High level fellowships will carry out an interdisciplinary and cross-sector plasma accelerator research and training program for the new EuPRAXIA research infrastructure.
The EuPRAXIA Doctoral Network (EuPRAXIA-DN) is a new Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) offering 12 high-level fellowships between universities, research centres and industry that will carry out an interdisciplinary and cross-sector plasma accelerator research and training program. The network will start on 1 January 2023 and benefit from more than 3.2 M€ of funding over its 4-year duration.
Several tens of thousands of particle accelerators are in use today with varied applications in research, industry, medicine and other fields. Yet accelerator usage could be much more widespread, were it not limited by cost and size constraints, especially in hospitals, universities, and small and medium size companies. This would enable ground-breaking applications and innovations on a much larger scale.
A possible solution to this bottleneck is the development of more compact – and consequently more cost-efficient – accelerator technologies, a strategy that has been investigated in the past two decades bringing forth plasma accelerators as one of its most promising candidates.
EuPRAXIA is the first European project that develops a dedicated particle accelerator research infrastructure based on novel plasma acceleration concepts and laser technology. It focuses on the development of electron accelerators and underlying technologies, their user communities, and the exploitation of existing accelerator infrastructures in Europe. It was accepted onto the ESFRI roadmap for strategically important research infrastructures in June 2021 as a European priority.To fully exploit the potential of this breakthrough facility, advances are urgently required in plasma and laser R&D, studies into facility design and optimization, along a coordinated push for novel applications. EuPRAXIA-DN will focus on scientific and technical innovations and on boosting the career prospects of its Fellows. The project comprises a lot of the European expertise in this research area and involves 10 universities, 6 national and international research centres, as well as 7 partners from industry at project start.
Scientific Coordinator Prof Carsten P Welsch, University of Liverpool/Cockcroft Institute and INFN-LNF, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that this new Doctoral Network was selected for funding in such a highly competitive scheme. Plasma accelerator research is at the cutting edge of technology and our Fellows will carry out R&D in a highly interdisciplinary field that shows great promise for scientific discovery and technology innovations.”
EuPRAXIA-DN’s main scientific and technological objectives are split into three closely interlinked work packages. The first one will tackle an overall optimization of the accelerated electron beam by carrying out comprehensive studies into the best laser and plasma parameters. A second work package targets studies into the design and optimization of laser- and beam-driven plasma accelerator facilities, specifically through the development of superior beam diagnostics and synchronization technologies as required for optimum beam quality. Finally, network partners will join forces to enable breakthrough science measurements and innovative applications.
10 Fellows will be funded from the Horizon Europe MSCA-DN funds, and 2 additional Fellows will be funded by the UKRI guarantee funds. All students will be enrolled into a structured PhD program and benefit from a combination of local and network-wide trainings within EuPRAXIA-DN. This includes courses at the different host institutions, alongside network-wide trainings which will be made available to the wider scientific community. Excellent salaries will be offered. The application deadline for all positions is 31st January 2023.
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