ERC Success at Kent A Celebration
Wel come I am delighted to be able to welcome you to this celebration of our success with the European Research Council. Since it was established in 2007 the ERC has come to represent the very best in global research. Its funding has led directly to more than 40,000 articles, and ERC laureates include winners of six Nobel Prizes, four Fields Medals and five Wolf Prizes. The Council was the first to coin the term 'frontier research' as a way of describing the kind of work it has made possible, work that has led to fundamental advances at and beyond the 'frontier' of knowledge. The colleagues that we celebrate in the following pages are undertaking just such work. Their research shifts the paradigms within and across disciplines, offering new insights that make people think differently about the world - its history, society, culture and science - and thereby push forward the frontiers of what we know. Their work is a huge asset to the University, and it is right to recognise this here. Their success hasn't been easy - the average success rate for ERC schemes is just 12%, and much lower in some areas - so I'd like to thank them, and all those who have supported them within their own families, their teams, their schools and across the University, for their commitment, dedication and vision. Together they exemplify the best of Kent, and what we aspire to be. As our refreshed strategy states, 'we are outward looking, we embrace change and are willing to do things differently and see things differently. We value excellence and we support potential, wherever it may be found. Our university is based on equality, diversity, respect and we value each other. We are international in outlook.? I invite you to share with me in this celebration.
Prof Karen Cox Vice-Chancellor and President
Programme Recept ion Drinksand canapes Welcome Prof Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor and President
Prev i ous w i nners -
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Prof Adrian Podoleanu (SPS) - Advanced Grant (2009): COGATIMABIO: Combined time domain and spectral domain coherence - Proof of Concept (2015): AMEFOCT: Add-on module for optical coherence tomography with en-face view option gating for imaging and biosensing - Proof of Concept (2016): AdaSmartRes: Adapter for a commercial grade camera or a smartphone to perform depth resolved imaging Prof Tracy Kivell (SAC) - Starting Grant (2013): GRASP: The evolution of the human hand: grasping trees and tools Prof Heat her Ferguson (Psychology) - Starting Grant (2014): CogSoCoAGE: Tracking the cognitive basis of social communication across the life-span
The following are unfortunately unable to attend -
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Prof Anneli Albi (KLS) - Starting Grant (2011): CONSTEURGLOBGOV: The Role and Future of National Constitutions in European and Global Governance Prof Zoe Davies (SAC) - Consolidator Grant (2016): RELATE: Environmental Spaces and the Feel-Good Factor: Relating Subjective Wellbeing to Biodiversity
Break A chance to refresh drinksand talk to friendsand colleagues
Recent w i nners -
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Dr Jan Loop (Hist ory) - Synergy Grant (2018): EuQu: The European Qur'an Dr Mat t Skinner (SAC) - Consolidator Grant (2018): NewHuman: Pathways to humanity: Adaptive niche diversity at the origins of the human lineage Prof Ayse Uskul (Psychology) - Consolidator Grant (2018): HONORLOGIC: Cultural Logic of Honor and Human Social Interaction: A Comparative Investigation
Closing remarks Prof Philippe De Wilde, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation
Prof A dri an Podol eanu (Sch ool of Ph ysi cal Sci ences) COGATIMABIO: Combined t ime domain and spect ral domain coherence ?2m Advanced Grant (2010-15) Prof Podoleanu?s ERC-funded project developed a new methodology in optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technique that uses low-coherence light to capture micrometre-resolution, two- and three-dimensional images of material that is otherwise difficult to capture, such as biological tissue. His project created new classes of optical interferometers and wavefront sensors, as well as new combinations of imaging channels using these sensors. The innovations were driven by the need to overcome the current limitations of OCT in terms of speed, range and resolution. The project resulted in: -
a novel spectral domain interferometry and a spectral domain OCT method, a novel akinetic tuneable laser, a demonstration of depth-resolved measurement of aberrations from scattering targets and proven working systems that could generate hundreds and thousands of en-face OCT images of the eye and other biological tissue.
AMEFOCT: Add-on module for opt ical coherence t omography wit h en-face view opt ion gat ing for imaging and biosensing ?150k Proof of Concept Grant (2015-17) Prof Podoleanu?s new methodology, known as ?Master/Slave?(MS) OCT, delivered en-face views direct, thereby lowering the cost of the hardware necessary and increasing the speed of en-face slicing and visualisation. The following Proof of Concept Grant helped advance MS-OCT closer to commercialisation, enabling the development of modules and software for OCT developers and companies already selling OCT systems.
AdaSmart Res: Adapt er for a commercial grade camera or a smart phone t o perform dept h resolved imaging ?150k Proof of Concept Grant (2017-18) Using OCT methods, this Proof of Concept Grant funded the development of a patented adapter that could transform a standard smartphone camera into a depth-resolved imaging instrument. Three versions of low cost functional OCT systems were assembled as proof of concepts, responding to three possible markets. Industrial input came from four different companies, including one producing professional eye imaging systems, and there was additional clinical support from two ENT and opthalmology specialists.
Prof Tracy K i v el l (Sch ool of A nth ropol ogy and Conserv ati on)
GRASP: The evolut ion of t he human hand: grasping t rees and t ools ?1.6m Starting Grant (2014-19) The unique manipulative abilities of the human hand have fascinated scientists since the time of Darwin. However, we know little about how these unique abilities evolved because we have lacked: (1) the necessary fossil human (hominin) evidence and (2) the appropriate methods to investigate if, when and how our early ancestors used their hands for locomotion (climbing) and manipulation (tool-use). The GRASP project used novel morphological, experimental and biomechanical methods to investigate different locomotor and manipulative behaviours in humans and other apes, and used this knowledge to reconstruct hand use in the most complete early hominin hand fossils, those of Australopithecussediba. The goal of GRASP was to determine the evolutionary history of the human hand by addressing two fundamental, yet unresolved, questions: (1) Were our fossil hominin ancestors still using their hands for climbing? (2) When and in which fossil hominin species did stone tool-use and tool-making first evolve? These questions were addressed via three objectives: First, microtomography and a novel, holistic method (MedToolÂŽ) was used to analyse the internal bony structure of human, ape and fossil hominin hand bones. Second, collection of the necessary biomechanical data on (a) the loads experienced by the human hand during tool-use and tool-making, (b) hand use and hand postures used by African apes during locomotion in the wild (c) the loads experienced by the bonobo hand during arboreal locomotion. Third, data from the first two objectives was used to adapt musculoskeletal models of the human and bonobo hand and, through the creation of 3D biomechanical (finite-element) models, simulate natural loading of individual hand bones in humans, bonobos and fossil hominins. With this detailed understanding of hand function, the team was able to determine how the locomotor and manipulative behaviours of Au. sediba and other early hominins shaped the evolution of the human hand.
Prof Heath er Ferguson (Sch ool of Psych ol ogy) CogSoCoAGE: Tracking t he cognit ive basis of social communicat ion across t he life-span ?1.5m Starting Grant (2015-20) A vital part of successful everyday social interaction is the ability to infer information about others (e.g. their emotions, visual perspective, and language). Development of these social skills (termed Theory of Mind, ToM) has been linked to improvements in more general cognitive skills, called Executive Functions (EF). However, to date very little is known of how this link varies with advancing age, and no model exists to explain the relationship. Thus, the key aim of this research is to systematically explore the cognitive basis of social communication and how this changes across the life-span. The research addresses three complementary objectives: (1) to what degree variations in ToM ability across the life-span be accounted for by changes in EF skills, i.e.
(2) how ToM ability and EF skill change over time in different age groups (using longitudinal methods, test-retest of the same participants), and
(3) ToM ability be enhanced through training specific EF skills, and how these training effects differ across the life-span. Contrary to traditional studies of social communication, an interdisciplinary approach that links theory and practice from cognitive, social, developmental, and clinical (neuro)psychology to study the relationship between ToM and EF across a broad and dynamic age range (10 to 80+ yrs old). us cutting-edge combinations of techniques (eye-tracking and EEG) and paradigms, alongside sophisticated statistical methods to track the timecourse of social understanding, and model how it relates to EF and more general cognitive/social skills (eg. IQ, language) within and between individuals. This research will open up new horizons in ToM research by developing an intervention programme to enhance the quality of social communication in older adults (thus improving their mental health and well-being), which has the potential to be applied in other individuals with social communication deficits (eg. autism).
Prof A nnel i A l bi (K ent Law Sch ool ) CONSTEURGLOBGOV: The Role and Fut ure of Nat ional Const it ut ions in European and Global Governance ?1.2m Starting Grant (2012-18) At a time when the discourse on constitutionalism has come to focus on the constitutionalisation processes at the European and global level, this project turned the spotlight on national constitutions. It embarked on an analysis and rethinking of the role and future of national constitutions in the context where decision-making has increasingly shifted to transnational level. The project had three objectives. -
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The first objective was concerned with the role of constitutions internally within the state: the project assessed how credible the content of constitutions remains given the realities of European integration. To this end, it undertook a comprehensive, comparative and issue-based analysis of EU-related amendments in national constitutions. The second objective concerned the role of constitutions externally with regard to European integration. While national constitutions have increasingly been regarded as a manifestation of sovereignty, and therefore representing values that are often viewed as parochial, the project turned the focus on other values contained in the constitutions, such as protection of rights and the rule of law. It explored constitutional courts?judgements articulating the rights and values that mandate upholding at supranational level, and assessed the responsiveness of the European Court of Justice with regard to such concerns. The third objective applied experiences from the EU context to the new research area of global governance. The project aimed to assess whether the constitutional provisions on international treaties sufficed to reflect the sheer extent to which decision-making has shifted to international institutions and global regulatory networks. It also explored how constitutions could respond to the problems increasingly highlighted in the context of global governance in relation to legitimacy, democratic control, accountability and the rule of law.
Prof Z oe Dav i es (Sch ool of A nth ropol ogy and Conserv ati on) RELATE: Environment al Spaces and t he Feel-Good Fact or: Relat ing Subject ive Wellbeing t o Biodiversit y ?2m Consolidator Grant (2017-22) We live in a time of profound environmental change. Phenomena such as urbanisation and agricultural intensification have led to ecosystem degradation and species extinctions, and thus a reduction in biodiversity. Yet, while it is now widely asserted in the research, policy and practice arenas that interacting with nature is fundamental to human wellbeing, there is a paucity of evidence characterising how biodiversity, the living component of nature, plays a role in this accepted truth. With RELATE, I am pioneering a completely novel approach to investigating this challenging problem, innovating through interdisciplinary (human geography, environmental psychology, economics and ecology) integration and the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. As such, RELATE will initiate a step-change in our understanding of how nature underpins human wellbeing. Three objectives will be met: (1) explore how people relate to different biodiversity attributes (particular morphologies, sounds, smells, textures, behaviours and/or cultural meanings associated with species), positively and negatively, across all classes of cultural ecosystem service and types of human-nature experience (intentional, incidental, indirect, thereness); (2) quantify variation in how people value, or not, different biodiversity attributes using a range of monetary and non-monetary valuation techniques, including new subjective wellbeing measures; (3) understand how co-occurrence between biodiversity and people may alter across space/time (both seasonal and inter-decadal), and the impact this may have on human-biodiversity relationships. The crucial trade-offs decision-makers tasked with managing environmental spaces have to make between multiple biodiversity, individual and societal deliverables cannot be optimised until we understand human-biodiversity relationships specifically. Consequently, RELATE will deliver a timely, rich and holistic evidence-base, supported by transformative science.
Dr Jan Loop (Sch ool of Hi story) The European Qur?an: Islamic Script ure in European Religion and Cult ure ?10m Synergy Grant (2019-25) Dr Loop will lead a team of four investigators, with the other three being Prof. Mercedes García-Arenal (CSIC Madrid), Prof. John Tolan (Université de Nantes), and Prof. Roberto Tottoli (Università di Napoli L?Orientale). Each investigator and institution will lead a ?2.5m sub-project. ?The European Qur?an?(EuQu) will study the place of the Muslim holy book in European cultural and religious history (c.1150-1850), situating European perceptions of the Qur?an and of Islam in the fractured religious, political, and intellectual landscape of this long period. The Qur?an plays a key role not only in polemical interactions with Islam, but also in debates between Christians of different persuasions and is central to the epistemological reconfigurations that are at the basis of modernity in Europe, from Iberia to Hungary. The Qur?an is deeply embedded in the political and religious thought of Europe and part of the intellectual repertoire of Medieval and Early Modern Europeans of different Christian denominations, of European Jews, freethinkers, atheists and of course of European Muslims. We will study how the European Qur?an is interpreted, adapted, used, and formed in Christian European contexts ? often in close interaction with the Islamic world. EuQu will produce, over a six-year period: -
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A GIS-mapped dat abase of t he European Qur?an, containing extensive information about Qur?an manuscripts and printed editions (in Arabic, Greek, Latin, and European vernaculars) produced between 1143 and 1800 as well as prosopographical data about the principal actors involved in these endeavours (copyists, translators, publishers). A series of publicat ions: PhDs, monographs written by postdocs and PIs, special issues of academic journals, and animated digital publications for a wider audience and educational uses. They will make key breakthroughs in their fields, dealing with aspects of the transmission, translation and study of the Qur?an in Europe, on the role the Qur?an played in debates about European cultural and religious identities, and more broadly about the place of the Qur?an in European Culture. A major exhibit ion during the final year of the project, ?The European Qur?an?to be held at museums in Nantes, London, Budapest and Madrid
Prof A yse Usk ul (Sch ool of Psych ol ogy) The Cult ural Logic of Honour and Social Int eract ion: A Cross-Cult ural Comparison ?2m Consolidator Grant (2019-24) Understanding (un)willingness to coordinate with others, to compromise when faced with different choices, or to apologise for transgressions, is crucial as these behaviours can act as strong facilitators or inhibitors of important interpersonal processes such as negotiations and coalition building. These behaviours play a major role when individuals from different cultural backgrounds work together to solve disputes or address joint challenges. Yet, we know little about what these behaviours mean in different cultural groups or how they are approached. With HONORLOGIC, I aim to initiate a step-change in our understanding of cultural variation in these important domains of social behaviour by providing unique, multimethod, comparative and converging evidence from a wide range of cultural groups. I will answer the question ?How do cultural groups that promote honour as a core cultural value approach coordinating with others, reaching compromise, and offering apologies??by integrating insights from social/cultural psychology, behavioural economics, and anthropology. I will do this by collecting quantitative data using economic games, experiments, and surveys from Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia, as cultural groups where honour has been shown to play a defining role in individuals?social worlds. I will also run the proposed studies in the US, the UK, Japan and Korea to provide a broader comparative perspective. HONORLOGIC will produce transformative evidence for theories of social interaction and decision making in psychology, economics, and evolutionary science by (a) producing innovative theory and data with an interdisciplinary and multi-method approach, (b) increasing the diversity of the existing evidence pool, (c) testing established theoretical assumptions in new cultural groups, and (d) contributing to capacity building in under-researched cultural groups in psychological research.
Dr M att Sk i nner (Sch ool of A nth ropol ogy and Conserv ati on) New Hu m an : Pat h w ays t o h u m an it y: Adapt ive n ich e diver sit y at t h e or igin s of t h e h u m an lin eage ?2m Consolidator Grant (2019-24) For almost 100 years, the evolution of humans has been summarized as a transition from small-brained bipeds with an ape-like body plan (referred to as australopiths), to large-brained striding bipeds with a human-like body plan (members of the genus Homo). This characterisation dominates popular perception of human evolution in the public sphere. However, three newly discovered fossil human (hominin) species (H. naledi, H. floresiensisand Australopithecus sediba) do not fit this simple transitional model in either morphology or time (the former two surviving contemporaneously with modern humans), and have re-ignited debate about the origin of the Homo lineage, including perceptions of the earliest putative Homo species, H. habilis. These new fossils raise fundamental questions about the ecological niches occupied by hominins and the inferred transitions between niches throughout human evolution. With NewHuman, I will pioneer a novel, interdisciplinary and holistic approach using cutting-edge analyses of internal structures of fossil hominin teeth and bones to reconstruct the adaptive niche of these enigmatic species and test whether there is an unrecognized adaptive branch on the human family tree. Specifically, NewHuman will employ ground-breaking imaging techniques and analytical tools to reveal never-before-examined tooth and bone structures in these hominins. In doing so, it will: 1. characterize the behaviour of these enigmatic species and place them more firmly into their ecological environment; and 2. elucidate the adaptive strategy that was likely the transition from australopith-like hominin species to later Homo, but which also represents a highly successful lifeway that persisted for over 2 million years alongside the evolving human lineage. By achieving these ambitious aims, NewHuman will have a significant impact on hypotheses about human evolution, and could result in a paradigm shift that overturns current views on human evolutionary history.