Three research teams Utrecht University awarded National Science Agenda grants

PRELIFE – Pathways, Reactions, and Environments leading to LIFE: An interdisciplinary approach

The origin of life is one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in science. There are several theories, but scientists have not come to a consensus. PRELIFE is based on an interdisciplinary approach, in which scientists from the fields of astronomy, biology, earth science, planetary science, computer science, physics, education, chemistry and mathematics all work together to answer the questions: how and under which circumstances did life arise on earth? And how common are those circumstances in the universe? These questions are not limited to the scientific community: society at large would like to find answers too, so teachers, schoolchildren and the general public will be involved in the search by means of educational projects and collaborations with artists and museums.

“How, when and where did life arise? These are questions that can only be answered by a large number of specialist fields working together.” I am therefore overjoyed that we will have the opportunity to do so, and that we’ll be able to share our research with everyone in the Netherlands in a wide variety of ways.”

ACT! Accelerating the Circular Transition. A New Paradigm for Society

The world faces many challenges today: from climate change and biodiversity loss, to excess pollution and scarcity of raw materials. These are all caused by the linear manner in which contemporary societies extract raw materials from the earth and dispose of products and buildings. We desperately need to make a transition to a circular society that re-uses raw materials and is fair to humans and nature. Together with governments, businesses and citizens, Accelerating the Circular Transition (ACT!) will develop a shared vision for that circular society, with a focus on social well-being, simulation models, and an integrated approach to guiding and accelerating this complex transition.

“By 2050, the Netherlands aims to be climate-neutral, circular and less dependent on imported resources. But we don’t really know what a future like that would look like. So in this project, we’ll start researching what a circular society could look like in the year 205, and we’ll take steps towards the transition to that circular society. Just as the name implies, we’ll be Accelerating the Circular Transition, or ACT! for short. We’ll apply our research in tangible case studies, such as the furniture industry and high tech sector. Together with all our partners in this broad consortium, from a repair cafe to two government ministries, we will look forward to collaborating on building a sustainable economy and society in the Netherlands.”

ExpACT: Exposome ACTion perspectives

Almost anywhere you go in the Netherlands, you will be breathing unhealthy air. Air pollution is one of the main causes of illness in the country, and is just as important a risk factor as obesity. Major transitions are currently underway in sectors like mobility, energy and agriculture. They include the transition to electric vehicles, phasing out fossil fuels and woodburning heaters, and making industry cleaner. But this transition also results in heated discussions between governments, businesses and residents.

There is considerable demand for improved technological measurement methods. But it is also increasingly vital that stakeholders are involved in both the collection and analysis of air quality data. In this project, we will focus on strategies for reducing our exposure to air pollutants. We will combine that with creating an open dialogue between various stakeholders.

Combination of expertise

In total, consortiums were able to submit research proposals for one of nine themes. Each project will receive around 6.7 million euros to start working right away. In these projects, researchers collaborate with knowledge partners and social organisations, which provides a combinations of several diverse fields of expertise. The themes vary from a new approach to restoring biodiversity in livestock farming regions, to the consequences of scaling up offshore wind parks.

The National Science Agenda

Responsibility for draughting and renewal of the National Science Agenda (NWA) lies with the citizens. In the NWA programme, connections between society and the scientific community are essential. Governments, researchers, social organisations and citizens develop and utilise knowledge together to create social and scientific impact. Science communications shares the knowledge with society at large, in order to promote involvement and trust in science.