15 internationally recruited Early Stage Researchers and 1 Experienced Researcher will be trained in cutting-edge scientific skills at some of Europe`s leading research institutes.
The GOODWATER Initial Training Network (ITN) addresses the increasing global importance of biological groundwater remediation and management of sites contaminated by organic chemicals.
The major objectives of the scientific programme of the GOODWATER network are:
- to gain a better understanding of the intrinsic biogeochemical ability of groundwater systems to respond to chemical pollution and to identify bottlenecks of biodegradation (training area I)
- to complement existing and develop new concepts, tools and technologies for future “biological” management of impacted groundwater (training area II)
- to integrate microbiology, hydrogeology and geochemistry in order to better predict and stimulate the degradation of pollutants in the groundwater (training area III)
- To make optimal use of synergies/complementarities within the GOODWATER network, all fellows will work closely together and visit each other, co-supervised by contractors from different centres as well as by industry and authority partners.
In this ITN, all of the supervising scientists involved are renowned experts in their field with profound scientific and training experience and international reputation.
The fellows’ complementary skills will be fostered by dedicated courses given by specialists from within and outside the network, and from relevant authorities. A strong connection between the research institutes and the associated consulting/ engineering and authority partners will be of great benefit to the training of the fellows.
They will build up their own professional networks with their partner fellows, within their host and partner institutes, and with industrial partners, which will be of great advantage for their future careers. All fellows will be trained following a coordinated individual Career Development Plan (CDP), which also reflects individual situations of the fellows and incorporates offers to e.g. improve women’s career opportunities in science, for child care, and others. ESRs will get the opportunity to complete a PhD thesis during training within the ITN. The ER will be offered highly focussed comprehensive training including also project management and administrative work and will be given special opportunities to network with institutions.
The fellows will be directly trained by their host supervisors and site mentors and, during repeated training exchanges within the network, by the respective supervisors of the receiving hosts and external mentors. The GOODWATER ITN consists of seven partner institutions in three EU member states. The partners are already well connected and have worked together in related former FP6 projects. The main management of the ITN will be done by the experts of the HMGU management support team, which have already coordinated more than 70 EU projects in the last few years. At the beginning of the ITN project, all full partners will sign a Consortium Agreement (CA) based on the DESCA model (http://www.desca-fp7.eu/), which is based upon the Regulation (EC) No. 1906/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down the rules for the participation in actions of FP7. The DESCA model also addresses questions of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the scientific outcome.
To make optimal use of synergies/complementarities within the GOODWATER network, all fellows will work closely together and visit each other, co-supervised by contractors from different centres as well as by industry and authority partners.
