New French and Irish strategic partners announced for Ulysses research programme

The Irish Research Council and the Embassy of France in Ireland announced details today (15.06.18) of new strategic partners for the Ulysses funding scheme, which is designed to support collaborations between Irish- and French-based researchers across all disciplines.

This year, selected research projects will also be supported by the following strategic partners:

• Electricity transmission system operator EirGrid will partner with French-based Réseau de Transport d’Électricité to support suitably aligned research projects in the area of renewable energies and smart grids.
• The Health Research Board will partner with Inserm, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, to support research projects focusing on patient-oriented research, population health or health services research.
• The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, will provide support to research projects exploring topics relating to climate change.

The scheme offers grants of up to €5,000 to Irish- and French-based researchers to support visits linked to mutual research projects.

Exploratory data analysis for poetry; manganese-enhanced MRI as an early diagnostic technique for lung cancer; and how to reshape cities were among the research topics that received funding under the scheme last year.

Commenting on the launch of the scheme today, Director of the Irish Research Council, Peter Brown said: “The Ulysses scheme plays a long-standing role in the Council’s international engagement and we are delighted to launch the 2018 call today.

“The addition of our new strategic partners will add greatly to the success of the programme. Researchers at different career stages will be given the opportunity to collaborate on important topics that will contribute to new knowledge and innovation in our societies.

“Now in its 21st year, this scheme has given over 600 Irish- and French-based researchers the opportunity to foster new collaborations and establish lasting professional networks of researchers and institutes.”

H.E. Stéphane Crouzat, Ambassador of France to Ireland commented: “I am delighted to announce the expansion of the research funding programme Ulysses operated by the Embassy of France in Ireland and the Irish Research Council.

“It is the first instance in the world that a Hubert Curien partnership, to which Ulysses belongs, benefits from additional funding through industry operators, such as the Irish energy network operator EirGrid and its French counterpart, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité. It is also very significant that several agencies have decided to take part in this programme.

“This expansion, 20 years after the launch of the first Ulysses funding scheme, demonstrates the vibrancy of scientific cooperation between France and Ireland as well as the strong partnership between the Embassy and the Irish Research Council.”

François Brottes, CEO of Réseau de Transport d’Électricité, the French transmission system operator, added: “Réseau de Transport d’Électricité is proud to contribute to this scientific cooperation between France and Ireland by supporting up to four Ulysses projects per year in the area of renewable energies and smart grids from 2019-2023.”

Aidan Skelly, interim CEO of EirGrid, commented: “As co-developer of the proposed Celtic Interconnector, linking the electricity grids of France and Ireland, it is entirely fitting that EirGrid supports this Irish-French research initiative.”

Further information on the Ulysses funding scheme and how to apply are available here

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