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Scientific Network Surfactants and Dispersed Systems in Theory and Practise

Final Report Summary - SURUZ (Scientific Network Surfactants and Dispersed Systems in Theory and Practise)

The main objective of the SURUZ project was to build a network of scientific institutions in Poland, dealing with various aspect of colloid and interface science. The network brings together 24 research groups from 14 various scientific institutions (universities, research institutes) in Poland. Their scientific interest ranges from fundamental research to practical applications of colloid science. They have high potential and highly qualified and skilled manpower. However, under-investment in scientific sector has led to a significant depreciation of their scientific instruments. Moreover, due to the recent economic restructuring taking place in Poland significant fragmentation of the research in the colloid science has been observed.

Formation of SURUZ scientific network aimed at preventing this unfavourable situation. The organisation of the network facilitated exchange of the personnel, information and dissemination of scientific results. It contributed to optimisation of use of research infrastructure available to the members of the network, prevented fragmentation and / or overlap of the research topics and favoured cooperation especially among PhD students and young scientists.

Networking activities and human mobility was initiated immediately after kick-off meeting. Within the first period 63 scientists visited and got familiar with labs and equipment available in institutions of the SURUZ Network partners. Thanks to networking activities there was 14 lectures presented by visiting scientists on seminars in partner institutions. Total number of employees and PhD students visits in the partners labs, attending workshops, conferences and cluster meetings organised and / or coorganised by SURUZ Network was 564. Definitely, this high networking activities within the first reporting period resulted in formation of new and animating earlier existing contacts between various groups. Increased activities led to increase of exchange of scientific personnel of participating research labs, stimulated discussions and exchange of ideas. Over 30 short research visits were devoted to common experiments and use of equipment of partners' institutions.

Several new research topics were proposed and some common studies have been initiated. New contacts and interactions between young scientists and PhD students were initiated, which showed to be very useful and fruitful in next periods of the project. These contacts between young scientists have been strongly encouraged by the network coordination council and it was always underlined that formation of these contacts and keeping them alive in future is and will be the most important result of the SURUZ Network project.

Three scientific conferences were organised with financial support of the project. Large-scale (over 130 participants) network SURUZ conference was organised between 31 May and 4 June 2005 in Polanica and chaired by Prof. K. Wilk of the Institute of Organic and Polymer Technology of Wroclaw Technical University (WRUT). This major network event with participation of invited speakers from leading research groups from EU gave opportunity to disseminate the results of the network activities at international level. During the conference 45 lectures and 88 posters were presented and the sessions were organised according to the research topics of SURUZ thematic clusters.

During the third year of the project realisation the research teams of the network continued realisation of their tasks and activities via mutual contacts and collaboration, via human mobility, via participations in network conferences, meetings and workshops for young scientists. Within the reporting period 110 scientists visited, got familiar with labs and equipment available in institutions of the SURUZ Network partners and carried out some experiments. Thanks to networking activities there was 6 lectures presented by visiting scientists on seminars in partner institutions.

Total number of employees and PhD students visits in the partners labs, attending workshops, conferences and cluster meetings organised and / or coorganised by SURUZ Network was circa 394. High networking activities developed within the first and second reporting periods were continued during the third year of the SURUZ project resulted in further animating of mutual contacts and collaboration between various groups. Increased activities led to increase of exchange of scientific personnel of participating research labs, stimulated discussions and exchange of ideas.

Summarising, all goals of the project were met and the plans were fulfilled. New contacts and interactions between scientists and PhD students were initiated, which showed to be very useful and resulted in many common papers and conference contributions. We hope and believe that these contacts will be kept alive in future and they are the most important and perspective qualitative outcome of the SURUZ Network project, which is outside of any quantitative evaluation. In quantitative terms, we consider as the outstanding success of the SURUZ project the number 22 of common papers published and being accepted and / or submitted for publication. If the SURUZ Network was not organised then these studies were not carried out and majority of these papers would not appear.

The partners of the SURUZ Network expressed on the last meeting of the representatives (Ksiaz Castle, 23 May 2007) their strong willingness to collaborate further and expressed hope that there will be possibility to find financing for continuation of the network activities. It was always underlined that formation of these contacts and keeping them alive in future had been and will be the most important result of the SURUZ Network project.