Professor Klaus Blaum (MPI) was awarded his 2nd ERC Advanced Grant

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Professor Klaus Blaum (MPI)

Prof. Dr. Klaus Blaum from the MPI For Nuclear Physics, supervisor of AVA Fellow Markus Wiesinger, secured his second funding (2.5M EUR/5 years) from the European Research Council (ERC) for his project entitled "FunI."

The four fundamental interactions and their symmetries, the fundamental constants as well as the properties of elementary particles such as their masses determine the basic structure of the Universe and form the basis for the Standard Model of particle physics. After receiving an ERC Advanced Grant in 2011 for the determination of fundamental constants such as the mass of the electron and the proton, Klaus Blaum is now devoting himself to fundamental interactions in his new ERC Advanced Grant called "FunI." Among other things, experiments with stored highly charged ions are planned for mandatory tests of quantum electrodynamics and special relativity, the latter via an improved verification of the equivalence of mass and energy, E=mc2. In order to significantly improve the current boundaries, FunI also targets technical innovation, such as sympathetic cooling of individual ions.

The ERC awards Advanced Grants to established scientists who have already made significant contributions to their field of expertise for ground-breaking, new and risky projects. The funds are very competitive; the latest round of tenders had 222 applicants and a success rate of 10.8%. This is a significant achievement for Klaus Blaum and his research group.

Congratulations!