IMDEA Nanociencia is a leading research centre in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology with a special focus on interdisciplinary research. The Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence award, is the highest national recognition of scientific excellence in Spain, granted after a rigorous evaluation process carried out by an international scientific committee. Only 28 centres across all disciplines currently hold this award.
With a diverse research staff of >210 (18 nationalities; gender balance m/f, 58:42; ave. age 34.5) the doctoral candidates will join a vibrant and thriving research environment. The policy of the Institute is to allow researchers freedom to pursue their independent research within the broad scope of the Research Programmes, with a special focus on cross-disciplinary research.
The institute relies on a well-established administration infrastructure to coordinate the IDEAL PhD Programme, and brings significant experience in managing European programmes.
IMDEA Nanociencia has been recognized with the ‘HR Excellence in Research Award’ and is a Contact Point for the EURAXESS Network.
Scientific excellence
Doctoral candidates will join an institute with a high scientific output >2,300 indexed publications (>200 per year, 72% in Q1 journals), and an institutional h index of 111 ‒remarkable considering the centre’s young age. IMDEA Nano ranks 3rd by share in the Nature Excellence Index for Governmental funded (non-University) research institutions in the whole of Spain.
IMDEA Nanociencia forms part of one of the strategic lines of UAM-CSIC Cantoblanco Campus of International Excellence, a consortium of academic and research institutions promoted by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the Spanish Scientific Research Council, a highly competitive world–class research environment.
Campus
The Campus houses six UAM faculties, the Polytechnic (Escuela Politécnica Superior), and eight centres of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC), a truly unique environment to carry out research and innovation. It offers a complete university life experience, including a wide variety of Services of Interest, such as libraries, sports facilities, cultural activities, language service, volunteer activities, cooperation, solidarity and care for the disabled, accommodation and museum.
Cantoblanco Campus is located in a unique natural environment, 20 minutes from Puerta del Sol, connected by Cercanías and bus lines.
Madrid area
The Madrid region has always been an attractive place to live due to its central location and access to the world.
This area hosts numerous groups working in the field. Nanospain, the Spanish open network of nanoscience and nanotechnology has over a third of its membership based in the region -the vast majority on the campus. This highlights Madrid as an important destination for researchers hoping to build a career in nanoscience.
Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials were identified as one of the four technological areas to be prioritised within the Comunidad de Madrid’s Smart Specialization Strategy. This strategy has at its core the attraction and retention of talent, and promotion of collaborative activities, strengthening infrastructures and enhancing technology transfer, stimulating innovation. The IDEAL PhD programme sits well in this environment and takes advantage of the synergies with the regional programme.
Supervision
Principal Investigators (PI’s) at IMDEA Nanociencia bring an extensive experience of supervising research staff and projects and include six current and ex-holders of ERC grants. In terms of mentoring, they supervise 82 PhDs and 34 Postdoctoral candidates all actively carrying out their research at the institute. Currently participating in over 120 Projects (international, national and regional) the fellows will join a healthy research environment.
IDEAL PhD’s supervision strategy for Career Development and Training, requires each doctoral candidate to have two supervisors and a career coordinator, with specific complementary functions.