CAS fellow wins ERC Consolidator Grant

Among the 329 recipients is Andrew Teale, assistant professor of theoretical chemistry at the University of Nottingham, who this year is participating in the CAS project Molecules in Extreme Environments.

'It’s great news,' Teale said. 'I am very grateful to the ERC. This grant really gives me the opportunity to substantially grow my group.

'I guess all scientists have tens of ideas they want to pursue at any one time but are limited in what they can do by funding and number of people. This grant will really lift those limitations and allow me to build a substantial team all focussed on one topic for five years. It’s really exciting to think about the progress that will allow us to make.'

Consolidator Grants are awarded to scholars with 'a scientific track record showing great promise,' and are meant to give the scholars a 'chance to have far-reaching impact on science and beyond,' the ERC said in the announcement.

Teale's grant application, titled 'A topological approach to electron correlation in density-functional theories,' was one of only 13 percent of proposals that will be funded.