Periodic Reporting for period 2 - InnovaXN (Doctoral programme for innovators with X-rays and neutrons)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-10-01 bis 2024-09-30
Researchers trained in advanced materials characterisation and capable of exploiting the facilities available at research infrastructures (RIs) are needed to bridge the knowledge gap between Europe’s world-leading RIs and industry. These select individuals should be highly-skilled entrepreneurs and communicators in addition to being innovative researchers. The InnovaXN Doctoral Programme aimed to create such uniquely-skilled ambassadors to industry by recruiting and training 40 early-stage researchers (ESRs) to carry out research on projects defined and realised in close collaboration with industry. The programme linked the ESRF and ILL RIs with industry through 40 research projects. The subjects of these projects were within industry sectors such as advanced materials, pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies, catalysis and chemistry, metallurgy, aerospace and automotive, agriculture and food, consumer products. Industry stands to benefit from use of the advanced analytical techniques of the RIs. InnovaXN was a five-year programme. Research projects were harvested through an open ideation and codesign procedure with industry. Two recruitment calls were spaced twelve months apart. The duration of each ESR training period was typically 36 months, with registration of the ESRs at Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), a partner of the project, and other collaborating European universities.
InnovaXN was open to students from a wide range of disciplines including chemistry, life sciences (biochemistry, medicine), materials science, engineering, environmental science and physics. The programme is important for society because it creates young researchers who are experts in a variety of areas of research, with knowledge of the capabilities of the RIs, and who can link between industry, academia and the RIs. Their research demonstrates the use of the RIs analytical techniques to solve industrial challenges. In the long-term, the knowledge gained by the ESRs should increase collaboration between industry, academia and the RIs, providing a boost to European industry. The ESRs have been active in presenting their research at conferences and other events, and often sought pubic visibility of their research through outreach, either at in-person or virtual events, including sharing through social media. Their research has already been published in 38 peer-reviewed scientific journals and more publications will follow as half of the students are currently writing their theses.
The overall objectives of the InnovaXN programme were to recruit the best candidates from a worldwide student base, to host them at the ESRF and ILL and train them in industry relevant areas of research.
InnovaXN was open to students from a wide range of disciplines including chemistry, life sciences (biochemistry, medicine), materials science, engineering, environmental science and physics. The programme is important for society because it creates young researchers who are experts in a variety of areas of research, with knowledge of the capabilities of the RIs, and who can link between industry, academia and the RIs. Their research demonstrates the use of the RIs analytical techniques to solve industrial challenges. In the long-term, the knowledge gained by the ESRs should increase collaboration between industry, academia and the RIs, providing a boost to European industry. The ESRs have been active in presenting their research at conferences and other events, and often sought pubic visibility of their research through outreach, either at in-person or virtual events, including sharing through social media. Their research has already been published in 38 peer-reviewed scientific journals and more publications will follow as half of the students are currently writing their theses.
The overall objectives of the InnovaXN programme were to recruit the best candidates from a worldwide student base, to host them at the ESRF and ILL and train them in industry relevant areas of research.
Forty industry-related PhD projects were co-designed by the ESRF and ILL with partners in industry and academia. Forty-one ESRs were recruited through two recruitment rounds spaced twelve months apart, in 2020 and 2021. During these recruitment rounds, 3357 applications were received. The applications were checked for eligibility and then ranked by an external body of experts. Following external ranking, 211 candidates were interviewed, and 65 were send job offers to finally employ 41 researchers. The 41 recruited ESRs were hosted by the ESRF and ILL received employment contracts at the ESRF or the ILL (each recruited half of the students). The ESRs were located in Grenoble at the EPN-Campus site for most of the duration of their research but for a period of secondment to the site of the industry partner of at least three months to gain experience of working in industry.
The ESRs followed many specific training courses relevant to their research areas and also attended additional soft-skills training, for example in leadership and team building. The InnovaXN PhD programme included a specific summer school linked to industry where the students learned about working in industry, entrepreneurship, etc.
The programme spanned Europe, with projects linking industry and universities from fourteen countries. The programme was gender balanced (21F:20M) and the recruited students were of 21 different nationalities.
Currently, twenty of the researchers have successfully submitted theses and defended their research in a viva, while the majority of the second cohort are still writing up or waiting for their vivas. Thirty-eight publications in peer-reviewed journals have been published resulting from the research of the InnovaXN students, and many more can be expected. Seventeen students have already secured employment in industry, academia and even at the host research infrastructures, ESRF and ILL.
The ESRs followed many specific training courses relevant to their research areas and also attended additional soft-skills training, for example in leadership and team building. The InnovaXN PhD programme included a specific summer school linked to industry where the students learned about working in industry, entrepreneurship, etc.
The programme spanned Europe, with projects linking industry and universities from fourteen countries. The programme was gender balanced (21F:20M) and the recruited students were of 21 different nationalities.
Currently, twenty of the researchers have successfully submitted theses and defended their research in a viva, while the majority of the second cohort are still writing up or waiting for their vivas. Thirty-eight publications in peer-reviewed journals have been published resulting from the research of the InnovaXN students, and many more can be expected. Seventeen students have already secured employment in industry, academia and even at the host research infrastructures, ESRF and ILL.
The ESRs received unique training which prepared them to be ambassadors from the research infrastructures to industry helping to solve industry-relevant challenges within their projects. Following completion of their PhD’s, some have already found job within the triangle of RIs, academia and industry, and their knowledge will be precious for encouraging future collaboration between the three domains.