Three researchers from the Hebrew University have been awarded prestigious research grants by the European Research Council (ERC)
ERC Advanced grants, each approximately valued at 2.5 million euros, stand as among the most prestigious and competitive research grants offered by the European Union. These grants provide seasoned researchers with the opportunity to pursue ambitious projects capable of catalysing significant scientific breakthroughs. They are bestowed upon leading researchers with substantial achievements in their respective fields over the past decade.
Professor Maren R. Niehoff, Max Cooper Chair of Jewish Thought in the Faculty of Humanities, at Hebrew University, has secured the grant for her research on the interface between Judaism and Greco-Roman culture, with a particular focus on the influence of Rome. Her work delves into how Judaism evolved within the Roman Empire from philosophical, legal, and literary perspectives, uncovering parallel transformations among the Greeks and Christians.
Professor Nathan (Nati) Lineal, from the Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, the Einstein Institute of Mathematics, and the Federman Center for the Study of Rationality at Hebrew University, has been awarded the grant for his research into error-correcting codes. Note that all communication, whether among humans or machines, is susceptible to external noise. In his research Linial and his students have developed mathematical methods employing analysis, optimization, and combinatorics to analyze the optimal balance between the rate of an error-correction code and how many errors it can correct.
Professor David Kazhdan, from the Einstein Institute of Mathematics, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been honored with a grant for his research on uncovering hidden symmetries across various mathematical fields and exploring their applications. His work aims to illuminate unexpected connections between disparate mathematical theories and leverage these symmetries to solve intricate problems.