The NWO Theme Committee Materials Science is organizing a workshop about building a Materials Consortia at 26 November 2019.

The Workshop has three goals:

1) Build NWA consortia:  Bringing interested parties together to form consortia for new NWA proposals (pre-proposal deadline May 2020, total budget 130 M€). During this day it is possible to present a pitch on a potential new NWA program at the November 26 workshop. This is not meant to pitch (just) your own research ideas, but to propose a new NWA proposal including all stakeholders. If you are interested please indicate this on your registration form. Deadline November 20.

We are also updating the NWO Strategic report “Dutch Materials” from 2015 that covers 6 materials themes. The new MaterialenNL2020 report will be drafted together with all stakeholders in materials science and technology that have recently organized themselves in the MaterialenNL platform. The report is meant as a united voice from the entire materials field to serve as a guideline to start new materials programs. Please fill in the questionnaire to give input and tell us what you think should be included in the new materials vision. Deadline October 31. The results of the questionnaire will be discussed at the November 26 event.

2) Learn from failures: The materials community has not been very successful in the first NWA call. We will analyze why this may be the case and search for solutions. One reason may be that some of the consortia were lacking a clear societal goal (as required by NWA), or lacking strong societal partners. Have you submitted an (un)successful proposal and are you willing to share (excerpts) of your NWA panel reports (not reviewer’s reports) that are helpful for others? If so, please fill in the questionnaire. Deadline October 31.

3) Update the Dutch Materials report: materials proposal can be submitted to the NWA within the route Materials – made in Holland, which is based on the FOM/CW strategic vision report “Dutch Materials” that covers 6 themes: 1) Designer functional metamaterials; 2) Soft and bio-inspired materials; 3) Next-generation engineering materials; 4) Materials for sustainable energy production and storage; 5) Sustainable materials; and 6) Thin films and coatings. This year, we will update the report. You will later be invited to give input on what you think are potential new themes that https://www.nwo.nl/documents/cw/dutch-materials-challenges-final-versionhould be put in the Dutch Materials 2020 report. The vision report will be drafted together with all stakeholders in materials science and technology that have recently organized themselves in the Platform MaterialenNL. It is meant to serve as a guideline to start new materials programs, e.g. within NWO.

The deadline for registration is 20 November.