Sinja Rist, who has been employed first as a postdoc and later as a researcher at DTU Aqua since 2020, has just received a Young Investigator grant of DKK 8.2 million from the Villum Foundation.
She is one of 14 young research talents in the natural and technical sciences selected by the Villum Foundation to receive Young Investigator funding to support the development of a continued research career:
“I am incredibly grateful and excited to receive this grant! It gives me enormous scientific freedom over the next five years to pursue my research ideas and establish my own group. I am also very pleased to be part of a community of inspiring and enthusiastic young research leaders across Denmark,” says Sinja Rist.
How we protect coastal ecosystems amid rising pollution
Sinja Rist has received the grant for the project “Life cycle effects of PFAS on mussel development: Towards realistic predictions of pollution impacts on populations.”
In its announcement, the Villum Foundation writes that this year’s Young Investigator grants are awarded to projects ranging from “the dark corners of the universe to the hidden life of the sea” – and under the latter category, the foundation highlights Sinja’s project, which she explains as follows:
“PFAS are a major threat to marine life. They can impair the living conditions of, for example, mussels, which are an important part of the marine ecosystem. My project aims to provide more realistic predictions of how PFAS affect marine life. This knowledge may prove crucial when we seek to protect the ecosystems of the sea and coastal areas under increasing pollution.”
Career‑changing
The purpose of the Villum Young Investigator programme is to attract and retain talented early‑career researchers at Danish universities. The grant provides researchers with the resources to build their own research group and lead independent projects.
“This grant is career‑changing because it enables me to establish a research group with unique expertise in Denmark. I know that a group can be the path to developing and shaping a research direction that extends far beyond a single project,” says Sinja Rist, elaborating:
“Leading the research project and a group consisting of two PhD students and a postdoc will significantly strengthen my leadership skills. In addition, it will broaden my scientific perspective and competencies for the future.”
Learn more at the Villum Foundation website
