Marie Curie Awards highlight value of mobility in European research careers
The five winners of this year's Marie Curie Awards for mobile research excellence were announced at a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, on 9 December, highlighting the importance of mobility in raising the attractiveness of research careers in Europe. The awards, which were established in 2003, are designed to honour individuals that have received a Marie Curie Fellowship Grant to conduct research abroad, before going on to achieve excellent results in their chosen field of research. European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik said: 'The Marie Curie Awards demonstrate that excellent researchers from Europe have enormous scientific potential. Marie Curie schemes efficiently contribute to offer attractive career opportunities for researchers in Europe.' Among this year's winners was Emmanouil Anagnostou, who left his native Greece to work for NASA in the US. His Marie Curie Fellowship brought him back to Europe to study flood forecasting, and he receives the award for advancing awareness of global water and energy cycle research. 'Moving back to Greece was primarily for personal reasons,' revealed Dr Anagnostou. 'But that alone is not enough, you need professional stimulation too. The quality of research in Greece has progressed a lot in recent years.' Arno Rauschenbeutel, who took up a Marie Curie Fellowship in France before returning to his home in Germany, was recognised for his work in quantum computing. He believes the award will give his career a welcome boost 'I am trying to get a permanent position and this award will help me in my negotiations,' he said. While he would prefer to remain in either Germany or France, Mr Rauschenbeutel is aware that sometimes you have to follow the opportunities. 'When you want a permanent position, you have to be ready to move.' Sofia Calero, one of two women scientists to receive an award, was honoured for her work in developing a computational approach for the design of multifunctional nanomaterials. Having completed a Marie Curie Fellowship in the Netherlands, Dr Caleo returned to Spain where she established her own research group. 'As a woman, you constantly have to prove yourself,' she believes. 'This award is going to make my group permanent.' The other awards went to neuroscientist Juan Bolaños and geneticist Maria Pia Cosma. The chair of the jury, the noted astronomer Jocelyn Bell Burnell, believes that the Marie Curie laureates will set an example for others to follow. 'Europe needs its researchers and I'm sure that these winners, as was the case for winners in previous years, will promote a positive image of science for other young people,' she concluded.