viele Menschen, die sich auf ihren elektronischen Lotsen verlassen, fühlen sich gerade in einer fremden Stadt dennoch oft orientierungslos. "Das ist kein Wunder", gibt Prof. Dr. Angela Schwering vom Institut für Geoinformatik der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU) zu bedenken. "Ein Navi gibt uns Schritt für Schritt Anweisungen, was zu tun ist. Es vermittelt aber keine Ortskenntnis." Die 35-Jährige entwickelt daher ein neues Navigationskonzept, das die Orientierung der Menschen verbessern soll. Der Europäische Forschungsrat (ERC) fördert ihr Projekt über fünf Jahre mit gut 1,3 Millionen Euro im Rahmen eines "ERC Starting Grants".
Link zur Pressemitteilung der Universität Münster: http://www.uni-muenster.de/Rektorat/exec/upm.php?rubrik=Forschung&neu=1&monat=201501&nummer=18054

About the award

Europe currently offers insufficient opportunities for young investigators to develop independent careers and make the transition from working under a supervisor to being independent researchers in their own right. This structural problem leads to a dramatic waste of research talent in Europe. It also limits or delays the emergence of the next-generation of research leaders, who bring new ideas and energy, and it encourages highly talented researchers at an early stage of their career to seek advancement elsewhere. ERC Starting Grants aim to support up-and-coming research leaders who are about to establish or consolidate a proper research team and to start conducting independent research in Europe. The scheme targets promising researchers who have the proven potential of becoming independent research leaders. It will support the creation of excellent new research teams and will strengthen others that have been recently created.
Type of award: Award for the promotion of early career researchers
Website of the award or committee: https://erc.europa.eu/funding/starting-grants

Awarded Activities & Results

Awarded projects

Wayfinding through Orientation (WayTo)
Duration: 01/09/2015 - 31/03/2021
Funded by: EC FP 7 - ERC Starting Grant
Type of project: EU-project hosted at University of Münster