Johan Gadolin International Mobility for Sustainable Chemical Technology (IMSCT)
The Johan Gadolin International Mobility Programme for Scientists in Sustainable Chemical Technology (IMSCT) is a two-way effort comprising the visits of foreign researchers to Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre (PCC) at Åbo Akademi University in Turku/Åbo Finland, and the research visits of scientists from PCC to top-level foreign universities and research institutes. The scope of the research visits is sustainable chemical and process technology based on deep-going understanding of chemical processes on molecular level. The principles of green chemistry and green chemical and process technology are followed in all the research activities of PCC The research visits fit to the current and future activities of PCC, particularly refinement of renewable biomass to chemicals, fuel components and novel bio-based materials, clean energy technology, circular economy, process intensification and on-line chemical analysis. The research visits contribute both to fundamentals and applications on these core areas of PCC.
Mobility from foreign countries to PCC and from PCC to abroad
The categories of the applicants from foreign countries are: research professors, post-docs (max five years from the doctoral degree) and PhD students. Applicants from all over the world are welcome. The financing of research professors will be partial, a prerequisite is that the applicant has the main financing from the home country, while the financing from this mobility action will cover the extra costs for housing in Finland as well as travelling costs. For post-docs and PhD students, scholarships covering the living costs will be provided. The monthly scholarship for PhD students is 1500 €/month and for Post-docs and senior scientists 2000 €/month.
The empowerment of the mobility of the researchers from Åbo Akademi to foreign top laboratories is of crucial importance for several reasons: strong encouragement to mobility by Academy of Finland, utilization of top infrastructure in Europe and strengthening of transatlantic connections. The scientists working at Åbo Akademi are encouraged to go abroad to learn more, to get new ideas, to make advanced experiments and to establish new contacts.
Selection criteria of mobility grants
The mobility grants are announced in open international call. The lengths of the research visits will be 4-12 months. The criteria of the selection of domestic and foreign scientists to the visiting program will be strict. The main criteria are: the relevance of the applicant’s research plan for the activities of PCC (compatibility with the strategy, the infrastructure and the knowledge basis of PCC), the scientific quality and feasibility of the research plan, the aspects of sustainable technology, the personal merits of the applicant, particularly the grades in the diploma and the quality and quantity of publications, related to the length of time the applicant has spent on research activities. The gender balance will be taken into account in the selection of the grant receivers, following the guidelines of Åbo Akademi. A special merit of the application is that it contains elements which would bring new knowledge to PCC: theory, experimental practice and novel research methods. The board of PCC decides about the receivers of the mobility grants.