The programme had 38 PhD students studying industry-related projects in areas such as materials science, soft-matter science, biology and physics. Started on 01/10/2019 for a duration of 60 months, it comprised two recruitment calls in early 2020 and early 2021, each recruiting 20 students.
The balanced distribution across industrial sectors reflects the broad impact of the InnovaXN PhD projects. Students gained both academic excellence and industrial experience, which significantly enhanced their career prospects and contributed to technological advancements across multiple industries.
Working in Large-Scale Research Facilities (LSFs) offered cutting-edge tools and experimental capabilities, such as neutron or X-ray sources, that allowed students to conduct research otherwise impossible in standard laboratories.
Their industrial collaboration ensured that the students' projects addressed tangible, real-world challenges, aligning academic research with industry needs. This not only enhanced the relevance of their work but also increased the likelihood of commercial application. Moreover, the exposure to R&D processes and challenges fostered an interdisciplinary approach, broadening the students' expertise beyond their original field, while expanding considerably their professional connections.
As an outcome, some students went on to take their first steps of being entrepreneurs!
The whole student cohort pictured at the time of InnovaXN Plenary Event on 6 July 2022.
Concluding the ultimate InnovaXN Plenary Meeting on June 4, 2024, our Associate Director Jacques Jestin emphasised several key factors that contributed to the success of this joint EU programme between the ESRF and the ILL:
- Gathering of 40 young, motivated scientists from 19 different nationalities on the EPN campus in Grenoble
- Utilising large-scale facilities, their talented staff and extended networks of collaborations as key contributors
- Recognising the critical role of industry through the secondment programme, providing students with parallel experiences outside the campus, often abroad, with project partners
- Offering workshops, courses and training opportunities that enhanced both soft and hard skills, valuable for future careers
- Connecting high-level research to societal challenges, such as health, energy and sustainability
“For all these reasons, the InnovaXN PhD programme has proven to be a vital tool in bridging the gap between academia, industry and society by combining fundamental research with innovation”, stated Jacques Jestin.
Building on the legacy of InnovaXN, NEXTSTEP is ready to take the baton, continuing the mission of bridging the gap between research excellence and real-world industrial applications. This new MSCA COFUND 2023 between the ESRF, the ILL and e-DREAM (an initiative promoting advanced electron microscopy). has just begun, and the first call to recruit the 36 researchers who will be part of this new and ambitious endeavour will be announced soon!
Focusing on areas crucial to the Horizon Europe initiative—Health, Digital, Industry & Space, Climate, Energy & Mobility, and Food, Bioeconomy & Environment—NEXTSTEP will empower researchers to find disruptive solutions to these challenges. In addition to technical skills, the program will also emphasize innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership training, ensuring that graduates can seamlessly transition into careers in academia, industry, or even NGOs and stakeholder organizations.
(Re)discover the portraits of three of our InnovaXN PhD students:
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And the work of Tong Guan, also recruited as part of InnovaXN:
