Research, networking, and inspiration for researchers within the Nano Area of Advance

This year set a new attendance record with approximately 180 people present, including both junior and senior researchers as well as invited guests. Throughout the event, several researchers presented and held lectures about ongoing research related to Nanoscience at Chalmers.

“The conference is truly a highlight of the year, and the high level of participation shows that many appreciate this type of event. It allows everyone to get to know their colleagues, gain new ideas from (possibly interdisciplinary) discussions, and also get a sense of what is happening at Chalmers within the field of Nano,” says Janine Splettstösser, Director of Nano Area of Advance.  

Poster presentations, guest lecturers, and inspirational talks

Over the three days, more than 100 participants presented their posters! A prize was awarded to the three best posters based on various criteria such as creativity, pedagogy, interdisciplinarity, and motivation. Among all the fantastic poster presentations, the winners were Leyla Beckerman (Physics), Alma Karlsson (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering), and David Hambraeus (MC2).

There were also external guest lecturers invited. Professor Heike Riel, Head of IBM Research Quantum Europe and member of the Nano Area of Advance Advisory board, held a lecture on "What’s Next in Computing - In Bits, AI & Qubits?"

Participants also had the opportunity to listen to inspiring talks about startups connected to Nano from the companies Amferia, Nyctea, and Nanolyze. After the talks, a panel discussion was moderated by Chalmers Ventures. Presentations were also made by centres connected to Nano, including Formula Ex and the newly opened Metapix.

In addition to the scientific program, participants also had the opportunity to take a tour of the beautiful Marstrand island or relax at the hotel’s spa.

PhD students and Postdocs get a chance to network and be inspired

For many PhD students and Postdocs, this was a perfect opportunity to network and meet others in similar research areas. Federico Chainese, a Postdoc at MC2 in Quantum Device Physics, attended the conference for the first time this year.

“I had heard about this event before but hadn't been able to attend. I thought the program sounded interesting, and it’s also a chance to discover a beautiful place like Marstrand. I also think it’s great that PhD students and Postdocs get the opportunity to ask questions before anyone else after the lectures. It shows that the conference focuses on junior researchers, which I think is positive,” says Federico.

PhD student Shahrzad Damercheli, in Electronic Materials from MC2, is also attending for the first time and appreciates the conference.

“I chose to attend to network and also get answers to some questions regarding my research, which I got! It’s also interesting to learn about what’s happening in the different departments and in the Nano research area,” says Shahrzad.

An interdisciplinary program designed to suit everyone

Since the Nano Area of Advance includes several different departments, the program’s layout aims to cover various research areas to accommodate as many as possible.

“I think it’s been a good mix of different types of research, and it contributes to gaining different insights into others’ research as well,” says Federico.

“We always have many excellent and interesting scientific presentations, but this year I was particularly impressed by the many extremely high-quality talks that really gave everyone a chance to gain new insights, regardless of their background. I also find it so enjoyable to see so much interaction and discussion among the many participants during the conference,” says Janine.