For the third consecutive year, IMDEA Materials Institute ranks among the leading recipients of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF) projects in Spain, with 8 projects awarded in the 2024 call.

This places the institute as the third Spanish institution in terms of the number of fellowships granted, behind only the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Barcelona, two institutions much larger than IMDEA Materials.

Additionally, the institute’s success rate in project applications, close to 40%, is well above the average (16%). According to Germán Infante, head of technology transfer and pre-award at the institute, IMDEA Materials’ success in this call is due to a combination of factors.

“Firstly, the scientific quality and relevance of the proposals submitted, aligned with European priorities and current technological challenges, have been key,” said Infante.

“Moreover, the synergy between experienced researchers and MSCA PF candidates ensures bidirectional learning and high-quality supervision.”

“Finally, we have consolidated an efficient proposal preparation model. Perfected in recent years, it allows us to maximise the competitiveness of our applications through an internal support network and a consistent approach in their writing and structuring.”

The projects awarded to the institute in the latest call cover a wide range of topics, from carbon capture to fire-retardant materials and additive manufacturing.
The accelerated and optimised design of alloys and studies on the deformation mechanisms of materials are also key areas.

Dr. Monsur Islam was awarded an MSCA PF with IMDEA Materials in the 2022 call. Since joining the institute the following year, Dr. Islam has been exploring groundbreaking advancements in the 3D printing of carbon materials as part of the 3D-CARBON project.

He was recently awarded a Ramón y Cajal Fellowship to continue his work into living machines for smart surgical devices and improved drug delivery systems.

“The MSCA PF has been a significant milestone in my scientific career, and I couldn’t think of a better place to pursue it than IMDEA Materials, which provides a vibrant and collaborative research environment and access to cutting-edge facilities,” said Dr. Islam.

“What makes IMDEA the ideal place is its strong support, both from research and administrative personnel, for independent research and innovation. This support system has already played a key role in my scientific and professional growth”.  

“It is safe to say that IMDEA offers a unique opportunity to work in a highly international and forward-thinking environment, which is especially valuable for early-career researchers,” he added.

MSCA postdoctoral fellowships are among the most prestigious and competitive awarded within the European Union.

“The MSCA PF program is a fundamental tool for research centres like IMDEA Materials, as it offers exceptional flexibility compared to other European funding,” said Infante.

“Unlike programs with predefined themes, MSCA PF allows researchers to propose their own research ideas. This fosters creativity and the exploration of new scientific frontiers at low levels of technological maturity.”

“This is especially relevant for IMDEA Materials, where we work on advanced materials science and engineering with a strong fundamental research component,” he added.

This success in attracting research talent is complemented by the recent award to the Institute of an MSCA COFUND project, ATENEA, by the European Commission. This project will establish an international program to attract postdoctoral researchers over the next four years. The program will launch in June 2025 and will open the call for applications during the last quarter of the year.