Who?

Researchers working in NQO and related fields from academia and industry are a major target group, being the most direct user of the Action’s results. In this regard the Action will adopt means to ensure visibility and create awareness of its achievements in NQO as outlined in sections H.2 and H.3. Students and ESRs represent another major target group. Their education, training and involvement in the field of NQO is crucial: on the one hand it will ensure the future success of NQO in academia and industry, on the other hand it will give students and ERSs the opportunity to develop skills and be trained in a topic with high scientific and innovation potential. The early involvement of industry may be more effective if besides research staff the Action will find appropriate channels to outreach technical management and human resources. The involvement of female scientists and engineers will be proactively encouraged by the Action also in the dissemination plan, as described in sections H.2 and H.3. Regional and national photonics clusters are decisive in the assimilation of the Action’s results within local communities, where typically more distinctive interventions to support research, innovation and education in strategic directions are undertaken. The general public, including industry associations, academic bodies responsible for educational programs, and policy makers represent the broader circle of stakeholders. Dissemination to this target group is relevant, because positive awareness of the Action’s activity may generate a large consensus and support to the field of NQO at many different levels.

What?

Peer-review scientific publications in international and high-impact journals and presentations at European and other international conferences will be disseminated to researchers working in NQO and related fields. In addition, the Action members will benefit from dedicated workshops and exchange opportunities. The Action will join forces in the WGs to publish a coherent advanced book on NQO. The involvement ESRs will be supported with individual conference grants, handson training events and internships in public and private research laboratories. Moreover, ERSs will organize an ERSs Workshop and visits to relevant research infrastructures, companies and research centres. Specific attention will be devoted to ESR and female scientists with a dedicated section in the website and the newsletter on where to find relevant information about training and summer schools, starting and mobility grants, and the activities available within and outside the Action. The early-involvement of industry will be promoted through direct interaction within Action members from industry and academia, a dedicated section in the website and the newsletter highlighting scientific results with a high potential for generating disruptive technologies, and disruptive technology satellite events will be collocated with the Nanoscale Quantum Optics Workshop to discuss key questions about the innovation potential of NQO with respect to state-of-the-art technology. Furthermore, the Action will prepare a research and development roadmap with the aim of prioritizing future research, training and education on topics identified to be of high scientific and technological impact. A website and a newsletter will also be set up and maintained active to disseminate the Action’s result also to national and regional photonics clusters and to the general public.

How?

The Action will effectively encourage joint-publications in peer-reviewed international scientific journals by covering part of the publication fee in open access journals and for high-impact journals it may support the free-to-read option. The Action will organize two workshops or symposia on NQO, either individually or in conjunction with existing conferences. Travel support will be made available by the Action to member participants upon application. WGs will be also encouraged to organize specialized sessions at recognized international conferences and to apply for additional funding to make this possible. Furthermore, the Action will establish connections with photonics and quantum physics research centres through the involvement of non-COST country institutions to benefit from expertise beyond the European Research Area.

Travel grants for Short-Term Scientific Missions or Summer Internships will be provided following submission of an application to the MC. Summer Internships will be possible for students who want to spend an experience on a new research topic and a number of fellowships will be made available every year. ESRs will organize an ESR Workshop nearby a partner institution, such that the attendees may visit labs and facilities. The workshops may be organized in conjunction with other associations of ESRs which may provide additional funding to invite prominent speakers from oversea, e.g. through Traveling lecturer programs. Moreover, people from industry and academia who started up companies will be invited to share their experience with ESRs.

A website will display information about the Action activities and results, such as meetings, conferences and publications. In addition, a database will be created and continuously updated to facilitate monitoring and reporting of the Action’s activities, e.g. ESR involvement, gender balance, publications, and the analysed results will be published in the website. The website will have specialized sections with dissemination material tailored for each target audience, e.g. scientific publications, projects, job openings, breaking news, conferences, educational material, etc.

A monthly e-mail digest will target the Action members and other subscribers with information on recent publications, job offers, conferences and workshops. A quarterly newsletter will summarize and showcase the Action activities (new memberships, research and technical highlights, prizes and awards, especially for ESRs and female scientists, news from meetings and conferences). The newsletter will reach a broader audience, including national and regional photonics clusters, technical managers, directors of research centres and other relevant stakeholders through e-mail and regular post (for selected contacts).

For each COST country involved in the Action, the MC members will be encouraged to promote the Action in cooperation with national and regional photonics clusters identified by Photonics 21. The Action will regularly invite external experts from academia, industry and public agencies to the plenary meetings to enhance the exchange of results and ideas, learn about progress in other fields that are nearby NQO, establish partnerships with other key players in NQO. The Action will also communicate its activities through Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook accounts. The latter may be an effective instrument to attract the interest of young students.