Around 17 million euros for unusual, high-risk research projects: Thirteen scientists were able to convince in the assessment process and receive a Freigeist Fellowship, which offers them maximum freedom for their research.
In the following interview, Hanna Denecke, leader of the "Exploration" funding team, and Tobias Schönwitz, funding officer for the NEXT program, explain how we are paving the way for new topics and research methods under the NEXT funding framework.
Quality in preclinical research: Networked rather than alone
Neuroscientist Sarah McCann wants to improve the quality of biomedical research and make it more reproducible. The Volkswagen Foundation is funding her research as a pioneering project in the new profile area "Understanding Research – Evaluation and Science Practice".
Promote Free Scientific Exchange: Yehudit and Yehuda Elkana Fellowships
There is less and less free space for scientifically controversial discussions. The Yehudit and Yehuda Elkana Fellowship Program wants to create this space for scientists.
A Pharmacy From the Rainforest: Remedies for the Mind
Fabien Schultz is searching for natural materials that can be used to treat mental health conditions. To this end, he is working with indigenous communities in Uganda and Tanzania – and with monkeys.
Wolfram Pernice is researching how computers based on neural networks could in future compute even faster and more efficiently – using light instead of electronics. And real nerves instead of optical fibres.
