GNeuS — Global Neutron Scientists

Results in brief

Global Neutron Scientists

Neutrons are an essential tool for scientific investigations because of their unique properties and capabilities for studying the condensed matter across a wide range of scientific disciplines, from fundamental research to applied sciences. Their peculiar properties make them indispensable in many scientific and industrial contexts. Europe has taken the lead in neutron scattering for the last 40 years thanks to its world-class sources associated with smaller national ones, which had up to now taken on the substantial task to educate and train generations of neutron scientists. However, with the shutdown of some smaller national sources due to their obsolescence, the neutron community is facing the medium and long-term challenge of holding on to this leadership especially in terms of the responsibility of educating and training a new generation of scientists destined to uphold European sovereignty in this field, in view of the future ESS. The MLZ partners took the opportunity to establish the GNeuS project, a novel training programme taking postdoctoral education to a higher level, to tackle the tasks accomplished by those national sources that are shutdown. GNeuS excellence is based on two primary goals: (i) to train the next generation of young scientists from all relevant scientific disciplines in the use of neutrons to answer their particular scientific questions; and (ii) to develop a new generation of neutron scientists that can fully utilise the potential of the next generation of neutron sources, such as the ESS, and ensure a high level of expertise in neutron instrumentation in the future.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Research with neutrons, with its interdisciplinary approach, is indispensable for modern science. Taking into consideration tremendous changes in the European neutron landscape and assuming responsibility for sustainability, the neutron community is nowadays facing an important task to ensure long-term perspectives, that essentially depend on its ability to create a new generation of innovative highly-skilled researchers. To tackle this challenge, Forschungszentrum Juelich (FZJ), Technical University Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), partners at the Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), will train young neutron scientists through the establishment of a well-structured post-doctoral research programme with a strong interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach and global outreach. Responding to the recommendation of the ESFRI Innovation Working Group Report (March 2016), ""for moving into the era of global thinking for neutron sources"", the Global Neutron Scientists (GNeuS) programme will be implemented as a global network in cooperation with world-leading neutron sources aiming to create a community of neutron experts able to use future facilities such as the European Spallation Source (ESS). In order to maximize the outcome for fellows, the three MLZ partners will join forces with 19 partner organisations from around the world representing research, academia and industry. The GNeuS programme will provide the best conditions for training of the next generation of neutron researchers to solving the grand challenges facing mankind in areas such as environment, energy, key technologies and life sciences. This 5-year programme will offer a total of 45 fellowships each with a duration of 24 months. The MLZ-partners FZJ, TUM and HZG will act as hiring organisations. The non-hiring partner organisations will provide fellows with options for secondments. Furthermore, we expect added value through synergies with the active COFUND DP InnovationXN programme.""

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH · JULICHCoordinatorGermany

GNeuS · Global Neutron Scientists

Results in brief

Global Neutron Scientists

Project objective

Participants

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