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Seven CyI Projects Funded in RIF’s Latest “EXCELLENCE HUBS” Call

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A total of seven research proposals submitted by CyI researchers were selected for funding in the latest evaluation results announced by the Research & Innovation Foundation (RIF). The projects are funded under RIF’s “EXCELLENCE HUBS/0421” call, which rewards excellent science and aims at the implementation of frontier research for the development of new knowledge of international importance.

The projects submitted by CyI researchers received some of the highest marks in their evaluations in an extremely competitive field. The “MetaMobility” project in particular, coordinated by STARC Assist. Prof. Efthymia Nikita, received the highest ranking among all submitted proposals across Cyprus, and across all three scientific fields (“Life Sciences”, “Physical Sciences and Engineering” and “Social Sciences and Humanities”).

The seven projects deal with important and diverse research themes, so this is a tremendous success for the researchers and the Institute as a whole. The Cyprus Institute is the principal coordinator for all seven projects, and is additionally a partner in an eighth project, coordinated by the University of Cyprus, and CaSToRC Director and Institute Prof. Constantia Alexandrou, who is affiliated both with CyI and UCY, with the participation of CaSToRC Assoc. Prof. Giannis Koutsou.

This important achievement is the latest in a string of successful funding results in national and EU competitive calls, and is a direct outcome of CyI researchers’ dedication and hard work, bringing further distinction and recognition to CyI’s important role as a regional research Center of Excellence.

The CyI projects receiving funding are (in alphabetical order):

  • Controllable Droplet Transport in Heterogeneous Environments” (CoDeTHreE), coordinated by CaSToRC Assist. Prof. Nikos Savva to explore the synergies between applied mathematical analysis, data-driven modelling approaches and large-scale simulations for wetting phenomena, aiming towards the development of novel modelling and computational tools to enhance our fundamental understanding of how to control droplet transport.
  • DIGItizing GRAFfiti: Methodology Definition for the study of Cypriot Historic Graffiti” (DIGIGRAF), coordinated by STARC Prof. Sorin Hermon, aims to establish good practices for the documentation, analysis, and study of historic graffiti of Cyprus by applying new and innovative digital and analytical technologies, coupled with art historical and archaeological research.
  • Mediterranean Island Life Modes: Foodwebs, Agricultural Practices and Social Complexity in Crete and Cyprus in the Bronze Age” (MEDIS-FOOD), coordinated by STARC Assoc. Prof. Evi Margaritis, is an interdisciplinary project focusing on the two larger islands of the eastern Mediterranean, Crete and Cyprus. The project examines the origins of the complex societies of the Bronze Age, by analyzing the agricultural practices, crop husbandry and land use of the period, along with the production of wine and olive oil.
  • Meta-analysis and agent-based modeling of human mobility in the Graeco-Roman world” (MetaMobility), coordinated by STARC Assist. Prof. Efthymia Nikita, and its objective is to explore the nature and impact of human mobility in the Graeco-Roman world, focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman Eastern Mediterranean.
  • Nucleon structure at the precision frontier using lattice QCD with physical up, down, strange, and charm quarks” (NiceQuarks), coordinated by CaSToRC Assoc. Prof. Giannis Koutsou, aims to establish an Excellence Hub for obtaining precision nucleon structure quantities using advanced data analysis techniques and large-scale simulations of the theory of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD).
  • Quantum Computing for Lattice Gauge Theories” (QC4LGT), coordinated by CaSToRC Post-Doctoral Fellow, Stefan Kühn, aims to establish an Excellence Hub in quantum computing, in order to study lattice gauge theories with current noisy, intermediate-scale quantum hardware in regimes that are inaccessible with conventional classical numerical methods.

  • “Transition Metal Optical Hydrogen Sensors: Enhancing performance through tailored nanostructuring” (TROPHY), coordinated by CARE-C Post-Doctoral Fellow Andreas Sousanis, to develop highly selective and sensitive optical hydrogen sensors produced by environmentally friendly and low-cost processes that will exhibit unprecedented sensitivity and extremely low limit of detection (in the ppb regime).