NCCR MARVEL
2014 series
Home institution: EPFL
Up until now, the development of new materials was based on intuition and trial and error. The NCCR "MARVEL – Materials’ Revolution: Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials" aims at bringing about a scientific and technological revolution, whereby discoveries and inventions will come from quantum mechanical simulations and the information and communication technologies (ICT) of big data. With computers becoming more and more powerful, it is now possible to screen rapidly for tens of thousands of materials at the same time. This computational approach to the discovery and development of materials will be applied to the fields of energy, ICT and pharmaceuticals.
Further information on the NCCR:
Contact details
NCCR Management
NCCR Director
Prof. Nicola Marzari
NCCR MARVEL
EPFL STI PRN-MARVEL
Station 9
CH-1015 Lausanne
Phone: +41 (0) 21 693 11 29
Email: nicola.marzari@epfl.chManagement / Coordination
Dr. Lidia Favre-Quattropani
Dr. Patrick Mayor
NCCR MARVEL
EPFL STI PRN-MARVEL
Station 9
CH-1015 Lausanne
Phone: +41 (0) 21 693 48 80 / 46 96
Email: lidia.quattropani@epfl.ch
Email: patrick.mayor@epfl.chFunding
NCCRs are financed through grants awarded by the SNSF, but also from other sources. The home institution involved in the NCCR also contributes a substantial amount of money. The available overall budget of the NCCR is further increased by monetary contributions from the project participants and third-party funds, which are generally invested by industrial companies.
The SNSF is financing the NCCR MARVEL in its second funding period.
Financing 2014 – 2021 (Swiss francs)
Funding source
2014-2017
2018-2021
2022-2026
SNSF grant
18'000'000
18'203'327
12’330’000
Funds of EPFL
5'674'162
4'603'139
3'000’000
Group funds of the project participants
21'892'743
20'837'521
11'589’000
External funds
587'725
527'217
39’890
Evaluation / Review Panel
For each NCCR, the SNSF appoints a Review Panel composed of renowned experts whose task it is to evaluate scientific quality and the progress made in NCCR projects. The Review Panel of the NCCR MARVEL consists of the following experts:
Contact person at the SNSF
Dr. Nathalie Schaller
NCCR Team
Swiss National Science Foundation
Wildhainweg 3
CH-3001 Berne
Phone: +41 (0) 31 308 23 48
Email: nathalie.schaller@snf.chResearch structures
National Centres of Competence in Research leave their mark on the research landscape well beyond the SNSF funding period. They help to define key topics and sustainably change Swiss research structures. Thus NCCRs can lead to the creation of new professorships and courses of study as well as new infrastructures or platforms at the universities involved.
NCCRs operate as a network in which a large number of scientific partners are active. Working within these networks has borne fruit in the form of new research approaches and excellent scientific contributions.
Contributions to society and the economy
The National Centres of Competence in Research not only engage in cutting-edge research, they also play an important role in transferring knowledge and new technologies to the economy and to society at large. They lead to the formation of start-ups, and the new insights have the potential to awaken the interest of politicians, globally active companies and the public at large.
Communication and knowledge transfer of the NCCR MARVEL
Promotion of academic careers and equal opportunities
The National Centres of Competence in Research consciously promote promising young researchers and are committed to equal opportunities for men and women in research.
Measures taken by the NCCR MARVEL to promote young researchers and gender equality: