NISM mission

Organization

Board

The institute heads are helped in their mission by the poles’ representatives, which together with the president and vice-president form the board of NISM, and by the executive officer of NISM. The board meetings are scheduled every two months. Furthermore, additional board meetings and updates are held when necessary for daily management or communication purposes.

NISM poles

NISM research is identified by four poles, which underline the main scientific activities carried out in the institute. Each pole is a well-defined structure with a membership, and it is managed by the pole representative. The poles structuring does not prevent a permanent cooperation between them. There is indeed a well-established interaction between different poles, through common projects, conferences, seminars, co-tutoring of master and PhD thesis, among others.

Research projects

The research projects in NISM are mainly proposed and planned by academics helped by postdoctoral researchers.
Information about these projects can be found on the research portal of UNamur. (https://researchportal.unamur.be/en/organisations/namur-institute-of-structured-matter/).

Annual meetings

Every year since it was founded, NISM organizes a meeting which gathers its members. The purpose is to encourage the members to meet together in an unformal whilst scholarly atmosphere for one day, where they can present and discuss their work, and share new ideas. The meeting allows multiple exchanges on scientific, technical, or also administrative issues, keeps members closer together, allows new members to get in touch with colleagues and to discover the activity of the institute. Coffee breaks and lunch are organized close to the poster sessions to ease and encourage discussions.

Seminars IN

NISM organizes about 15-20 invited seminars per year, given by speakers coming from Belgian or foreign laboratories. Seminars are programmed and announced on the website calendar, reminders are sent by mail to the NISM members and, were appropriate, to the executive assistant of other institutes for dissemination. Dedicated posters are spread on the announcement panels of the NISM laboratories and of the Chemistry and Physics departments administrative and coffee rooms.

Conferences IN

One of the new actions that NISM promoted is the financial contribution to the organization of thematic seminars, in the framework of the research topics of a pole, a laboratory or a NISM member. The conferences are also promoted on the NISM website calendar.

Conferences OUT

The conferences attended by NISM PhD and postdoctoral researchers outside the institute are encouraged by financing a part or its entire cost. NISM supports 10 travel grants per year, covering the conference and travel fees up to 750 € for conferences in Europe, and up to 1250 € for conferences outside Europe.

NISM call for projects 2020

In 2020, NISM launched its first call to fund three collaborative projects submitted by academics from the institute, in order to promote new internal collaborations.