Figueras, Albert

Pascual i Gainza, Jordi

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

forumCONTRIBUTIONS to SCIENCE, 4 (2): 243–245 (2008)Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Barcelona
ISSN: 1575-6343 
www.cat-science.cat
1.	 Introduction
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N) are new approaches 
to research and development that aim to control the funda-
mental structure and behaviour of matter at the level of atoms 
and molecules. These fields open up the possibility of under-
standing new phenomena and producing new properties that 
can be utilised at the micro- and macro-scale. The range of 
materials to be studied spans from the atomic scale, molecular 
or macromolecular compounds, to nanoparticles, nanowires 
and in general, nanostructured materials. 
Besides, nanoscience is often referred to as “horizontal” 
knowledge, since it can pervade virtually all technological sec-
tors. It often brings together different areas of science and ben-
efits from an interdisciplinary approach and is expected to lead 
to innovations that can contribute towards addressing many of 
the problems facing today’s society (Communication from the 
European Commission). Medical applications, information 
technologies, energy production and storage, material sci-
ence, manufacturing at the nanoscale, instrumentation for the 
study of the properties of matter at the nanoscale, food, water 
and environmental research, security are some examples of 
different fields of application.
2.	 Nanotechnology	R&D	in	Spain
A comparative funding levels between EU, Japan, USA and 
other countries on a per-capita basis in 2003 (1€=1$) indicates 
that Spain shows the lowest mark, 0.04€ per capita. In Catalo-
nia the situation is slightly better but far from the standards.
The existence of a good number of groups in Spain working 
on techniques and methodologies related with N&N cannot 
hide the low support of the State to this important field of re-
search. Just in the last three years a first call totally devoted to 
N&N has been proposed. Nevertheless, at present it is not 
clear the continuity of this call. Due to this specific action, a 
small increase in the funds per capita devoted to N&N has for-
cibly increased in 2005 although the percentage will remain un-
fortunately low.
3.	 Opportunity
There are several reasons supporting this fact: a) the political 
support from the State and the Region b) the possibility to cre-
ate a new and agile management of the Research Centre 
shared between those two actors; CIN2 will be a mix institution 
c) support of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) 
permitting and supporting actively the construction of the CIN2 
building in its own Campus in Bellaterra by a cession of an ad-
equate ground: this institution will be also included in the man-
agement of CIN2.
The novelty in the CIN2 management lies upon the fact that 
two partners (Generalitat de Catalunya–Regional representa-
tive- and UAB) of this key action are grouped in a Research In-
stitute of recent creation that has the legal status of a Founda-
tion named Fundació Privada Institut Català de Nanotecnology 
(ICN). At present, the ICN has an annual budget which permits 
to hire scientific researchers and also to cover the running 
costs of the Institute. The other partner is the Consejo Superior 
de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the Spanish Research 
Council —State representative—, develops its activities in a 
large number of scientific and technological areas all around 
Spain. In particular, an important number of Institutes have 
been created by the CSIC in the Campus of the UAB. CSIC 
and ICN decided to work together in this project and they are 
both the real partners constituting the new Research Centre, 
the CIN2. The initial scientific equipment needed for the taking 
off of the CIN2 will be funded by ICN and the building that will 
host the new Research Centre will be financed by CSIC. After 
the initial period of installation a consolidated budged support-
The	creation	of	a	new	Institute	of	Research	on	Nanoscience		
and	Nanotechnology	(CIN2,CSIC-ICN)*
* Albert Figueras and Jordi Pascual CIN2 (CSIC-ICN), Co-Directors. 
ETSE. Campus UAB, Building Q - 2nd Floor. E-08193 Bellaterra, Cata-
lonia, EU. 
Website: http://www.cin2.cat
133-258 Contributions 4-2.indd   243 24/11/2009   16:27:33
244  Contrib. Sci. 4 (2), 2008 A. Figueras and J. Pascual
ed for both partners will be agreed supporting its activities. The 
flexibility in the formalization of new contracts at all levels, from 
pre-doctoral positions to Professor of Research, is guaranteed 
by the Foundation. The Foundation constitutes in itself a formi-
dable help for recruiting scientist and technicians. Although this 
opportunity is completely open for the Research Centre, the Di-
rection of CIN2 wants to use it in a carefully way by respecting, if 
possible, a certain parity of stable positions between ICN and 
CSIC. Recruitment of outstanding scientists has already been 
done using this way. A permanent position can also be obtained 
after the application to the annual open call (ICREA programme) 
of the Catalan Government or reaching a CSIC staff positions. 
Once this action has been activated the further step will con-
sist in the creation of a Nanocluster in the Campus of the UAB. 
CSIC Institutes such as Institut de Ciència de Materials de Bar-
celona (ICMAB), Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona 
(IMB-CNM), MATGAS (Agrupación de interés económico be-
tween Air Products, CSIC, UAB), selected members of Depart-
ments of the UAB, scientific and technical facilities and CIN2 
will constitute a Nanocluster selecting a general manager, 
sharing scientific services and creating virtual platforms of re-
search which will increase the interdisciplinary needed in a re-
search of excellence as foreseen to be developed in the Nano-
cluster. Besides, some additional activities to be developed by 
the cluster could be: a) launch a business development initia-
tives to foster investment in innovation involving venture capi-
tal, institutional investors, regional development initiatives; b) 
promote an education, training and professional programme, 
through the development of a master plan for education and 
information; c) introduce a strategy for building international 
co-operation; d) establish a centre for the consolidation and 
dissemination of information. 
CIN2 will also establish special relationships with the syn-
chrotron radiation facility, ALBA, which is built up in the UAB 
Campus by sharing man power, workshops and determining a 
common topic of research to both organisms: nanotechnology 
and synchrotron radiation. One of the goals of the collaboration 
will be to design a beam line where new and not routinely ex-
periments will be conceived. Also, we will work towards estab-
lishing close cooperation links with the recently established 
Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), in order to ensure 
that CIN2 researchers will benefit from the Supercomputing fa-
cilities and research environment provided by BSC. 
4.	 Internal	structure	of	the	Centre	d’Investigació	
en	Nanociència	i	Nanotecnologia,	CIN2	(CSIC-ICN)
The unit of research of the Institute is constituted of a “cell” 
grouping seven scientists who develop a line of research. The 
unit is lead by a senior/staff researcher with two post doctoral 
positions reporting to him. Each post-doctoral position is sup-
ported by two pre-doctoral positions. Several “cells” form a 
Department. 
By now, the vertical structuring of the Institute is performed 
through the creation of three different Departments mainly de-
voted to Nanoscience: 
1)  Characterization of electronic, magnetic, vibrational and 
structural properties of molecular materials at nanometric 
scale. Theory and simulation at nanometric scale. Lines 
of research: a) Theory of non-equilibrium electronic proc-
esses in the nanoscale b) Molecular systems investigated 
with scanning probe microscopies c) Atomic-scale Mag-
netism
2)  Synthesis of inorganic, organic and hybrid nanoestruc-
tured materials. Lines of research: a) Molecular magnets 
at surfaces for nanoscopic devices b) Nanoparticles lab-
oratory c) Materials for energy storage and conversion
3)  Physical properties of the nanostructures. Lines of re-
search: a) Tailoring magnetization reversal in magnetic 
nanostructures by exchange bias b) Nanoionics, ion con-
ducting nanocomposite thin films and multilayers c) Na-
no-optics: Nanoscale Optical Microscopy/ Spectroscopy 
and Light Manipulation d) Quantum Transport in Carbon 
Nanotubes and a fourth Department devoted rather to 
Nanotechnology:
4)  Nanobiosensing. Lines of research: a) Nanotechnology-
based biosensors b) Nanobiosensors and molecular na-
nobiophysics group
A parallel structuring will be performed by selecting some 
outputs close to pure Nanotechnology giving rise to two tech-
nological departments. It has been collected in the first pages 
of this paper the main fields of application of the Nanotechnol-
ogy following a Communication of the European Commission. 
Taking into account the fact that CIN2 is inserted in a civil soci-
ety which has very defined boundary conditions with respect 
its innovation capabilities, we have selected, by now, energy 
production and storage as the main issue. The selection of this 
departments will enable the CIN2 to develop applied Nanote-
chnology close to industrial needs and will prepare the creation 
of “spin offs” linked to the Institute. The structure of the Tech-
nological Departments should be close to the “cell” defined be-
fore although they should be more adaptable to the rapid 
changes occurring in the nanotechnology and also should be 
prepared to interchange man power with the hypothetic “spin 
off”’ created in collaboration with CIN2.
5.	 General	strategy
As a general strategy of management the Direction supports 
the following issues:
a)  The size of the research cell is not absolutely static. As a 
function of the necessities, the size can be modulated 
(especially in the chemistry groups and in the “outputs” 
area) but this norm will be respected as much as we can 
in order to avoid uncontrolled growth of some lines of re-
search and/or Departments that can alter the delicate 
balance that we want to establish and can lead to a rapid 
saturation of the Institute. From the point of view of future 
capabilities and implementation of new lines of research, 
room and man-power saturation should be avoided.
133-258 Contributions 4-2.indd   244 24/11/2009   16:27:33
The creation of a new Institute of Research on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CIN2,CSIC-ICN)  Contrib. Sci. 4 (2), 2008  245
b)  In each cell of research just one post-doctoral position 
(as a maximum) could get a permanent position. Rotation 
of post-doctoral and pre-doctoral students will be 
strongly supported.
c)  Once a research line is created, the Research Centre will 
provide a basal budget to the research unit to cover the 
needs for small scientific equipment, consumables and 
travel expenses during the firsts years in order to facilitate 
in the shortest possible period of time the scientific back-
ground to competitively apply to domestic and interna-
tional calls for funding research projects.
d)  In less than two years from now (time consumed in the 
building construction, purchase of the scientific equip-
ment.), indicative flags or labels defining the main activity of 
the Institute should be determined. We expect to firmly es-
tablish: two in Nanoscience and one in Nanotechnology.
133-258 Contributions 4-2.indd   245 24/11/2009   16:27:33


The Creation of a new Institute of Research on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CIN2, CSIC-ICN)

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