UCD ENERGY21 Programme officially launched

University College Dublin (UCD) has today launched a new Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme that will attract 21 world class researchers to the UCD Energy Institute over the next five years. The programme was formally launched earlier today by Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact and a member of the EU Horizon 2020 Advisory Group on Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions.

The Programme reflects UCD’s strong commitment to energy research as a strategic priority and will significantly contribute to developing the capacity of the UCD Energy Institute established in September last year. By attracting international talented researchers and training them to the highest international standards, it will expand the capacity of an Irish energy sector increasingly crippled by shortage of suitably qualified personnel.

ENERGY21 will also provide attractive career development opportunities for the most accomplished Irish researchers currently pursuing their careers abroad by offering six Reintegration Fellowships. Creating such opportunities will help to counteract and limit the ‘brain drain’ in one of Ireland and Europe’s most strategic fields.

The recruitment of 21 Fellows will take place across three Calls, with the first Call being launched today, with the deadline for applications being 30th September 2014. All successful Fellows will be based in the UCD Energy Institute for a period of two years, including an outgoing phase to another research performing organisation in any country in the world. Researchers will be recruited through a transparent and independent peer review process with the freedom to choose their topic of research and their mentor in UCD.

ENERGY21 is one of eight Marie Curie COFUND actions awarded in Ireland over the past seven years, and the first one in Ireland awarded solely to a single University.