European Research Council awards grants to German researchers

Two German researchers have been awarded prestigious ERC Starting Grants from the European Research Council to lead innovative five-year research projects.

Robert Gorwa, a researcher at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), received 1.5 million euros for his project ‘ALIGNING AI’. His work aims to critically examine the governance of artificial intelligence, specifically how large tech companies exercise power through the technical ‘alignment’ of large language models. The project will investigate how these companies incorporate or ignore the concerns of stakeholders and regulatory authorities.

Marvin Reuter, a junior professor at the University of Bamberg, was also awarded 1.5 million euros for his project ‘FIELDS’. His research focuses on how specific fields of study or vocational training influence long-term physical and mental health. While the link between general education and health is well-documented, Reuter seeks to understand how different academic disciplines impact health through varying work conditions, social networks, and lifestyle behaviors.