Dear researchers: thank you for your commitment, cooperation, and curiosity

Dear research and innovation community,  

The end of the year is a time to reflect and look back on the previous twelve months. This year, I feel particularly reminded of the magnanimity of science: how it helps us to understand our complex ever-changing world, like research on Artificial Intelligence, while also providing the possibility to imagine brighter futures, like we are doing through the New European Bauhaus. 

Each contribution to science from our community is a gift that has expanded knowledge and been part of wider efforts to make life a little more scintillating – just in time for the holiday season.  

It is in this spirit that, as the Director of the European Research Executive Agency, I address this letter to our community and say, quite simply, thank you.  

Thank you to this community of researchers and innovators; of colleagues and partners; of science enthusiasts and the curious-minded. 

In 2024, we had many opportunities to reflect on the unique ability of EU programmes to remove barriers and borders and to bring great minds together. Together, we celebrated 40 years of the EU’s programmes for funding research and innovation and we marked 20 years since the 2004 EU enlargement. 

The EU’s programmes for research and innovation don’t just remove barriers, they also advance the frontier of knowledge – with real impact. One such example is a paediatric oncology project, funded through the EU’s Widening participation programme, that aims to improve standards in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tumour cancers in children in Lithuania by linking local researchers with those in top institutions across Europe.

I also take this opportunity to reflect on my own journey in EU science, which started in the (late!) 1990s. While a lot has changed, researchers’ dedication to improving our well-being has remained steadfast.

I am always most struck by the passion and dedication of our researchers when I have the chance to meet them. At events earlier this year, I had the privilege of meeting - and thanking - researchers who have contributed to a broad range of distinct and important fields.

In the face of our greatest challenges - the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity – they are endeavouring to protect nature, support vulnerable regions as well as bulwark society in the face of flooding. 

In this year of elections, we were also reminded of the threats our societies are facing. Yet, once again, researchers are at the vanguard; exploring options to bolster our democracy. We also continued to support Ukrainian scientists and their research infrastructures.

The hard work of our researchers does not go unnoticed. This year, we welcomed another researcher to our list of EU-funded scientists who have been awarded a Nobel Prize: Dr. David Baker, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024, was supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).  EU-funded researchers also picked up awards at the Kavli Prize and the Women Innovator’s Prize.

20 researchers backed through the MSCA are now Nobel Laureates.

This year, it was a pleasure to speak at various events and conferences. In June, I took part in the announcement of the EU Citizen Science Prize - awarded to outstanding projects which see citizens become part of the journey of scientific discovery. 

Another prize, the EU Gender Equality Champions, acknowledged the importance of addressing gender equality in academic and research organisations through institutional change.

The future is bright: 143 young researchers participated in this year’s EU Contest for Young Scientists.

At REA, we are proud to stand by and support these researchers. This year alone, REA colleagues have signed more than 2,000 grants with projects worth more than €3 billion, on behalf of the EU - ensuring that we continue to uplift scientists and their work. I salute colleagues’ hard work in 2024 as we confronted challenges, old and new. 

Naturally, the challenges we confronted this year will continue in the next – and researchers’ gifts are ideas and tools that will be part of the puzzle of discovering solutions. 

Marie Skłodowska-Curie once said: "Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.” I hope this provides guidance to scientists in 2025.

To finish, I reiterate my thanks to our community. I wish you a happy holiday season and a pleasant start to 2025.

Warm regards,

Marc Tachelet