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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Early stage research training in an Eastern European site with tradition in computational science and engineering

Final Activity Report Summary - EST3 (Early stage research training in an Eastern European site with tradition in computational science and engineering)

Early Stage Research Training in Computational Science and Engineering - EST3 project (please see http://www.lmn.pub.ro/est3/ online) was supported by the Human Resources and Mobility (HRM) activity of the EU Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), which and is largely based on the financing of training and mobility activities for researchers. These activities, known as the Marie Curie Actions, are aimed at the development and transfer of research competencies, the consolidation and widening of researchers' career prospects, and the promotion of excellence in European research. The project carried out by Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Romaniain from November 2005 to October 2009 comprised two components: structural training at Doctoral level and advanced research in Nanoelectronics.

The main objective of the first EST component was to train graduate engineers to develop their skills to solve real life advanced open problems in their domain of engineering, using the most efficient computational tools and appropriate mathematical models. The structural training was related to the broad and interdisciplinary area of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) based on Applied Mathematics, Computational Science and Engineering Sciences (particularly Electrical Engineering).

The host university (PUB) offered opportunities of research training at high level for foreigners with no more than 4 years of research experience. 14 researchers coming from 13 different countries were hired and trained (10 for > 12 months each and 10 for < 12 months). The total trained time was 264 person-months.

The research component required solid knowledge and competencies in CSE, motivating the planned training. Its objective is the development of an original nano-electronic design automation methodology (electromagnetic modelling and TCAD) and corresponding software tools (for signal integrity and design verification), in synergy with other complementary European joint projects, together with the major European semiconductor industries and according to the European Technology Platform in Nanoelectronics ENIAC Strategic Research Agenda. During their stay abroad, the training activity is progressively substituted by the research activity.

EST3 project is implemented in conjunction with a series of synergetic research projects enforcing the transfer of knowledge, such as:
- FP6/IST/STREP/Chameleon RF (please see http://www.chameleon-rf.org online): 'Comprehensive high-accuracy modelling of electromagnetic effects in complete nanoscale RF blocks'
- FP6/MNP/STREP/ARTIC (please see http://www.artic-project.eu online): Nature-inspired micro-fluidic manipulation using artificial cilia
- CEEX/nEDA (please see http://www.lmn.pub.ro/neda online)
methodologies and tools for electronic design automation and the complementary projects dedicated to the human resource development such as:
- FP6/HRM/RTN Comson (please see http://www.comson.org online): 'Coupled multiscale simulation and optimisation in nanoelectronics' (COMSON)
- FP6/HRM/Tok-DEV/Tok4nEDA (please see http://tok.lmn.pub.ro online): 'Transfer of high performance computing knowledge for nano-electronic design automation'
- proSCEE (please see http://proscee.lmn.pub.ro/ online) 'Promoting scientific computing in electrical engineering'.
These projects provide the international networking component of the EST3 project. The hired ESRs were involved directly in the research teams, working at the European joint projects at the highest scientific and technologic level. Involvement of top industrial partners (such as Philips, Siemens-Infineon, ST Microelectronics, IMEC, AMS) in these projects gives outstanding opportunities to ESRs.

The scientific and technical results obtained by research teams were disseminated by published articles in reviewed journals such as: IEEE Transactions of Magnetics, COMPEL: The International Journal for Computation and Mathematics in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Revue Roum. Sci. Tech. communications to international conferences and books such as Scientific Computing in Electrical Engineering (Ciuprna G., Ioan D., Eds) and chapters in several volumes published by Springer Verlag.