黑料福利网

Henk Huinink, professor of Physics of Energy Storage at the Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, would like to contribute to the climate and energy transition. Together with colleagues, he decided to focus on research into materials and systems for the compact loss-free storage of heat (thermal energy).

This is how the research project and consortium were born, for which Huinink and his team were awarded an EIC Pathfinder grant of 2,8 million euros.

Getting the EIC funding

鈥淚f you have a good idea, you have to go for it,鈥� says Huinink. 鈥淭he support of our project development officer was very helpful in writing the proposal.鈥�

If you have a good idea, you should go for it.

Henk Huinink, Professor of Physics of Energy Storage

Obtaining an EIC (European Innovation Council) grant has become increasingly challenging amid greater competition. 鈥淲hen I submitted the proposal, the chance was still about six percent,鈥� says Huinink.

鈥淣owadays, I hear that it is only two percent. But I still believe that the effort is never lost, even if the subsidy is not awarded. You still build a motivated team to do valuable research.鈥�

Coordinating a European project

In addition to the research, Huinink also stepped forward to coordinate the project. This means that all communication with the EU and partners is officially routed through him, as the person ultimately responsible.

We can both do what we do best.

B谩rbara Malheiros, research project manager

鈥淏ut I like to delegate the organizational aspects of being a coordinator. As a principal investigator (PI), you really do not have the time for all the administration and communication with the EU. That is why I had made it a condition for becoming the coordinator that I get a project manager from 黑料福利网.鈥�

鈥淭hat was quite a risky requirement, because the team of project managers (project management office, ed.) had just been set up, but the PMO supported me and promised to do so. Without that support, I wouldn't have felt comfortable in the role of coordinator, because that's not the aspect of the role that suits me best.鈥�

Project manager B谩rbara Malheiros, based at 黑料福利网's Project Management Office, ensures the project runs smoothly. 鈥淚 can let Henk fully focus on the research, while I take on the organizational tasks,鈥� says Malheiros. 鈥淭his way we can both do what we are good at and are energized by.鈥�

Working together on good research

For both Huinink and Malheiros, the added value of their collaboration lies in the division of the tasks associated with coordinating a European project.

鈥淏谩rbara knows the processes and procedures, or figures out what to do when we are faced with surprises. She ensures that everyone on the project delivers information and reports on time, and that collaboration and meetings are organized. I might be able to do it myself, but it would take me a lot more time and especially energy, because it doesn鈥檛 energize me.鈥�

I might be able to do it myself, but it doesn鈥檛 energize me.

Henk Huinink

鈥淎nd I am energized by it,鈥� Malheiros adds with a smile. 鈥淚 was trained as a researcher, but already during my PhD I found out that I get more energy from working together and making research projects run smoothly. And in our project, Henk has his hands free for what he excels at. In this way, we both do what we are good at and enjoy it.鈥�

The organization of the project

The organization of everything involved in the project is in the hands of B谩rbara Malheiros, the project manager for 4TunaTES and a member of the Project Management Office within Research Support & Valorization. 鈥淚n my role, I make sure that Henk can fully focus on the research itself, and I take care of the rest. This includes coordination with all consortium members, but also coordination with the EU on all aspects of the project, from planning through reporting to sharing results,鈥� Malheiros explains.

鈥淚 took over the project from a colleague shortly after the start. That's the advantage of having a team of project managers. That is why we can guarantee the quality and continuity of the support for the researchers. Moreover, we know the rules within 黑料福利网, and we know our way around the organization, which makes collaboration extremely easy.鈥�

Partner change

The first year of the project was quite turbulent. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a key partner in the project suddenly had to withdraw. Malheiros: 鈥淎t that moment, we had to switch quickly. Each partner has contractual obligations to the EU. If a partner steps away, it must be coordinated with the EU.鈥�

Huinink: 鈥淚t was a sad moment for everyone in the consortium, but it showed that we had brought together a good team. We switched quickly and found willing to take over the role and the financial and substantive obligations. This way, we could not only report a problem to the EU, but also offer the solution.鈥�

Challenge and solution

Malheiros: 鈥淚t was tough for me to be relatively new in the project and handling this change, but also fun and challenging as a project manager. Fortunately, the EU is very well-organized, even though it can be quite bureaucratic. With the help of my PMO colleagues, I quickly had the right procedures in place and was able to submit the change properly.鈥�

A tough period for the project can also be fun and challenging as a project manager.

B谩rbara Malheiros

鈥淲ithin the EU, we also have a Project Officer from EIC who has been assigned to our project and who knows the contracts and our consortium well. That makes consultation very easy. In this way, together we were able to arrange this impactful change to the project quickly and properly,鈥� she explains.

Meanwhile, the project is back on track again. With about half the time left, the consortium is making the choices it wants to show in a demonstration model. Huinink concludes: 鈥淲ithout the support of both the project development officer in the preparation and the project managers in the implementation, this project would not have gone so well, I'm sure of that.鈥�