FIRST · Fronts and Interfaces in Science and Technology

Space-time phenomena giving rise to fronts and interfaces are central issues in many contexts of Science and Technology. A selection of some of the most challenging ones, most often of multi-disciplinary character, will be pursued by a team of 10 Full Partner Members (8 universities of different countries and two industries, Guigues Environnement (France) and Siemens (Germany)) with the help of 4 Associate Partners. The project is divided into three general Work Packages A: Image Processing, B: Patterns in Complex Reaction-Diffusion Systems and C: Interfaces, Control and Inverse Methods in Technology Problems. The training of 42 ESR is proposed with a interdisciplinar orientation: besides the presence of the two mentioned industries with special interest in work packages B and C, respectively, most of the mathematicians implied in this ITN in the field of image processing are collaborating with researchers from other fields as in the case of the Technion Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering departments. The presence of two industrial partners will also broaden the range of applications of the training techniques used in the FIRST. The Guigues and Simens partners, are in the supervisory board of the ITN, and are involved in the training programme through complementary skills seminars. Most of the ESRs will be trained in at least two different universities. The list of structured training courses refers not only to a set of postgraduate courses available in the PhD programmes but to some specialized courses which will be organized for the FIRST ITN. The benefit to the European scientific community will be significant: the training will not only produce researchers with broad backgrounds qualified for academic careers. It will also produce individuals with an understanding of science and with an excellent perspective for a career outside academia.