EUR 4.7 million to radical research ideas

The 53 experiments receiving a total of EUR 13.5 million were selected from more than 400 applications. All applications have been through an anonymous selection process where 15 international judges assessed the research ideas—without the possibility of looking at the researchers’ CVs or academic merits, according to a Villum Fonden press release.

The method has been selected in order to sharpen the focus on the research idea and to allow researchers to come up with new ideas regardless of their previous academic merits.

The 18 projects will receive a total of approximately EUR 4.7 million from DTU—between EUR 200,000-270,000 each. 13 of the projects are spearheaded by researchers with a background other than Danish, including researchers from Taiwan, Romania, Croatia, India, and China.

The research projects span 12 DTU departments and centres and cover a wide range of topics, including optically guided micro-robots, multiresistant bacteria, 3D printing, ultrasound manipulation of nanoparticles, antibiotic resistance—and whether unattractive body odour can explain the demise of neanderthals. See the complete list of beneficiaries and projects at the bottom.

According to Villum Fonden, the Villum Experiment was created for technical or scientific research projects that challenge norms and have the potential to fundamentally change the way we approach key issues.

“VILLUM FONDEN would like to help create room for radical and innovative research that has the potential to fundamentally change the way we approach key issues. Perhaps you have a crazy idea that you are afraid to talk about, or that challenges the recognized research, or does not fit into the ideas of the usual funds. Our anonymous selection process and willingness to take risks open the doors for crazy ideas and alternative approaches,” says Thomas Bjørnholm, Director of Science at Villum Fonden.

This is the second time that Villum Fonden has awarded grants through the Villum Experiment.