Emerging Technologies News Visit of the Director of “Components and Systems” for DGINFSO to Research Units Visit of the Director of “Components and Systems” for DGINFSO to Research Units
- 14/05/2009
On 14-15 May 2009, Thierry van der Pyl, Director of Components and Systems of the Directorate-General of the Information Society and Media (DGINFSO) of the European Commission visited Portugal at the invitation of the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC). The Directorate-General of Components and Systems of DGINFSO is responsible for part of the support R&D activities in nanotechnology under the scope of the 7th Framework Programmeme for Research and Technological Development of the European Union.
Thierry van der Pyl was accompanied on his visit by Professor Luis Melo, Coordinator of the Portuguese Network for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology within the Science and Technology Foundation (FCT). During his two-day stay he visited 7 research units carrying out work in nanosciences and nanotechnologies, located in Taipas, Guimarães, Porto, Aveiro and Lisbon, that is, 4 units and two Associated Laboratories for Nanotechnology and 3 units which form part of Associated Laboratories in other areas (Materials Science and Engineering, Biotechnology and Health Sciences) which carry out significant work in nanotechnology.
The Programmeme of visits started and ended with meeting with the President of the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), Luis Magalhães, the first of which was also attended by Professor José Rivas, Director-General of the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), whose facilities, which are currently under construction in Braga, were visited following that meeting.
The aim of the visit organised by UMIC and FCT was to enable the new Director of Components and Systems of DGINFSO to become familiar with a substantial part of the actual reality of the research environment in nanoscience and nanotechnology in Portugal and to set up the opportunity for him to interact with an extensive group of Portuguese researchers working in this area, with the aim of enabling both parts to get to know each other so as to facilitate future contacts.