Information and communication technologies have a direct impact on virtually all aspects of modern society. The new working principles emerging from the study of materials at the nanoscale will enable faster, smaller and more energy-efficient devices. Our vision in this area goes beyond the conventional charge-manipulated-by-electrical-input paradigm to include the exploration of spin, phonons and photons as alternative state variables, and their manipulation using mechanical stress, light and heat.

Highlights in this work package so far include:

Flexoelectric devices

In collaboration with researchers from MESA+ and Cornell University, the ICN2 has developed the world’s first MEMS device based on inverse flexoelectricity, a process whereby applying voltage to a dielectric material causes it to bend with a curvature that is inversely proportional to the thickness of the film cubed. These micromachines have been made on silicon substrates, a prerequisite for their subsequent real-world use, and promise unprecedented energy savings and improved functionality.

We have also combined flexoelectricity with piezoelectricity in a novel device concept which we have dubbed a “strain diode”, where the curvature of the bend depends on the polarity of the voltage applied.

Graphene spintronic devices

The ICN2 offers insights at the very forefront of science’s understanding of graphene spintronic devices. Spintronic devices exploit the idea that the spin, and not just the charge, of subatomic particles like electrons can be manipulated and used to store and process data, at a fraction of the energy cost of conventional electronics. Graphene for its part can be manipulated to present extremely useful properties in this context.

ICN2 research groups lead theoretical and experimental studies within the European Commission’s Graphene Flagship, implementing largescale full-quantum simulations and novel experimental approaches that are shedding considerable light on the physics behind the spin dynamics unique to graphene. They have also developed new methods to explore and consolidate our current understanding of spintronic phenomena in general.

Graphene optoelectronic devices

The ICN2 has theoretically determined the intrinsic limitations of the Seebeck coefficient in graphene produced by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), and identified its polycrystalline morphology as their origin. This is important because the complexity of the structural morphologies of graphene when produced on a large scale is a major roadblock to the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices able to take full advantage of the ground-breaking capabilities demonstrated at the small scale.

The study enabled interpretation of the photocurrent measurements performed at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) on large CVD-grown graphene samples. It is the result of an international collaboration between the ICN2, ICFO and MIT, and has led to the development of a non-invasive optoelectronic technique for probing the optical and electronic features of graphene devices at the nanoscale.

ICN2 groups involved in this work package

• Atomic Manipulation and Spectroscopy
• Magnetic Nanostructures
• Oxide Nanophysics
• Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures
• Physics and Engineering of Nanodevices
• Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience
• Theory and Simulation

As part of its commitment to a low-carbon society, the EU has set ambitious objectives in energy. The development of novel nano materials, technologies and devices is key to solving the many technological challenges in this area. Again graphene plays a leading role, being explored at the ICN2 as a means of boosting the lifetime of solar cells, and improving energy storage and charge transfer in flow batteries. But physical phenomena like ferro-, piezo- and flexoelectricities are also being studied in this context as a means of achieving superior performances and taking lead out of the equation.

Some key outcomes of our Severo Ochoa programme so far include:

Graphene nanofluids

The ICN2 has demonstrated the feasibility of using graphene nanofluids as liquid electrodes for fast energy storage in a new type of flow cell. This line of research has given rise to a patent, a spinoff company and the first published article on this topic.

Currently receiving much attention for their potential as heat transfer fluids, the ICN2 went beyond the study of their thermal conductivity to explore their electroactivity and energy-storage capability. It did so for both graphene and graphene-based hybrids dispersed in electrolyte fluids, discovering their ultrafast capability to transfer charge, a property that makes them very attractive for energy storage.

Lifetime and stability of perovskite solar cells

The ICN2 is the lead coordinator of the COST Action StableNextSol co-funded under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. This project brings together over 460 members from 35 countries and 22 sectors related to the lifetime and stability of organic and perovskite solar cells.

So far this project has produced a set of best practices and procedures for the correct evaluation of the stability of thin-film solar cells.

ICN2 groups involved in Energy

• Force Probe Microscopy and Surface Nanoengineering
• Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors
• Nanostructured Functional Materials
• Nanostructured Materials for Photovoltaic Energy
• Novel Energy-Oriented Materials
• Oxide Nanophysics
• Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures
• Supramolecular NanoChemistry and Materials
• Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience
• Theory and Simulation

Life is a broad term used to denote ICN2 research in health, food safety and the environment. Specifically, we harness the insights gleaned at the nanoscale to develop super sensitive devices capable of detecting analytes at very low concentrations, in increasingly small samples and with ever shorter turnaround times.

This enables the early detection of illnesses, health risks and pollution, which vastly improves the chances of a successful outcome. The same insights are also used to optimise actions in these areas, all view to making the devices environmentally-friendly, portable and low-cost. This in turn opens them up to users in remote locations and developing economies.

Among the specific research outcomes of the Severo Ochoa programme are:

Graphene patterning for nanosensors

The ICN2 has developed a cost-effective, totally green graphene patterning technology for use in electronic devices in general, nanosensors in particular.

Patterning refers to the process by which graphene can be added to different raw materials (i.e. “nanopaper” or nitrocellulose) to obtain a material with unique electronic and/or optical properties that enable the detection and quantification of analytes of interest in biosensing (e.g. chemical compounds like phenols and polyphenols, proteins, and even bacteria).

This novel technology allows cost-effective patterning onto a variety of substrates including paper and plastic, which is crucial to the production of low-cost sensors and biosensors.

Biosensors for celiac disease

The ICN2 has developed a low-cost sensor device to monitor gluten levels in celiac patients. Based on nanophotonics , the biosensor enables fast and label-free quantification of gluten immunogenic peptides, making it a highly effective means of dietary control for celiac patients.

This line of research forms part of the PhD thesis “Nanoplasmonic biosensors for clinical diagnosis at the point-of-care” by Dr María Aznar Soler, who was awarded one of CERCA’s 2015 Pioneer Prizes for researchers whose doctoral thesis shows clear commercial potential.

ICN2 groups involved in this work package

• Force Probe Microscopy and Surface Nanoengineering
• Inorganic Nanoparticles
• Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors
• Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications
• Nanostructures Materials for Photovoltaic Energy
• Oxide Nanophysics
• Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures
• Supramolecular Nanochemistry and Material

The aim in Theory and Simulation is to develop a portfolio of computerised modelling tools and algorithms to better understand and simulate the behaviour of matter at the nanoscale, and otherwise provide theoretical support to the ICN2 community across all three core research areas.

Spin lifetime in graphene

The ICN2 has theoretically determined the impact of substrate on spin lifetime in graphene. Researchers have discovered a new relaxation mechanism driven by strong spin-pseudospin coupling, paving the way for future research in spin manipulation. We then showed that the chemical functionalisation of graphene with certain types of ad-atoms like fluorine provides a good means of monitoring spin transport.

Simulation of DNA sequencing devices

The ICN2 has developed a multiscale approach to performing computational simulations of DNA sequencing in nanopore devices. In these devices, a strand of DNA passes through a tiny pore on a 2D membrane and is read by measuring the electric conductance signals induced by each individual base or base pair. Based on a combination of classical molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical calculations, our method explicitly includes the complexity of the system and allows computation of these readings from first principles, thereby enabling us to predict the signal induced by each base pair, and the efficiency and sensitivity of the device.

ICN2 groups involved in this platform

• Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience
• Theory and Simulation

The growth of new nanomaterials, their combination into multilayered nanocomposites and other hybrid materials, and the functionalisation of their surfaces for various applications lie at the heart of advances in device development. Discoveries in this area have driven innovation in recent years, the most famous example being that of graphene, though other 2D materials, topological insulators and multifunctional oxides have also played their role.

In this platform we devise and refine methodologies for the growth and preparation of materials with novel properties, with key achievements so far including:

MOCVD growth of MoS₂ single layers

The ICN2 has built a novel metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) reactor for the deposition of MoS₂ layers. Results so far have yielded ultrathin layers of the same quality as those reported in the literature. The next planned step is to scale up the deposition process to achieve 2-4”inch wafer deposition. Once transferred onto flexible substrates, these materials can be used in sensor and actuator devices for a new generation of cortical implants.

ICN2 groups involved in this platform

• Instrumentation Unit
• Nanomaterials Growth Unit
• Physics and Engineering of Nanodevices

Even once we have the novel materials and a device concept, there is still work to be done. Advanced nanomanufacturing techniques are needed not only to build the devices, but to connect them up to the micro- and macro-scale world.

Some key achievements under the Severo Ochoa programme include:

Hierarchical structures by lithography

Nanolithography is a branch of nanotechnology and the name of the process for imprinting, writing or etching patterns on surfaces, creating incredibly small structures that are under 100 nm.

The ICN2 has successfully developed new nanolithography processes able to produce hierarchical topographies based on micro- and nanofeatures smaller than 30 nm, including superhydrophobic 3D structures intended for use for antibacterial surfaces.

ICN2 researchers are currently participating in the three-year EU project FLEXPOL to explore this topic.

Graphene devices for biomedical applications

The ICN2 has developed new nanomaterials with interesting properties for sensing, therapy and remediation applications in biomedicine. Our state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques then enabled us to turn one such graphene-based material into a sophisticated neural interface to detect brain activity. Specifically, we fabricated graphene sensor arrays, assembling them on flexible, biocompatible substrates that can mould to the surface of the brain. The device then reads the brain’s electrical activity in the form of small changes in conductivity of the graphene sensor.

This graphene-based neural sensor was made possible thanks to the collaboration between scientists at the ICN2, the National Microelectronics Centre (IMB-CNM-CSIC) and CIBER-BNN, and IDIBAPS.

ICN2 groups involved in this platform

• Instrumentation Unit
• Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures

Characterising new nano materials, structures and devices is critical to the progress of the ICN2 Severo Ochoa programme. Work has focused on addressing challenges in dimensional, shape and chemical metrology that affect the reproducibility (and consequent commercial viability) of a nanodevice. The ICN2 has solid in-house expertise in this area, plus an extensive network rooted in numerous EU projects.

Building cooperative characterisation infrastructures

Work has begun on integrating the equipment available at three of the member research centres of the Barcelona Nanotechnology Cluster (BNC-b), namely the ICN2, ICMAB and ALBA. The cluster is already being used for the synthesis and characterisation of graphene quantum dots, nanoribbons and ferromagnetic/topological insulator interfaces.

The coupling of an ICN2 scanning tunnelling microscope with ALBA’s BOREAS beamline has led to new collaborations with key international players in the nano arena, including ETH Zurich, Elettra-CNR, Uni Wüzburg, Uni Padova, Nanogune, INA and IMDEA Nanociencia.

3D nanomaterials modelling from STEM

Using advanced microscopy methods, the ICN2 has created 3D atomic models from (S)TEM crystallographic data, to obtain the physical (electronic and optoelectronic) properties of different materials.

So far we have analysed many different material types, with a particular focus on semiconductor materials for application in energy, electronics and photonics.

ICN2 groups involved in this platform

• Atomic Manipulation and Spectroscopy
• Force Probe Microscopy and Surface Nanoengineering
• Inorganic Nanoparticles
• Nanomaterials Growth Unit
• Instrumentation Unit
• Phononic and Photonic Nanostructures

The Severo Ochoa programme has served to catalyse internal collaboration between the ICN2's 17 research groups. The common research programme has set a fast pace for the exploitation of knowledge and its translation into devices with real-world applications.

Actions taken to promote collaboration between groups and disciplines include:

• All incoming PhD students under the ICN2 Severo Ochoa programme are assigned to collaborative projects developed between two or more ICN2 research groups
• All dissertations are similarly co-supervised by members of two groups
• Internal committees and work groups have been set up to guide actions in areas such as dissemination, recruitment and equality to ensure input from and impact across all of the institute’s areas of activity

By way of tangible results, the 28 articles published jointly by two or more ICN2 research groups between 2014 and 2016, representing nearly 20% of all ICN2 publications, stand as testament to this enhanced internal collaboration. So too does the filing of the first patent with inventors from two different ICN2 research groups, while an ICN2 spinoff company launched in 2016 will offer solutions that fall under both the Life and Energy research areas.

But beyond this, the ICN2 as a whole now has a more unified identity than four years prior and is one of the few examples of successfully blended public-private centres co-managed by two administrations, thanks also to actions led by the Human Resources Department.

In addition to being able to hire more people, the Severo Ochoa funding has allowed us to launch a number of strategic actions in Human Resources. There was a need to establish a set of institute-wide best practices for application across all employee categories and other internal subdivisions of personnel, in part due to the institute’s fragmented past, in order to forge a unified identity and consolidate the implementation of international standards.

In alignment with European goals to make research a more sustainable career path, a series of actions also aimed at improving the attractiveness of the ICN2 as a place of work for researchers and other employees, with a focus on transparent selection and recruitment procedures, and clear opportunities for career development and training. Many also form part of the ICN2 Talent Attraction and Gender action plans.

As a result of these actions, in 2015 the ICN2 was awarded the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research logo.

The main areas developed under the Severo Ochoa programme are the following:

Selection and recruitment

A new institute-wide recruitment process was introduced, based on the principles of open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R). This process has enabled standardisation of candidate assessment criteria throughout the ICN2.

We also created a new ICN2 Jobs website which, aside from improving the visibility of job opportunities at the ICN2, is proving an extremely useful tool for the analysis of candidates in terms of their nationality, gender, institute of origin, etc. It also enables instant access to the relevant information by all parties involved in the selection process, and significantly speeds up the recruitment process from start to finish.

Equal opportunities

Work began on the ICN2 Equal Opportunities and Diversity Management Plan towards the end of 2014, with a view to bringing together and building on existing initiatives in this vein. It was published in 2015, following exhaustive data gathering and consultation with the ICN2 community. A comprehensive procedure to prevent and respond to all incidents of discrimination and harassment was also established under the umbrella of the Severo Ochoa programme.

The goal at all times is to create and maintain an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment, and enables a genuine work-life balance and acceptable working conditions for all employees. Efforts are also made to ensure that both sexes are equally represented throughout the institute, and to proactively remove all barriers to career progression imposed by language, cultural norms or physical access.

Career development

The Severo Ochoa funding allowed us to create the role of People Development Officer, a key move to strengthen career development and progression opportunities at the ICN2.

A new training programme was rolled out, consisting of an annual calendar of training sessions in scientific knowledge, job-related and other transferable skills, health and safety, and languages. Many of these sessions are organised internally, as part of the employee-led Open Knowledge Programme, developed to allow and encourage ICN2 employees to share their area(s) of experience and expertise with colleagues.

Human Resources has also established a series of programmes designed to prepare the young researcher for a long career in research:

• PhD Summer Fellowships, which also serve as a means of identifying and recruiting talented students early.
• The more recent ICN2 PhD Programme, designed to boost the excellence of doctoral research, represents the commitment of the institute as a whole to ensuring that PhD students get the most out of their time at the ICN2.
• ICN2 Mobility Programme, to provide financial support for researchers looking to spend time at internationally-recognised research centres.
• Mentoring Programme which, while linked to the PhD Programme, is open to all employees and exists to strengthen internal bonds and opportunities for learning beyond the purely scientific.

The Knowledge and Technology Transfer Department is another area giving coverage and support to the whole of the ICN2. The specific aim under the “Nanodevices for social challenges” research programme is to actively engage with industry and develop a clear road to technology transfer, from internal technology scouting and triage through to collaborative agreements, patent licensing and other routes to market.

The Severo Ochoa programme has helped to unlock the considerable commercial potential of the research developed at the ICN2. Back in 2014, the institute had made a few first forays into knowledge and technology transfer. Today it has 15 filed patents, two patent licence agreements, three spinoffs, six contracts with new companies and a number of researchers working at partner companies.

We have also created a new section on the website to showcase ICN2 patents and licensing opportunities, and have updated the content and look and feel of patent flyers and brochures.

Patents

Aside from a rise in the number of patents filed, we have also already achieved some of our qualitative goals in this respect. For instance, we have filed patents across all three research areas, including three co-sponsored by industry and one filed jointly by two ICN2 research groups. Furthermore, three patents filed prior to the Severo Ochoa programme, to protect intellectual property arising from research lines in Energy and Life, were licensed in 2014 and 2015.

Besides those listed below, the ICN2 research groups also filed eight new patent applications, currently pending resolution.

Spanish

• WO2016/185071 A1: Nanofluidos electroactivos basados en grafeno como electropodos líquidos en celdas de flujo (2015)

European

• WO2016/142438 A1: Electrode material comprising silicon nanowires covered by mesoporous oxide nanostructured coating and ionic liquid electrolytes for energy storage applications (2015)
• EP15190177.4: Photodiode with intense photovoltage or photocurrents (2015)
• WO20170600891 A1: Flexoelectric device (2015)
• WO2016162496 A1: Method for monitoring radius and shape variations of atomic force microscope cantilever tips and device thereof (2015)
• EP16163838.2: Ceria nanoparticles for use in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (2016)
• WO2017158165 A1: Method for the preparation of metal organic frameworks (2016)
• EP16382301.6: A hybrid hyperthermia device and the methods using the same (2016)

Plus the following patents co-sponsored by industry:

• WO2016/087630: Biocidal composition with dual immediate and remnant activity (2014)
• WO2016/087608: A reclosable adhesive strip (2014)

United States and Canada

• US 62/392,316: Method to treat antimicrobial resistant infections by electric current (2016)
• US 62/301,946: Thermotherapy method to treat antimicrobial resistant infections (2016)

Plus the following patents co-sponsored by industry:

• WO2017105666 A1: Nanoemulsion optical materials (2015)

Spinoffs

The Severo Ochoa programme saw the creation of the ICN2’s first ever spinoff company, FutureChromes, to develop and market ophthalmic lenses. This was followed in 2016 by three more spinoffs from the Life and Energy research areas.

• FutureChromes, S.L. (2014)
• PaperDrop Diagnostics, S.L. (2016)
• Earthdas Graphene Powered Mobility, S.L. (2016)
• Graphenicalab, S.L. (2016)

Other

• Two Industrial PhD projects in Life (2014-2017) and Energy (2016-2018)
• Six ICN2 employees past and present employed at partner companies: two in Life, one in Energy and three in ICT.
• Six new collaboration agreements with new partner companies: two in Energy and four in Life.
• The Knowledge and Technology Transfer Department have attended a total of 16 events to boost industry engagement.

One of the goals of the 2014-2018 Severo Ochoa programme is to boost the ICN2’s presence and recognition on the international stage, establishing its authority in nanotechnologies in academic circles and beyond. This involves the implementation of multiple complementary actions by all ICN2 employee groups, from the junior and senior researchers to the administration departments. During this period, the ICN2 has successfully increased the number and nature of its collaborations with international research centres, universities and innovation consortiums, as well as forging closer ties with the regional business sector.

These actions can be roughly grouped as follows:

International collaboration agreements

As part of the internationalisation efforts contemplated in the Severo Ochoa programme, collaboration agreements have been signed to formalise existing collaborations with relevant actors in nanoresearch. For instance, we now have formal agreements with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA, France) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT, Australia), and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the China Graphene Industry Alliance (CGIA, China).

Early actions deriving from these collaborations are varied, and include: a joint workshop with CEA, the first RMIT-sponsored PhD student at the ICN2, numerous invited talks at graphene conferences in China, and a MoU with a Chinese company to establish a joint graphene industrialisation laboratory at the ICN2.

European presence (H2020)

There have also been achievements in this respect at the European level, particularly through participation in initiatives within the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

For instance, the ICN2’s success rate in this funding programme in 2015 was 19.5%, nearly five percent higher than the overall success rate under the first 100 H2020 calls. The full list of H2020 projects in which the ICN2 has participated will soon be available here.

ICN2 group leaders are also active in the following big initiatives in European research:

• Graphene Flagship: ICN2 group leaders, ICREA Prof. Stephan Roche and ICREA Prof. Jose A. Garrido, are deputy leaders of the Spintronics and Biomedical Technologies work packages of this Future and Emerging Technology Flagship, the EU’s largest research initiative to date.
• MaX Center of Excellence: ICN2 director and group leader, CSIC Research Prof. Pablo Ordejón, is one of the principal investigators of this initiative at the forefront of high performance and high throughput computing technologies.
• FET Advisory Group: ICREA Research Prof. Clivia M. Sotomayor Torres was appointed the next chair of this advisory group to the European Commission, established to ensure and maximise the impact of radically new emerging technologies.
• Photonics21: ICREA Research Prof. Clivia M. Sotomayor Torres is also a member of the Board of Stakeholders of this public-private partnership, established under H2020.
• StableNextSol: Prof. Mónica Lira-Cantú is the lead coordinator of this COST Action that brings together over 460 members from 35 countries and 22 sectors related to the lifetime and stability of organic and perovskite solar cells.

International joint publications

Co-authorship of papers, as the end result of a collaboration of some kind, is another way to boost international visibility in academic circles, serving to associate the ICN2 with prominent research centres. Some such centres with which the ICN2 has produced joint research papers for the first time under the Severo Ochoa programme include: MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology (Netherlands); Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Oxford, University College London, University of Manchester (UK); MIT, Columbia University, Harvard (USA); and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) (Switzerland).

Link to publications

Researcher mobility programmes

Researchers and students from all over the world come to the ICN2 to participate in joint research projects as a result of collaborations with international universities and research centres. In 2015, for instance, we hosted a total of 207 visitors, including interns, fellows, senior researchers and professors, of which 98 were female and 115 of non-Spanish origin. The average duration of their time at the ICN2 was four and a half months.

Local industry connections

Closer to home, we have made moves to establish ties with the regional business sector. In April 2016 the ICN2 signed a partnership agreement with Eurecat, the largest technology centre in Catalonia, for the joint development and marketing of prototypes to industrial product developers.

The ICN2 has also joined the Automotive Industry Cluster of Catalonia (CIAC), as a member of its technology commission, and the Advanced Materials Cluster of Catalonia (MAV), as a member of its management committee. Through these memberships, it is able to participate in brokerage and training sessions, as well as other networking events with Catalan business leaders, providing opportunities to better understand client needs and how ICN2 know-how can be adapted to meet them.

Outreach is another activity that draws from and impacts on all areas of the ICN2. In line with the European principles of responsible research and innovation (RRI), the Marketing and Communications Department coordinates and provides support for activities in public engagement, access to scientific results and informal science education.

As part of the Severo Ochoa programme, we launched a new website in early 2015, expanding key sections and working to bring its image and content up to the standard of the science being developed at the institute. We also renewed our commitment to maintaining an active presence on social media, more than tripling the news and updates published on the website, and seeing our following on Twitter grow from 250 in May 2015 to 1350 by October 2017. Other areas of activity in this period have paid particular attention to a young public, where actions have a strong multiplier effect within society as a whole.

Some highlights are described below, grouped by target audience.

General public and the media

As a publicly-funded research institute, the ICN2 is committed to serving and engaging with the public at all levels. Providing suitable content is essential to ensuring the non-scientist citizen and, ultimately, consumer understands the implications of the research carried out at the institute, sparking debate as to its potential applications.

Key among the outreach actions carried out in this period are:

• Travelling exhibit Dimensió Nano: previously based at the National Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia (mNACTEC, Terrassa), this exhibit was redesigned and updated under Severo Ochoa, including new modules on Women in Nanoscience. It has since been taken to public and university libraries, conferences, science festivals and secondary schools.
• H2020 project Nano2All: this European project is based on direct citizen engagement and open debate on the subject of nanotechnologies, with a view to establishing a dialogue between citizens, practitioners and policymakers. The ICN2 coordinates and reports on actions in Barcelona, Spain.
• Popular science events: the ICN2 has been active at regional events to promote science, primarily to a young public. For instance, it led actions during 10alamenos9, a national science fair which the institute has supported since it began in 2016 and for a week sees activities run in parallel throughout Spain. Other examples include the Barcelona Science Fair, Science Week and YoMo.

For a more complete list see our Outreach Events section on the main website.

Education community

Work has also been carried out under the Severo Ochoa programme to nurture our links to the education community, reaching out to students at all educational stages through teacher associations and other initiatives. The goals here range from boosting scientific literacy and interest from a young age, through the lens of nanotechnology, to establishing first contact with budding young scientists.

The full ICN2 Education Programme can be consulted here, but an overview would include:

• NanoKits: led by the ICN2 within the scope of the NanoEduca programme, a collaboration with the University of Barcelona, Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Catalan Ministry of Education, these experiment kits have been very well received by the national education community. There are currently 100 NanoKits at schools throughout Catalonia, with interest also being expressed by education centres throughout the rest of Spain and beyond.
• Open Days: the ICN2 opens its doors periodically to students typically aged 16 and above, with ICN2 researchers giving them a taste of life as a nanoscientist.
• STEM promotion: since 2014 the ICN2 has participated in several regional and national initiatives to promote STEM education and careers among young people. For instance, the Bojos per la Física and Joves i Ciència programmes.