CARBON NANOTUBES AND GRAPHENE
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Support the creation of spin-off companies as important technology platform which provides new impulses to industry in different sectors.
Lack of • critical mass carrying out high gain/high risk research in a topic of importance at the forefront of science, • sufficient funding for research projects in a topic at the forefront of science, especially with respect to contracting qualified personal (PhD and postdocs),
5. Future infrastructures (2010-2013)
• private R&D support,
• Creation of multiple medium-size clean rooms through the country within existing research centres. This will allow for increased flexibility of operation as well as better access. Typical budgets could range between 1 and 3 M€. One or two technicians can be enough.
• efficient (rapid and flexible) instruments to support new research developments.
• Increase of the number of highly qualified technical personnel.
To overcome these problems, the following actions are proposed:
• Improvement of institutional links between educational programs and research centers.
• international initiatives and visibility,
• More generous funding of strategic research projects (graphene, nanotubes), especially with respect to have available funds for contracting PhD students or postdocs as well as leading senior scientist to gain the necessary critical mass for carrying out research at the forefront of science. ERC-type grants at the national level should be launched (well funded grants for single groups). • Active participation and funding of international research initiatives (related to graphene and carbon nanotubes) such as ESF programmes. • Promote formation of young researchers in field of nanotubes and graphene by corresponding PhD scholarships, introducing the topic in Master Courses in Nanotechnology. • Enhance visibility of Spanish research in field of graphene and nanotubes by promoting and generously supporting international events on these. • Promote private R&D effort in fields related to graphene and nanotube related research.
There are several emerging research centers in Spain that are attracting excellence and develop new initiatives to foster the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. However, there is a clear problem to attract Spanish citizens to do a PHD or a post doc. One solution is to foster (or create) masters in nanoscience by suited reinforcement of technical and administrative personal, as well as teaching assistants and research staff. A coordination, or even networking, of Nanoscience educational programs at the national level would be desirable. 6. Relevant Initiatives 6.1 Spain • NANOSPAIN Network. • TNT conference. • Sociedad de Materiales Española. • Red Española de Micro y Nanosistemas IBERNAM. • ChemOnTubes Conference.
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