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André Niemeijer of the Faculty of Geosciences has been awarded a Vidi grant of up to €800,000 for research into the evolution of earthquakes. This grant will fund ±·¾±±ð³¾±ð¾±Âá±ð°ù’s research for five years. A total of fourteen Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ scientists were awarded Vidi grants by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) in this funding round.

Fault planes in rocks

As earthquakes originate from movements along fault planes in the rocks,  research will focus on physical and chemical processes in rocks on a micro-scale. He and his colleagues will make a systematic analysis of rock-friction behaviour, based on laboratory simulations and numeric modelling. This will enable better estimates of potential earthquake magnitudes in certain high-risk areas.

About Vidi grants

NWO selects Vidi laureates based on the quality of the researcher, the innovative nature of the research, the expected scientific impact of the research proposal and opportunities for knowledge utilisation. A total of 432 researchers in the Netherlands submitted Vidi proposals to NWO in 2012 , with 86 of these researchers being awarded a grant. Vidi is aimed at excellent researchers who have conducted several years of successful research after obtaining their PhDs. These scientists are in the top ten to twenty per cent of their discipline. A Vidi grant will fund their research for a period of five years.

Faculty of Geosciences: a sustainable Earth for future generations