Congratulations to the researchers at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at the University of Groningen! They have received two NWO grants of 6.7 million euros for groundbreaking research: one focusing on biodiversity restoration in livestock areas led by Professor Han Olff, and the other on the origin of life, in collaboration with UU and UvA, led by Professor Inge Loes ten Kate. These grants are part of the Research on Routes through Consortia program from the National Science Agenda.
Researchers at FSE, University of Groningen, have been awarded two NWO grants totaling 6.7 million euros. Professor Han Olff is coordinating a project that develops a new approach to global biodiversity restoration in areas where livestock farming is prevalent. Researchers from several FSE institutes are also part of a consortium, led by Professor Inge Loes ten Kate (UU, UvA), conducting research into the origin of life on Earth and in the universe.
The grants are part of the National Science Agenda's Research on Routes through Consortia (ORC) program. In these projects, researchers from multiple universities are collaborating with knowledge partners and societal organizations.
CurveBend: From biodiversity loss to a nature-positive society through mobilization of collective action at the landscape scale
Biodiversity is under severe threat globally, and efforts to restore it have so far been insufficient. This project develops a new approach for biodiversity restoration in areas where livestock farming plays a significant role in land use. The researchers focus on creating new, collaborative initiatives where all relevant parties in a region – such as residents, farmers, the wider agro-chain, conservationists, recreational entrepreneurs, municipalities, provinces, and water authorities – work together instead of against each other. By comparing areas in the Netherlands, South America, and East Africa, the project aims to generate both region-specific solutions and the exchange of inspiring new ideas.
PRELIFE - Pathways, Reactions, and Environments leading to LIFE: An interdisciplinary approach
The origin of life is one of the greatest unsolved puzzles in science. While several theories exist, there is no consensus. PRELIFE is based on an interdisciplinary approach where astronomy, biology, earth and planetary sciences, computer science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and education collaborate to answer the question: 'How and under which conditions did life arise on Earth, and how common are these conditions in the universe?' These questions are also of societal interest, and therefore, teachers, schoolchildren, and the public will be involved in the search for answers through educational projects and collaborations with artists and museums.
Source: rug.nl
