I3N, the Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication received the status of Associated Laboratory

I3N results from a partnership between IPC, the Institute for Polymers and Composites of Minho University, CENIMAT, the Centre for Materials Research of the New Lisbon University, and FSCOSD, the Semiconductor Physics, Optoelectronics and Disordered Systems Unit of Aveiro University. It involves circa 100 researchers holding a PhD and its acticity encompasses:
- multi-scale modelling of materials behaviour;
- nanofabrication and microtechnologies;
- polymer systems with nano and microcontrolled structures;
- physical characterization of nanostructures;

On November 16, 2006, the Portuguese minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Mariano Gago, has officially approved I3N (Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication) as an Associated Laboratories in the area of nanotechnology.

For more information, please visit www.I3N.org (currently under construction).

Ciência 2010 open post-doctoral positions

 IPC is actively searching for candidates interested in conducting post-doctoral work under the "Compromisso com a Ciência - 2008" program. The currently open fellowships are:

IPC is a Portuguese research Centre of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), hosted by the Polymer Engineering Department at Minho University. Its stated mission is to contribute to the advancement of the science and technology of polymers and composites, helping to generate added-value in the Portuguese plastics and mould-making industries, and to promote in society the awareness of the role and importance of polymeric materials.

To combine research with the transfer of knowledge to enterprises and to society as a whole is a challenging task, often misunderstood and not rewarded in pure scientific terms. However, given the reality of the country and the specificity of the Portuguese plastics and mould-making industries, that combination is also a necessity. Since its beginning, IPC has tried to fulfil the mission of pursuing social and economical relevance, while maintaining a high level of scientific research.

At the end of 2007 there were 25 PhD holding members and 78 researchers and post-graduation students working at the Institute, which in that year were responsible for 65 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 8 chapters of internationally edited books, and 13 MSc theses. Additionally, 45 communications were presented in international scientific conferences, 1 patent was granted and a special issue of an international journal was edited by members of IPC. This output is consistent with the trend of the last 4 years, albeit with some variations from year to year. Concurrently there was an undeniable consolidation of the international visibility of the members of the Institute, as a result of increasing editorial activities, of the consistent organization of scientific events and invitations for conferences and of the award of international prizes. This also reflects the activity of the Leiria Polytechnic Institute branch of IPC that increased significantly in 2007, both in quantitative and qualitative terms.

As a Centre of Excellence recognized by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, IPC has an External Scientific Committee (ESC) comprising distinguished scientists or persons from the corporate world. This Committee overviews the scientific and extension activities and steer the strategic development of the Institute. Click here to view the current ESC members.

In November 2006 IPC was granted the statute of Associate Laboratory by the ministry of Science, Technology and Higher education, thus entering a new phase of its development.