Training and Transfer of Knowledge (ToK)

The network as a whole undertakes to provide 480 person-months of ESR and ER whose appointment will be financed by the contract. Quantitative progress on this will be regularly monitored at the Consortium level.

The training activities will be structured on an intense training-through-research basis. Through a collection of state-of-the-art facilities and techniques, combined with the extensive collective expertise, high-level training will be provided. The training elements provided by the Contractors of the joint programme are listed in the following table.

Training and Transfer of Knowledge Elements to be provided by the Contractors

These elements are related to the overall work plan, milestones and deliverables as follows: The Consortium will provide a platform for training and career development of the ESRs/ERs involved for more than 12 person-months. Through multidisciplinary training the appointed researchers will become quickly acquainted with the different methods, techniques, and materials issues of PARSEM. Training in complementary skills will also be pursued.

The ToK objectives are set as follows:

1. ToK in crystal growth methodologies for deposition of advanced III-V heterostructures-nanostructures (MBE, HVPE, and MOCVD).

2. ToK in (a) the combination of nano-analytical techniques for structural and physical characterization, and (b) integrated advanced multiscale modelling computations for investigation, comprehensive understanding, and correlation of structural defects and interactions, interfacial structures and processes, and physical properties.

The joint tasks of the WPs will be assigned to the ESRs/ERs, and due to their multidisciplinary nature, ESRs/ERs will be encouraged to follow the vertical development of their assigned material systems, starting from crystal growth, to structural characterization and defect analysis, to properties measurements, combined with computer simulations. Such a vertical scheme will require mobility of ESRs/ERs through secondments and/or visits to other Contractors for collaborative work and/or specific training. Each ESR and his supervisor will report in a regular manner (i.e. every six months) their results to the WP leader.

The ERs will be assigned ToK tasks as follows:

•  At their host labs they will have to perform ToK towards the ESRs (if both ER and ESR are employed by the same contractor), as well as perform ToK towards their research teams in issues of their previous expertise.

•  Through visits and secondments of ERs to other contractors, ToK on particular methodologies and techniques.

•  ToK through seminars to the Consortium members during the workshop meetings, on issues of their respective expertise.

The success of the project objectives relies significantly on the quality of training/ToK activities. For this reason the appointed ESRs/ERs are expected to have background in the fields of Physics and Materials Science. After the end of their appointments, the ESRs/ERs will be capable for autonomous performance in the handling of technological projects involving the employment of state-of-the-art crystal growth, simulation and experimental characterization techniques.

The training/ToK plan has three basic elements, i.e. (a) individual training and ToK by individuals, (b) e-courses, and (c) workshops/conferences/seminars. This plan is described as follows:

Individual training

Each host lab will offer to affiliated ESRs/ERs ad loc personal supervision by world leading experts within the Consortium, and a personal Career Development Plan (CDP) will be elaborated by the ESR/ER and his/her supervisor. Each ESR/ER supervisor will also undertake the tasks of (a) inflicting scientific ethics, and (b) informing in due time the ESR/ER on his/her contractual rights and obligations (in collaboration with appropriate administrative bodies,), as well as on the possibilities to contribute to network-wide training events, conferences, etc. The ESR/ER may be obliged to attend structured training courses (lecture courses, tutoring, seminars, etc.) provided by his/her host institution if deemed necessary, as well as training to required experimental and computational techniques available either locally or from other Contractors. To provide effective training and ToK, visits and secondments to other Contractors will be arranged. Practical matters related to the mobility of the ESRs/ERs have been addressed in the previous collaboration of the Contractors.

e-courses

Network-wide training and ToK will be provided through an integrated web service to be established by the Contractors and hosted by the PARSEM web server at AUTH. The "e-course" part of this service will provide initial training at particular topics. All partners will be committed to contribute electronic material to support at least one e-course subject relevant to the joint objectives and deliverables. The e-course service will be developed within the first months of the project and will be available at the time of appointment of the ESRs/ERs. The e-course platform will be continuously updated by adding new material produced by ESRs/ERs and tutors during the period of the project. The e-course service will be a main deliverable in training/ToK together with all joint publications.

Workshops/Conferences

Network workshops will be organized possibly during the three annual network meetings but also during other larger events such as E-MRS or IoP conferences for example. At least three such workshops will be organized during the contract period. The workshops will involve the added participation of external acknowledged experts, and will be open to researchers from other institutions. They will offer invited as well as tutorial lectures by external and internal lecturers, dedicated seminars, poster sessions, and round-table discussions. In addition, the lectures may also address issues on complementary skills such as device technology management, intellectual property & patenting, business planning and marketing of high tech products, etc. The scripts of the lectures will be made available to network members through the e-course service. Collaboration with other networks in the field will be pursued for the support of ToK. The final workshop will be an extended one providing sufficient additional external funding is ensured in order to invite lecturers and to publish the proceedings. The ESRs/ERs will be strongly encouraged to participate and contribute to the workshops by presenting the progress of their research through oral and poster presentations. Through such participations the ESRs/ERs will also gain ToK. ERs may contribute to ToK through seminars on their subjects of expertise. The ESRs/ERs will be involved in critical discussions of their results and in setting up of collaborations and joint experiments, thus obtaining capabilities in communication, presentation skills, and research management. The ESRs/ERs will also be encouraged to present their results in International Conferences and Schools thus contributing to their personal development (communication skills, learning to defend results), and to the outside dissemination of the results which are jointly obtained.