Institute of Science and Technology Austria secures 9.2 million euros in EU research grants

The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) in Klosterneuburg has secured 9.2 million euros in funding through the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants. Five researchers at the institute were selected, representing the majority of the 18 grants awarded in Austria this year. The funding supports projects in diverse fields, including artificial intelligence, astrophysics, quantum matter, and microbiology.

Selected projects include Denitsa Baykusheva’s work on microscopes for studying quantum matter, Jack Bravo’s research into bacterial immunity and DNA, and Ilaria Caiazzo’s study of white dwarf mergers and gravitational waves. These grants are designed to help researchers who have completed their PhDs within the last ten years to build their own teams and advance fundamental research.

In a separate educational initiative, students from the Gmünd Gymnasium participated in the third annual Vifzack Academy at the ISTA campus. This week-long program provides science-interested students in grades 5 to 8 with hands-on experience in modern natural sciences alongside professional researchers.