Of the 12 MSCA network grants that the EU has awarded to Denmark this year, DTU is behind nine of them. This testifies to the university's strong position in international research education.
The coordinator grants mean that DTU can recruit 28 international PhD students for research projects that range widely – from sustainable food production and space physics to advanced technologies in energy, electronics, and health. When all MSCA-DN grants with participation from DTU are included, this will result in a total of 49 PhD students affiliated with DTU.
"It is a great recognition of DTU's research environments that we are allowed to coordinate so many MSCA programmes. This shows that we have both the academic clout and the international network needed to run ambitious research programmes," says Pro-rector Christine Nellemann.
International cooperation and career development
Each programme brings together partners from universities, businesses and public institutions in Europe. The PhD students who are admitted will have access to a strong network and targeted training in both research and innovation.
"The MSCA programmes not only help to strengthen DTU's research – they are also an important part of the university's international recruitment and talent development," says Christine Nellemann.
The grants typically run over four years and typically have a total budget of between €3-4.5 million per programme.
Nine coordinators – nine research fields
The nine MSCA networks coordinated by DTU and led by nine researchers from five different institutes at DTU are:
BUG ID
Professor Ivan Mijakovic from DTU Biosustain is heading a network that will develop graphene-based biosensors for rapid and accurate diagnosis of infections.
ELEGANCE
Senior Researcher Carlos G. Acevedo-Rocha from DTU Biosustain leads a network on data-driven enzyme design and biocatalysis, with a focus on green transition and industrial application.
ENDURE
Associate Professor Sankhya Mohanty from DTU Construct leads a network on the development and digitalization of fiber-based materials and products. The project will promote innovation in natural fibres, product design and Industry 4.0 technologies – with a focus on sustainable production and expansion from packaging to advanced 3D products.
FrameBio
Senior Researcher Sumesh Sukumara from DTU Biosustain is leading a network that will develop advanced, scalable models for simulating microbial behavior and resource consumption in bioprocesses, with a focus on applications such as the production of Single Cell Proteins.
GRAIL
Senior researcher Christoph Köhn from DTU Space is studying high-energy gamma radiation from thunderstorms, including terrestrial gamma bursts and long-lasting glows, which are among the most energetic natural phenomena on Earth.
MICROSUNSET
Senior researcher Jette Jakobsen from DTU FOOD investigates how plant-based foods can be enhanced with micronutrients to ensure healthy and sustainable diets.
MINDnet
Associate Professor Francesco Da Ros from DTU Electro will develop energy-efficient neuromorphic computing systems inspired by the brain to meet the challenges of increasing AI and data processing needs.
RESTORATIVE
Professor Ahmad Arabkoohsar from DTU Construct is heading a network that will develop large-scale thermomechanical energy storage systems for the sustainable energy grid of the future.
SiCPIC
Associate Professor Haiyan Ou from DTU Electro will develop next-generation photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on silicon carbide, a promising material with unique optical properties.
