Understanding nanostructures down to the atomic level is the key to optimise the design of advanced materials with revolutionary novel properties. This requires characterisation methods enabling one to quantify atomic structures with high precision. The strong interaction of accelerated electrons with matter makes that transmission electron microscopy is one of the most powerful techniques for this purpose. However, beam damage, induced by the high energy electrons, strongly hampers a detailed interpretation. To overcome this problem, I will usher electron microscopy in a new era of non-destructive picometer metrology. This is an extremely challenging goal in modern technology because of the increasing complexity of nanostructures and the role of light elements such as lithium or hydrogen. Non-destructive picometer metrology will allow us to answer the question: what is the position, composition and bonding of every single atom in a nanomaterial even for light elements? There has been significant progress with electron microscopy to study beam-hard materials. Yet, major problems exist for radiation-sensitive nanostructures because of the lack of physics-based models, detailed statistical analyses, and optimal design of experiments in a self-consistent computational framework. In this project, novel data-driven methods will be combined with the latest experimental capabilities to locate and identify atoms, to detect light elements, to determine the three-dimensional ordering, and to measure the oxidation state from single low-dose recordings. The required electron dose is envisaged to be four orders of magnitude lower than what is nowadays used. In this manner, beam damage will be drastically reduced or even be ruled out completely. The results of my programme will enable precise characterisation of nanostructures in their native state; a prerequisite for understanding their properties. Clearly this is important for the design of a broad range of nanomaterials.

Industrial scale nitrogen fixation (NF) via the Haber-Bosch process dominates artificial fertilizer production and at present, enables yield enhancements which nourish over 40 % of the world population. Owing to the exceptional stability of molecular nitrogen’s triple bond the Haber-Bosch process is an energy intensive chemical process which accounts for 1-2 % of the world's energy production, consumes 2-3 % of the global natural gas output and emits more than 300 million tonnes of CO2. In light of an increasing population (and fertilizer demand) coupled with an urgency to reduce CO2 emissions, efforts to find alternative technologies for NF that offer the potential of reduced energy usage while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions have accelerated. Electrically powered plasma processes are considered as a promising alternative for delocalized fertilizer production, based on renewable energy, and more specifically for NO production. To-date, however, plasma designs for NF have not exceeded Haber-Bosch efficiencies. Pulsed powered microwave (MW) generated plasma technology offers some promise in this regard. Pulsing of the discharge power enables strategies which direct energy to primarily heat electrons (’non-thermal’ conditions) providing a far more efficient pathway to molecular bond breakage (and resulting NO production) than thermal effects. Indeed, reports on pulsed powered MW discharges have indicated an opportunity to tune electron energies to maximize molecular vibrational excitation, identified as an optimal route for energy efficiency in NO production. In a novel advance, plasma efficient nitrogen fixation ’PENFIX', proposes to interrogate ’pulsed’ powered atmospheric microwave (MW) plasma for nitric oxide (NO) production using air. Novel reactor designs informed by validated modelling will be of particular focus. Diagnostic and modelling activities will elucidate the fundamental physics while addressing the challenges of future industrial scale deployment.

The intellectual challenge that the Singleton project will tackle is identifying the relationship formation pathways of young adults in industrialized countries. This project departs from the currently couple centred research approach of young adulthood in which developmental pathways always seem to lead to Mount Marriage or Cohabitation Hill. In contrast, we argue that there is a fundamental hidden relationship pathway in young adulthood where individuals might be experiencing difficulties in finding the right partner, maintaining a relationship or where they make a deliberate choice to remain single and for longer periods. This Singleton trajectory is characterized by a sequence of relatively short-lived committed relationships. The central question addressed in the Singleton project is therefore why, how, when and for whom this relationship trajectory manifests itself. Accordingly the project has four interrelated aims. A first aim is the empirical description of the share of Singletons in three birth cohorts. Second, the project will look at the internal dynamics of relationship formation, maintenance and dissolution from a multi-actor perspective to identify differences between young adults. In the third objective, the project will look into how social networks, educational trajectories and career prospects influence the development of relationship trajectories in young adulthood. A final aim will look at the macro level and incorporate the rise of a “single culture” as part of a new explanatory framework for understanding the Singleton trajectory. Methodologically, we apply a Longitudinal Explanatory Mixed Methods model (2 quantitative and 2 qualitative waves) concentrating on 3 cohorts in young adulthood. This project innovates on a theoretical and methodological level by integrating theories from various fields (demography, sociology and developmental psychology), redefining determinants and launching a much needed new research tradition in Single Studies.

A new tendency is on the rise in EU urban policy-making: adopting Co-production Arrangements inspired by the paradigm of the Commons (CAC). Some pioneering cases stand out, such as the Urban Commons Regulation in Bologna (2014), the Commons Transition Plan in Ghent (2017) and the Citizen Assets Programme in Barcelona (2017). These cities have been joined by others that either have adopted similar arrangements or are currently considering adopting them. By and large, these arrangements aim to redistribute decision-making power to citizens over services and resources that are considered as essential for urban collective wellbeing (e.g. public buildings and spaces, energy and water utilities) by fostering community self-management. Preliminary and applied research on these arrangements has been carried out, mostly based on single case study analyses. However, scientific, in-depth and comparative knowledge on CAC is still scarce. By adopting an urban epistemology to the traditional state-centred political science field, COMMONCITY will produce key, useful and timely knowledge on CAC. It will comparatively analyse the i) policy models, ii) political, social and administrative challenges, iii) impact on urban democracy of recently adopted CAC in the three EU pioneering cities: Barcelona, Bologna and Ghent. By adopting a co-production-oriented approach to data collection and analysis that will foster citizen science, it will provide unique empirical data on the varieties, effective functioning and democratising effect of these arrangements. The results of COMMONCITY will contribute to the scientific debate in the broad urban study field and, specifically, in urban democracy, urban governance, urban policy-making and urban participation. It will also provide policy recommendations to various levels of government, in order to foster the adoption of CAC and improve the functioning and democratic impact of existing and under-adoption ones.

Recent data estimate that approximately 8 – 10 % of couples are facing fertility problems which means more than 50 million people worldwide are struggling to get pregnant. One of the main reasons couples have difficulty conceiving is their inability to accurately predict the female’s ovulation period. Indeed, the quantification and monitoring of four specific female hormones is crucial for early identification of infertility and tracing of diseases associated with hormonal disbalances (e.g. ovarian cancer). In comparison with costly and complex conventional methods and commercially available test that only measure one or two of the four key hormones, Umay4women (Umay) proposes, for the first time, a unique and reliable quantification of all hormones involved in the ovulatory cycle to accurately determine the ‘fertility window’ by using non-invasive saliva samples. The novelty of this project relies on the combination of nanomaterials, photosensitizers, paper-based microfluidics and immunoassay disciplines to develop a multiarray biosensor, overcoming the drawbacks of current techniques and sampling methods. Importantly, the sensing strategy is based on a novel photoelectrochemical approach which uses the light to trigger the electrochemical response, thus eliminating potential interferences and empowering the readout. Although initially focused on fertility monitoring in women, the underlying technologies have the potential to be further extended after this fellowship for a wider range of applications and final users (e.g. monitoring of fertility in animal industry or tracing the evolution of patients after ovarian cancer treatment) to develop reliable, low-cost, multiarray platforms for healthcare applications. From the clinical perspective, Umay will facilitate the direct and rapid quantification of the key fertility hormones which will lead to faster and private decision-making processes toward an enhancement of the fertility management of each women.