SMARTNANOTUBES · Synthesis of smart materials: Functionalising nanotubes with molecular switches

Final Activity Report Summary - SMARTNANOTUBES (Synthesis of smart materials: Functionalising nanotubes with molecular switches)

An important requisite for a successful researcher is the ability to communicate and disseminate ones results effectively and transfer that knowledge to others. Although at the beginning of her career, the young researcher has gained much experience in teaching, student supervision and outreach activities. Moreover, she has presented her research at several prestigious international conferences such as the International Conference on the Science and Application of Nanotubes (NT'07), in Ouro Preto, Brazil. The abstract of the poster presentation (C37) was published on the web and printed on the books of abstracts distributed to all participants (approx. 350). Her abstract was selected and she was invited to give an oral presentation at the same conference. She was also invited to present a seminar on "Carbon nanotube dispersions and techniques for analysis" at the Advanced Seminar in Nanoscience, organised by ICT Ireland Accel Project at Intel, Liexlip, Ireland, on the 5th of Dec. 2006. She also partecipated to the Avanced workshop on Nanomaterials organised by ICTP, ICMR and TWAS, in Trieste form the 15th to the 19th of January 2007, where she had the opportunity to meet many international colleagues and discuss ideas. Outreach Activities Silvia is actively involved in the Marie Curie Fellows Association (MCFA) as Advisory Board Member and National Coordinator for Ireland. During this year she prepared, together with a few other fellows, the abstract and the poster "MCFA Activities in Nanoscience" that was presented at the European Forum on Nanoscience in Brussels last October. She is also the co-founder of the Women in Science Working Group. Last June she took part in the Gender Diversity Panel "Advancing Women in Science and Engineering", during the 12th EMEA Academic Forum in Budapest as an invited speaker. In the future, she is committed to driving more events and programs with the intended aim of promoting the role of women in science and engineering. Many countries in the European Union, in particular Italy (the applicant's country of origin), are cutting back on funding for universities and public research in general. This is of course counteracting the Community goals to make Europe the world's largest knowledge based economy. In particular, it discourages young people to pursue a career in research. The Marie Curie fellowships are an essential contribution to the attractiveness of a research career. The re-integration grant dramatically enhanced the opportunities for the applicant to resume her scientific career in her country of origin. This helped the applicant to encourage her younger colleagues to choose such a career option. The applicant has being encouraging young researchers around Europe who, like herself, are seeking a high level of exchange at many levels in an interdisciplinary ground publicising the MC fellowships, as part of the MCFA Advisory Board.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз