SENTINEL · Single-Entity NanoElectrochemistry

Electrochemistry is the enabling science to address key problems of major societal relevance, spanning from electrocatalysis, in the context of energy conversion (e.g. fuel cells and solar cells) and energy storage (battery and water splitting technologies), to the development of advanced analytical tools for environmental monitoring and point-of-care medical diagnostics. The EU has put nanotechnology at the top of its scientific agenda as a key enabling technology with huge potential foraddressing societal challenges including energy supply and health care, which SENTINEL will help to achieve.The overarching objective of the SENTINEL program is to join together leading teams from across Europe, with global partners in industry (SMEs and multinationals) and the academic sector in the USA and China, to train a new generation of scientists who have the skills to tackle electrochemistry at individual entities such nanoparticles (metal, semiconducting, soft matter), living cells at the nanoscale, as well as single redox-active (macro)molecules. The study of systems at the “single entity” level is a hugely important emerging area of electrochemistry, which is inter/multidisciplinary and intersectoral.The scientific training will be complemented by training delivered by world-class coaches who, for example, employ sport related concepts to empower the fellows with leadership skills. Also, the founders of a successful science-art business (over800K likes on Facebook) will engage the fellows in the arts of scientific illustration and a campaigning charity will equip the fellows with the skills needed to make their voices heard in public debates about science. These training sessions will be supplemented by business leaders from the (electro)chemical community sharing lessons in product development, IP protection and project management. Thus, SENTINEL is distinct, new and ambitious.