Integrating Acceding and Candidate Countries in the 6th FPDan Dascalu(CEO and President of the Board)

National Institute for R&D for Microtechnologies (IMT-Bucharest)Bucharest, 12th of February, 2004

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN MICROTECHNOLOGIES IMT-Bucharest http://www.imt.ro

IMT was set-up in 1993. Since 1996 a national institute. Field: Micro and nanotechnology. Coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Research and YouthAutonomous (non budgetary)

A presentation of this institute is given in a special issue of the Micro and Nanotechnologies Bulletin (attached to the Conference documents).

Note: As coordinator of the project ROMNET-ERA (SSA for ACC), IMT is contributing at the organisation o this Conference.

About the title:

I cannot speak about ACC countries in general..I wonder if I am in the position to speak about Romania, either.As the director of IMT I can tell you something about the experience of our institute in attempting to participate to FP 6 and contribute to the integration in ERA. As we are involved in a number of significant actions at the national scale, mostly in the field of micro and nanotechnologies (related to priorities 2 and 3) this presentation could be relevant, at least for Romania.

However, for IMT is a time of heavy engagement in FP 6.

On our website www.imt.ro , you may find:

The results of IMT in FP 6 have been evaluated during the visit, on 6th of February 2004, of the Commissioner for Research Mr. Philippe Busquin in our institute.

Having the honour to open this golden book, I wish to express my admiration for the spirit of this institute: to bring its contribution to the progress of science but also to its dissemination.As a European Commissioner for Research I should also like to emphasize the integration in the European Research Area as well as the role of pioneer for Eastern Europe.Congratulations and a successful continuation.

Philippe BusquinEuropean Commissioner6th of February, 2004

Not only IMT!

This is the result of long time efforts made by various people and institutions

We hope that is only the beginning

Other ACC could do even better!We are glad to share our experience

General

The importance of research for ACC

The ACC are experiencing a delay in science and technology. European Union is experiencing a delay, even if not a technological gap.What should ACC do? They dont have to repeat, by all means, the history of other countries, even if such a history was successful in the past.Nor can be they put in a secondary position: wait and see. Research and technology is a question of development and prosperity.

A time of change .The global economy is on, do we like it or not.We are entering the knowledge era (we are speaking either about knowledge society or about knowledge economy). The Lisbon objective is well known.In order to have a competitive, knowledge-based economy, we should have a strong focus on education and research.Opportunities, even for newcomers

What is now so important about the knowledge?The factor limiting development and wealth is not longer technology, but knowledge.This does not mean, of course that we do not need technologies. On contrast, information society technologies, biotechnologies, nanotechnologies are developed continuously and synergistically, based upon the progress of knowledge.

Knowledge (k) during the last centuryRESEARCHk-generationINDUSTRYk-utilisationEDUCATIONk-dissemination

In the knowledge ERA

Two events organised by DG III, Direction Industrial technologies in December 2003 The future of fabrication in Europe, Milan (1-2 December 2003), putting a strong emphasis on research and education: in TRADITIONAL industries!EuroNanoForum 2003, Trieste (9-12 December 2003), stressing the role of education and training. Two million of new researchers in nanoscience and nanotechnologies are needed in the next few years ..

Why US companies are financing research groups in universities?

The main conclusion is that the research cannot be considered in isolation. It is strictly related to the education (knowledge dissemination) and industry (knowledge application).Research is just part of the problem of knowledge. Treating research in isolation (as Romania did for most than a decade) is artificial and counter-productive.Approaching the whole problem allows us find solutions inside the problem..

INCENTIVE: NANO A Romanian initiative launched in Sinaia, on 29 January 2003, at the EURONET workshop in SinaiaInterfacing research with both education and industryExploiting the (still) significant human resources of Eastern Europe in the ERA contextThe emerging ICET-MNT (visit of Mr. Philippe, Busquin in IMT)

What about IMT? An East side story!

IMT was set up as an university group (from Politehnica University of Bucharest) implanted in industry (a microelectronics plant): a Centre of Microtechnology (1991) prepared the ground for the set-up of IMT (1993).Two TEMPUS projects from PUB, with prestigious European partners, provided support for training in microtechnologies, with results no only in new courses (still surviving after ten years), but also in research The two projects were killed in 1993, after two years, in a joint effort of Bucharest and Brussels (Romania does not need such technologies, TEMPUS is promoting education, not research etc.) But it was already too late: in July 1993 the Institute of Microtechnology emerged as the first institute of this kind in Eastern Europe

What happens today: educationIMT and PUB put the basis of the new International Centre for Education and Training in Micro and Nanotechnologies (ICET-NMP). They are partners in REASON (a FP 5 project of training by research in microelectronics and microsystems, headed by Techn. Univ. Warsaw, prof. W. Kuzmicz)ASSEMIC ( Training by research in microtechnologies, a Marie Curie network)Training and disseminating the Excellence in networks of excellence from priorities 2 and 3, FP 6The collaboration will be extended to other Romanian universities, through the new national network of nanoscience and nanotechnology, supported by the FP 6 project ROMNET-ERA (SSA for ACC).

What happens today: industry The decline of the semiconductor platform housing the institute is now more than obvious (the boom ten years ago was lost ). IMT was expelled (1997) from its birthplace (a microelectronics plant). However:IMT is now part of the EUROPRACTICE system (design and technological support in microtechnologies) IMT, ROMES S.A. and the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and industry founded (2003) a Centre of Technology Transfer in Microengineering (CTT-Baneasa)IMT and PUB prepared the project of a scientific and technological park in micro and nanotechnologiesA Joint lab IMT-SAIT (Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology), installed in 2003 may be considered an early bird in the above park

Do the ACC countries have a chance in high-tech?An unique experience: The MEMSWAVE project (in RF MEMS), Inco-Copernicus (!?), coordinated by IMT, Dr. Alexandru Muller (1998-2001) Nominated for the Descartes Prize (2002), for the first time a proposal originating outside EU One of the starting points for the network AMICOM (NoE, priority 2) Giving the name to an international workshop of RF MEMS (Radio Frequency Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)

Do the ACC countries have a chance in high-tech?International cooperation for access to technological and characterization facilities Special projects financed by EU:IMPACT (LAAS, Toulouse)EMERGE (IMM, Mainz) Access to European big facilities (e.g. NMRC)EUROPRACTICE (microtechnologies)Just bilateral cooperation (funded or not)!

Cooperation with NMRC Irlands ICT Research CentreRIMDAC Project (Research Infrastructure for Microelectronics Development, Analysis and characterization) - Porous silicon matrix for biomedical applications . study of the surface of PS layers modifications with reference to different exposure times in SBF (simulated body fluids):The objectives of the project are:2. study of proteines / DNA adhesion on the surface of the microporous silicon.hydroxiapatite (HA) growth on PS surface by ions nucleation from SBF solutions. PS layers saturated with different elements (Fe, Mg, Ag, K) for drug/mineral delivery by exposure in SBF. This is a start point to realize a reservoir for controlled mineral delivery- By exposure of the derivate PS surfaces in a solution of protein or DNA strand, after a period of time the molecules binding occurs.Project director: Eng. Anca Angelescu acces to: - semiconductor characterization; - synthesis, manipulation and self-assembly/patterning of molecules at semiconductor surfaces facilities- By using of the biological technique called ELISA (enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay) we examine whether there was DNA in the Si pores.

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EMERGE Project (Improving Human Potential Transnational Access to Research Infrastructures) - Technology of silicon nano-and microelectrode arrays for pollution control - Cooperation with IMM Mainz - GermanyThe objectives of the projects are: t he design and the experimental technology for an electrochemical system; fabrication of silicon nanoelectrodes arrays structures;Applications: pollution control, heavy metals detection in liquid media (10-9 M), by voltametric measurements; biomedical applications, rapidly detection of toxins in clinical analyses; conduction measurement of living cell cultures.Project director: Dr. Irina Klepsaccess to: - silicon fabrication technologies;- semiconductor characterization.

Coopration with Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matriaux - Strasbourg, France - Selective growth of carbon nanotubes on silicon network nanoelectrodes The aim of this project is to prepare a cold electron source based on a new technology of carbon nanotubes selective growth on the tip of silicon nanoelectrodes.

we shall develop the technology for manufacturing carbon nanotubes on silicon nanoelectrodes, as metal/dielectric/silicon structures, with very small radius tip in the range of 1-3nm, with different metallic films, like: Ni, Cr, Pt, Fe. access to: - silicon fabrication technologies (selective growth of carbon nanotubes );- semiconductor characterization. Project director: Dr. Irina Kleps- the devices (for example for medical data transferring devices) could also become much cheaper than any of the ones that are actually in use.

What is important about FP 6 Points made by Mr. Busquin in Bucharest, less than one week ago, in meeting with Romanian researchers from various institutes and universities (6th of February, 2004, University Politehnica of Bucharest). We shall comment only what is relevant from our point of view, i.e. where we have something specific to say!

The first remark of the Commissioner: Coordination (networking) of national programmes at the European level, having in our mind the FP 7!

This should be done in ERA-NET. There is an ERA-NET project devoted to MNT (micro and nanotechnologies), but this does not include any ACC country. As far as we know, this project is open to interaction with ACC countries. The sooner, the better!

What does Romania have in this area?A national RTDI programme

We have the national RTDI programme New materials, micro and nanotechnologies, or MATNANTECH (2001-2004). The first point of interest is its correlation with EU programmes. Micro and nanotechnologies sub programmes from MATNANTECH have been correlated from start with the last calls from FP 5 and the priorities of FP 6. Since 2002, a correlation in the field of materials was also attempted (not without difficulties).Note the fact that a distinct topic of micro technologies in national programmes existed in this country since 1993, completed from 2000 with nanotechnologies. Our Institute of Microtechnology, set-up in 1993, was the first independent research unit in this field in Eastern Europe.

What does Romania have in this area? Financing infrastructuresA second point of interest is the fact that MATNANTECH is financing infrastructures (this is not trivial). Of particular interest are:Networks of research laboratories working in the same (multidisciplinary) field.Networks of laboratory with complementary resources (i.e. equipments).Networks of centres of servicesNetworks of centres of excellence representing a virtual research centre (NoE from FP 6 model)

Using the principles of NoE:two projects from MATNANTECHCENOBITE (starting in 2002), a virtual research centre in nanobiotechnology; NANOMATFAB (starting in 2003), a virtual research centre in nanotechnology devoted to new materials and new production processes. A consortium of winners!

Cordis announced CENOBITECENOBITE was presented on 29th of January, 2003, during a info day (participating - L. Bellemin, head of unit)Interview with Mr. Louis Bellemin, Head of Unit, DG IIILater success in FP 6

What does Romania have in this area? Developing a strategyThe third point is that now, towards the end of MATNANTECH (2001-2005), a medium-term strategy should be developed for this field, with the specific feature that it should be correlated with the EU programmes in the field.Our comment: in advanced research and high technology European integration (i.e. integration in ERA) is the only realistic chance of development. So, such a field, especially in a country with limited resources, should be correlated to EU in order to exist!

Our commentIn the nano field (nanoscience and nanotechnology), an interesting problem arises: nanoscience it is not a new science, but a new way of looking at things. This involves basic sciences, in a multi-disciplinary effort. Therefore, basic (or fundamental) research should benefit from this new approach. Funding in the nano field is increasing rapidly, and so does the number of new researchers.

The second remark of Mr. Busquin: nanoIt is still pre-competitive, offering opportunities even for poor labs. Private companies should be educated in order to participate to integrated RTDI activities. We shall include companies in our networksOne important target for the nano domain should be realising new, unconventional products in the traditional industries

The third remark of the Commissioner (our selection): the companies should have access to knowledge: technological platforms should be developed with the support of national mechanisms, bringing together research, education and industry, private and public bodies.

In this respect, Romania lags behind. Just now the legislation for technology transfer centres and for scientific and technological parks is being implemented. In our domain, as already mentioned:Centre for Technology Transfer in Microengineering (CTT-Baneasa) was set-up in April 2003Participation of IMT-Bucharest in the MST-Design EU project for technology transfer provides to CTT-Baneasa a contact with the European system EUROPRACTICENote: participation of Romanian SMEs in FP 6 (all priorities) will be supported by the project ROMNET-ERA (coordinated by IMT-Bucharest).International Centre for Education and Training in Micro-and NanoTechnology (ICET-MNT)

The fourth remark of the Commissioner (our selection): local and regional activities A multi-cluster network: local clusters of institutes, universities and companies in the most active university centres; These clusters will be part of the overall national nanotechnology network (ROMNET-ERA project, coordinated by IMT) Some initiatives may prove successful at a regional scale (e.g. education and training)

A key word: networkingERA as a network of networksNew instruments consortia with a large number of partners strongly multiplying the number connections (apart from avoiding fragmentation and focussing on priorities)The scientific creativity, as well as technological innovation are significantly improved by increasing the number of connectionsProviding increased chance for intense, yet flexible connectivity is essential in a multidisciplinary, rapidly changing research landscapeNoEs: interfaces with industry and educationNot only formal networks: any activity which is interconnecting people!

IMT and networking Coordinating MATNANTECH networks related to micro and nanotechnologies, which are sustaining, among others: Multidisciplinary education and training Exchanges with foreign scientistsParticipating to European networks financed from FP 6: NoE (Networks of Excellence) Training by Research, Marie Curie Networking sustained through SSA for ACC projects

Info about IMT contracts

See www.imt.ro

And also: www.nano-link.net

The nanoLINK initiativeActing as an umbrella for a number of networks (projects)Devoted to (profile of ROMNET-ERA):Life quality enhanced byInnovation in aNetwork of Knowledge Web address: www.nano-link.net

Purpose The purpose of this initiative is to foster the generation, transfer and utilization of knowledge, especially the utilization of new materials and new technologies towards life - oriented applications (biology, health, food etc.). The activities will be multidisciplinary. Not only research, but also education and industry will be involved.ObjectivesThe usual electronic dissemination of information through web pages and e-newsletter will be accompanied by the set-up of databases and electronic brokerage.New tools for the management of information (e-room type) will be used for special projects. Education and training will deserve a special attention. Both conventional learning activities (including "hands-on training" and training by research) and e-learning will be pursued.Encyclopedias and courses will be developed by involving active researchers.The exchange of information between research and industry will facilitate innovation. What is nanoLINK ? NanoLink is a web portal (www.nano-link.net) and an e-newsletter (n@noLINK), but it is also a network (nanoLINKnet). It is a knowledge network pursuing life quality through technological innovation (LINK=Life quality through Innovation by a Network of Knowledge.). The mere association of life, innovation, network and knowledge represents a network of knowledge. NanoLINKnet will be a network of networks, each constitutive network being based, usually, on an existing project (e. g. a Network of Excellence financed from FP6). http://www.nano-link.net

Database for Partner matching and expression of interest(NMP call in FP 6, December 2003) The support for constructing and exploiting this database is provided by the ROMNET-ERA project, financed by the European Commission (2003-2006).

Nano LINK database is dedicated to the new call (December 2003) in FP 6, NMP (nanotechnologies and nanosciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials, new production processes and devices). Entry questionnaire - how to use this database: add data example

Search questionnaire and edit data - how to use this database: search example

You are very fast .. (Ph. B.)Site launched on 10th of December 2003On 22nd of December 2007 inaugurated the partner matching data bases related to the December call of FP 6 in NMP (priority call)On 27th of January 2004: The National Seminar on Nanoscience and nanotechnology (and the national nano network); more than 45 centres from Romania registered in 10 daysOn 6th of February 2004: The official launching of the nanoLINK on the occasion of the visit of the Commissioner for Research

the spirit of this institute (Ph. B.)A few featuresNew topicsNew tools and instruments

Keeping the course People are essential Freedom, initiative (see the results in FP 6)

the spirit of this institute (Ph. B.)ManagementFlat hierarchyProject orientedAutonomyInitiativeRewardFree circulation of info inside the Institute Information structureMultidisciplinary orientedPartnership orientedBroad dissemination (visibility!)

Conclusion Integrative role Multidisciplinary researchPlatform of integrating various activities (a variety of interfaces)A hub of national networksRegional role: MINAEAST-NET: Micro and nanotechnologies are going East through networkingParticipant in a number of NoEs from priorities 2 and 3 Integration: a cornerstone!