The beneficiaries will develop their projects in the areas of automotive and mechatronics, advanced manufacturing, health, energy and artificial intelligence thanks to the WIT International PhD Programme promoted by the Department of University, Innovation and Digital Transformation.
The purpose of this new edition of the WIT programme is to provide the opportunity to do a PhD at a university in Navarra, carrying out cutting-edge research for three years. In the opinion of the Government of Navarra, this initiative “will not only position the region on the international research talent scene, but will also establish connections between the university system and renowned scientific institutions”.
Of the eight people selected, aged between 26 and 30, five will carry out their research at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA), while the remaining three will be attached to the University of Navarra.
Specifically, the research projects cover a range of areas, from the improvement of millimetre-wave radar sensors to the development of specific treatments for neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. The functioning of RNA in ovarian cells and their responses to treatment will also be explored, as well as projects related to the transition to electricity grids powered by renewable energies, the design of more efficient wind turbines and the production of fertilisers from organic waste. In addition, improved 3D object detection using LiDAR technology and cameras will be addressed.
In addition to doctoral training, the WIT programme will offer selected researchers a personalised professional development plan through participation in a wide range of entities, such as companies, universities and technology centres, among others. This intersectoral, international and interdisciplinary plan will complement the training in transversal skills such as knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship, exploitation and valorisation of research results, intellectual property, gender analysis in research, leadership, creativity, communication skills, teamwork and ethics.
In this second WIT call, a total of 113 applications have been received for the scholarships, whose total value amounts to one million euros. All those selected have either completed studies leading to an official university degree from any European Higher Education Area (EHEA) country or hold a degree from a non-EHEA university that gives access to doctoral studies.
Source: Noticias de Navarra