Periodic Reporting for period 2 - I2-ICIQ Impulsion (ICIQ Impulse for Talented Postdoctoral Fellows)
Reporting period: 2021-08-01 to 2024-09-30
The global objective of I2: ICIQ Impulsion has been to boost the professional career of highly talented international fellows through the development of an innovative research programme based on interdisciplinarity, internationality, and intersectoral partnerships.
I2: ICIQ Impulsion has involved 16 ICIQ research groups led by renowned researchers, focusing on sustainability through advanced (photo)catalysis within two key interdisciplinary chemistry areas:
- Catalytic activation of chemical feedstock
- Renewable energies from sunlight
I2: ICIQ Impulsion fellows have had the freedom to:
- Define an innovative research project within one of these areas of research
- Choose the Group Leader(s) they wish to work with
- Select a partner organisation to develop a secondment
As part of the I2: ICIQ Impulsion community, fellows benefited from:
- Close supervision and mentoring by internationally renowned Group Leaders
- Access to state-of-the-art scientific equipment and facilities
- A personalised Career Development Plan
- A tailored Training Programme
- Secondments in international institutions
- Networking opportunities
- Dissemination and public engagement activities
- Outstanding working conditions
The I2: ICIQ Impulsion programme was designed to maximize the immediate and long-term career prospects of postdoctoral fellows in both academia and industry. By recruiting top international talent and providing them with cutting-edge tools, personalized training, and mentorship, the programme has empowered fellows to become independent researchers with strong technical and transferable skills.
Fellows have not only enhanced their own skills and professional networks but have also contributed to raising the quality of research at ICIQ and partner institutions. This collaborative approach has strengthened the appeal of Catalonia, Spain, and Europe as leading research and innovation hubs, while significantly boosting ICIQ's international visibility and the caliber of research and innovation within the European Research Area (ERA).
I2: ICIQ Impulsion has involved 16 ICIQ research groups led by renowned researchers, focusing on sustainability through advanced (photo)catalysis within two key interdisciplinary chemistry areas:
- Catalytic activation of chemical feedstock
- Renewable energies from sunlight
I2: ICIQ Impulsion fellows have had the freedom to:
- Define an innovative research project within one of these areas of research
- Choose the Group Leader(s) they wish to work with
- Select a partner organisation to develop a secondment
As part of the I2: ICIQ Impulsion community, fellows benefited from:
- Close supervision and mentoring by internationally renowned Group Leaders
- Access to state-of-the-art scientific equipment and facilities
- A personalised Career Development Plan
- A tailored Training Programme
- Secondments in international institutions
- Networking opportunities
- Dissemination and public engagement activities
- Outstanding working conditions
The I2: ICIQ Impulsion programme was designed to maximize the immediate and long-term career prospects of postdoctoral fellows in both academia and industry. By recruiting top international talent and providing them with cutting-edge tools, personalized training, and mentorship, the programme has empowered fellows to become independent researchers with strong technical and transferable skills.
Fellows have not only enhanced their own skills and professional networks but have also contributed to raising the quality of research at ICIQ and partner institutions. This collaborative approach has strengthened the appeal of Catalonia, Spain, and Europe as leading research and innovation hubs, while significantly boosting ICIQ's international visibility and the caliber of research and innovation within the European Research Area (ERA).
The I2: ICIQ Impulsion programme was initially planned to run for 50 months, with two calls scheduled within the first 14 months. However, the COVID-19 outbreak affected the project, with global circumstances and national and institutional safety regulations hindering its progress. In response, an extension of 12 months was granted, enabling ICIQ to launch a third call in M20 and an extraordinary call in M24. The extension of the programme to M62 also facilitated enhanced training and dissemination activities for the fellows, including the development of secondments at other institutions.
From M2 to M24, 12 fellowships were offered, leading to the recruitment of 11 experienced researchers. The incorporation of the I2:ICIQ Impulsion fellows at ICIQ was somewhat unsteady due to the pandemic situation during 2020-2021, and the fact that all fellows had to relocate from other countries, with most requiring visas. Three equitable redistributions of the remaining person-months have taken place, enabling the extension of ongoing postdoctoral contracts.
The recruitment data shows a moderate overall gender balance among the researchers and the workforce involved in the project, with 32% female and 68% male representation, and 36% of the researchers being women. Nine of the eleven fellows are internationals, and all resided outside of Spain prior to joining ICIQ. European fellows make up 36% of the total.
The I2:ICIQ Impulsion website has been the main online communication tool of the project. It was developed to promote the project's aims, activities, and results internationally, as well as to announce calls for applications. The site provided all necessary information for applicants and included content for general audiences, such as a video filmed at ICIQ to enhance the visibility of the COFUND initiative and the Programme. It also featured details on the project's RRI strategy, covering ethics, gender equality, governance, open access, public engagement, and science education.
The dissemination activities have mainly been based on the following, among others:
- Publication in Open Access: Research by I2: ICIQ Impulsion fellows has led to 15 high-impact open access scientific publications, available through ICIQ’s institutional repository (RECERCAT) and public repositories like OpenAIRE.
- International conferences, workshops and international meetings: fellows have actively participated in relevant conferences, sharing their results through talks and poster presentations.
- Outreach activities: fellows participated in ICIQ’s outreach programme and engaged in various educational activities aimed at advancing science dissemination. These included chemistry workshops for primary and high school students and teachers, and events like Researchers’ Night in Tarragona (coordinated by Universitat Rovira i Virgili), which fosters public appreciation for researchers.
- Drafting press releases to communicate the research in non-scientific journals and magazines.
Ethical considerations were carefully monitored at every stage of the fellows' research activity to maintain compliance with ethical standards. At the end of their stay, fellows submitted a report comparing their initial research proposal with the achieved outcomes, summarizing the training received and detailing dissemination and outreach activities. Feedback from an assessment questionnaire indicates that the I2: ICIQ Impulsion programme was highly successful in supporting fellows' careers and skill development.
From M2 to M24, 12 fellowships were offered, leading to the recruitment of 11 experienced researchers. The incorporation of the I2:ICIQ Impulsion fellows at ICIQ was somewhat unsteady due to the pandemic situation during 2020-2021, and the fact that all fellows had to relocate from other countries, with most requiring visas. Three equitable redistributions of the remaining person-months have taken place, enabling the extension of ongoing postdoctoral contracts.
The recruitment data shows a moderate overall gender balance among the researchers and the workforce involved in the project, with 32% female and 68% male representation, and 36% of the researchers being women. Nine of the eleven fellows are internationals, and all resided outside of Spain prior to joining ICIQ. European fellows make up 36% of the total.
The I2:ICIQ Impulsion website has been the main online communication tool of the project. It was developed to promote the project's aims, activities, and results internationally, as well as to announce calls for applications. The site provided all necessary information for applicants and included content for general audiences, such as a video filmed at ICIQ to enhance the visibility of the COFUND initiative and the Programme. It also featured details on the project's RRI strategy, covering ethics, gender equality, governance, open access, public engagement, and science education.
The dissemination activities have mainly been based on the following, among others:
- Publication in Open Access: Research by I2: ICIQ Impulsion fellows has led to 15 high-impact open access scientific publications, available through ICIQ’s institutional repository (RECERCAT) and public repositories like OpenAIRE.
- International conferences, workshops and international meetings: fellows have actively participated in relevant conferences, sharing their results through talks and poster presentations.
- Outreach activities: fellows participated in ICIQ’s outreach programme and engaged in various educational activities aimed at advancing science dissemination. These included chemistry workshops for primary and high school students and teachers, and events like Researchers’ Night in Tarragona (coordinated by Universitat Rovira i Virgili), which fosters public appreciation for researchers.
- Drafting press releases to communicate the research in non-scientific journals and magazines.
Ethical considerations were carefully monitored at every stage of the fellows' research activity to maintain compliance with ethical standards. At the end of their stay, fellows submitted a report comparing their initial research proposal with the achieved outcomes, summarizing the training received and detailing dissemination and outreach activities. Feedback from an assessment questionnaire indicates that the I2: ICIQ Impulsion programme was highly successful in supporting fellows' careers and skill development.
The development of the I2:ICIQ Impulsion programme has significantly contributed to all the expected impacts.
At researcher level:
- Increased set of skills, both research-related and transferable ones, leading to improved employability and career prospects both in and outside academia (leading in the longer-term to more successful careers).
- Increase in higher impact R&I output, more knowledge and ideas converted into products and services.
- Greater contribution to the knowledge-based economy and society.
At organisation level:
- Development of high quality human resources
- Boosting R&I capacity among participating organisations
- Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines
- Strengthening of international and intersectoral collaborative networks
At system level:
- Aligning of practices and policies in the context of the EU Human Resources Strategy for Researchers, enhanced implementation of the EU Charter and Code at regional, national or international level.
- Increase in international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility of researchers in Europe
- Improvement in the working and employment conditions for researchers in Europe at all levels of their career, starting from the doctoral stage.
- Strengthening of Europe’s human capital base in R&I
- Increase in Europe’s attractiveness as a leading destination for R&I
- Better quality R&I contributing to Europe’s competitiveness and growth
Fellows have provided very positive feedback on the opportunities offered by the Programme, highlighting how it enriched their skills, expanded their professional networks, and opening up new career opportunities.
At researcher level:
- Increased set of skills, both research-related and transferable ones, leading to improved employability and career prospects both in and outside academia (leading in the longer-term to more successful careers).
- Increase in higher impact R&I output, more knowledge and ideas converted into products and services.
- Greater contribution to the knowledge-based economy and society.
At organisation level:
- Development of high quality human resources
- Boosting R&I capacity among participating organisations
- Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines
- Strengthening of international and intersectoral collaborative networks
At system level:
- Aligning of practices and policies in the context of the EU Human Resources Strategy for Researchers, enhanced implementation of the EU Charter and Code at regional, national or international level.
- Increase in international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility of researchers in Europe
- Improvement in the working and employment conditions for researchers in Europe at all levels of their career, starting from the doctoral stage.
- Strengthening of Europe’s human capital base in R&I
- Increase in Europe’s attractiveness as a leading destination for R&I
- Better quality R&I contributing to Europe’s competitiveness and growth
Fellows have provided very positive feedback on the opportunities offered by the Programme, highlighting how it enriched their skills, expanded their professional networks, and opening up new career opportunities.