On 24 Feb 2020 Christiane, Project Manger of FONTE-EID, lead an Outreach Activity aimed at student in two photonics-related ERASMUS MUNDUS JOINT MASTERS DEGREE (EMJMD) programmes:
SMARTNET, coordinated by Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT) at Aston University, is a collaborative two-year (120 ECTs) Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees programme with the goal to provide training in the inter-disciplinary fields of photonic and 5G wireless technologies for data communication, sensing and big data processing.
Its sister programme PIXNET – The Photonic Integrated Circuits, Sensors and NETworks – is also a two-year programme (120 ECTS) Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree and aimed at training talented students in the design, creation and assessment of innovative integrated devices based on photonic technologies, with Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT) at Aston University a partner in the consortium.
As both programmes train EMJMD students in photonics and communication technologies, this presented an oportunity to discuss post-masters degree options with programme students, and in particular introduce them to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The outreach session focussed on the unique opportunities available within Innovative Training Networks in MSCA – European Training Network/European Industrial Doctorate and European Joint Doctorate – and introduced concepts of mobility and eligibillity and contrasted the working conditions, enhanced training framework and obligations towards outreach within MSCA with those of other, more ‘usual’ PhD studies. The students were familiarised with EURAXESS as an efficient tool to research positions available under MSCA and the Project Manager lead a discussion with individual students interrogating their elegibilty and mobility status in a hypothetical future MSCA application, in particular in view of the upcoming MSCA PhD studentships in ITNs coordinated by AiPT.
The first of three consecutive cohorts in both SMARTNET and PIXNET are due to finish their masters degree in July 2020. However, as students choose a mobility path that may or may not include Aston University, not all students in these programmes are currently on campus at Aston University. Nevertheless, the presentation given during the outreach event will be made available to all three student cohorts in both EMJMD programmes, thus reaching a potential audience of 150 masters students.
SMARTNET included this Outreach Activity by the FONTE PM ion their own website https://smartnet.astonphotonics.uk/2020/03/01/outreach-activity-from-aipt-project-managers/