Secretary General, European Research Council The Secretary General of the European Research Council, Prof. Donald B. Dingwell, is a world-renowned volcanologist. His principal research interest is the physico-chemical description of molten rocks and their impact on volcanic systems. He holds dual Canadian and German citizenship and has taught at all university levels, in five universities, three countries, and two languages. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Alberta, and is a member of the Academia Europaea and the Royal Society of Canada. He has also been highly active in the proliferation and support of science and science awareness within and beyond national and international societies.