On Monday 14 May, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco met with the five researchers who were awarded postdoctoral fellowships from the Principality of Monaco last year to work at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization in 2011-2012. This was the second group of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ postdoctoral fellows funded by Monaco under a with the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization.
During a reception at the Prince's Palace, Sun Hee Kim (Korea), Shimpei Futatani (Japan), Debasmita Samaddar (India), Jing Na (China) and Ian Pong (UK) gave short presentations on their research, which the Prince received with great interest. The topics ranged from advanced simulation codes and modelling, to the performance of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ superconductor strands and advanced control of the cryogenic system. (See for more information on the Fellows' research.)
Like his father before him, HSH Prince Albert II shows a deep interest in science and environment. During the reception, he reiterated his wish to contribute to the fusion project that will benefit mankind, and to support a young generation of fusion scientists and engineers.
ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Director-General Osamu Motojima said, "It is a great honour for me to meet His Serene Highness alongside the Monaco postdoctoral researchers. I wish to sincerely thank him for his strong interest in fusion research and for his support and encouragement." The Director-General also underlined the high quality of the Monaco Fellows who have been selected from across the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Members' communities (five in , five in ).
For the third edition of the fellowship program (appointments beginning in 2012), the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization received 70 applications from highly qualified candidates—testimony to the continued attractiveness and competitiveness of the program. The Monaco/ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Postdoctoral Fellowship program can be a real boost to a young scientist's career. After finishing their two-year appointments at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ at the end of 2010, two Fellows were recruited for staff posts at the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization, one currently works for ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ as a contractor, and two obtained academic/research posts in their home countries.
As part of the Monaco-ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Partnership Arrangement, the second MIIFED (Monaco-ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ International Fusion Energy Days) event on ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ-related research and industrial developments will be organized in Monaco in December 2013.
