26 Feb 2026
Association of ERC Grantees appoints new ERC Ambassadors
The Association of ERC Grantees (AERG) has appointed five new Ambassadors for the ERC, bringing the network to 37 researchers across Europe. The new Ambassadors are Ivan Minev (Bulgaria); Ülo Niinemets (Estonia); Judit Gervain (Hungary); Inta Mieriņa (Latvia), and Urtė Neniškytė (Lithuania). They were selected following a call for expressions of interest launched in early February.
The Ambassadors for the ERC initiative was created by the AERG and the European Research Council (ERC) in April 2025 to connect ERC grantees with national research and policy communities, and to raise awareness of ERC funding opportunities. Now entering its second year, the network brings together researchers who promote the value of frontier research at national level and engage with policymakers, media, local research communities and the wider public.
Furthermore, as the network evolves, two founding Ambassadors from Portugal and the Netherlands have concluded their mandates at the end of the initiative’s inaugural year. They are succeeded by newly appointed Ambassadors from the same countries (Joana Gonçalves-Sá from Portugal and Stefania Milan from the Netherlands), who will continue to promote the value of frontier research and engage with national research and policy communities across Europe.
The mandate of the Ambassadors is for one year, with the possibility of renewal based on continued interest and availability of the ERC grantee. To reinforce their activities, the Ambassadors work in collaboration with the ERC National Contact Points (NCPs), key national intermediaries who provide researchers with guidance and practical information on all aspects of the EU Horizon Europe framework programme.
The ERC and the AERG plan to continue developing the network in the coming years.
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