26 new opportunities for knowledge exchange between Ireland and France announced this Blooms Day [fr]

Speaking of this year’s awards, Ambassador Vincent Guérend said: “In this time of hardship, we are inaugurating a new and redesigned Ulysses scheme with 26 Franco-Irish research projects thanks to the help of our strategic partners. I was delighted by the numerous proposals on sustainable development, climate, and health, either from the point of view of natural or social sciences. I warmly welcome the laureates in the Ulysses community. We have brought the financial support for the projects from 12 to 16 months, and we invite them to explore more sustainable ways to cooperate beyond mobility.”

Also welcoming this year’s awards, Prof Jane Ohlmeyer, Chair of the IRC said: “We are delighted with the outcome of this call. Covid-19 had a major impact on the research community, and it is incredible to see international collaboration continue in this way and welcome the increase in length to the awards. On behalf of the Irish Research Council, I would like to welcome our new Ulysses awardees and wish them the best with their research.”

The bilateral committee of the Ulysses scheme reviewed the proposal for 2021-2022 and agreed on 26 final projects, examples of some of the collaborations supported are featured below:

• Embassy/IRC: Development of cold spray using micronozzles for milli to micro-scale metal deposition, Rija Nirina Raoelison (CNRS Belfort) & Ashish Vashishtha (IT Carlow)
• RTE/EIRGRID: Integrating consumer behaviour into energy models, Joachim Schleich (Grenoble Ecole de Management) & Lisa Ryan (UCD)
• Embassy/HRB: Multiscale characterisation in bone fragilities, Halima Kerdjoudj (université de Reims Champagne Ardenne) & Ted Vaughn (NUIG)
• Inserm/IRC: Conversion of medical images into data: a novel approach to side effect prediction in oropharyngeal radiotherapy patients, Charlotte Robert (Inserm Villejuif) & Elizabeth Forde (TCD)
• ADEME/SEAI: Functional carbon nano-onions for the design and development of advanced (bio)electrodes, Nicolas Brun (CNRS Montpellier) & Silvia Giordani (DCU)

The committee observed the excellent quality of the proposals where all topics were well represented including 28% of projects in humanities. Gender balance was a point of attention with 33% of female principal instigators in the proposal and 37% in the laureates. Mobility will take place between September 2021 and December 2022.

About Ulysses

Christened Ulysses in homage to James Joyce, the programme has been in existence since 1997. More than 300 projects have been supported since its creation. Ulysses is one of the 67 Hubert Curien partnerships implemented around the world by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

About the Irish Research Council

The Irish Research Council was formed in 2012 and operates under the aegis of the Higher Education Authority. The core function of the Council is to support excellent frontier research across all disciplines and all career stages. It places a particular focus on early-stage career researchers and promotes diverse career opportunities for researchers by partnering with employers. The Council also has a particular role in supporting research with a societal focus and has established partnerships across government and civic society. Further information: www.research.ie, @IrishResearch, #LoveIrishResearch.

About the French Embassy

The French Embassy in Ireland supports scientific cooperation through various programmes, including the Ulysses partnership. It also supports the creation of double degrees, the joint supervision of theses and the preparation of bids for European funding. The Embassy also promotes French research in Ireland, through scientific mediation activities and a network of French researchers and scientists. It helps organize and support lectures, exhibitions and invitations to French speakers in Ireland, in partnership with Irish higher education institutions.
More information: www.ambafrance-ie.org, @FranceinIreland.