ICFO

About

Located in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, ICFO was founded in 2002 and currently hosts 400 highly-international people led by prominent faculty members, who use 60 state-of-the-art research laboratories equipped with the latest experimental facilities for fabrication, characterization and engineering. A new addition to the building is under construction thanks to an outstanding philanthropic donation by Foundation Mir-Puig. ICFOnians have secured many international awards and research grants, including 37 European Research Council grants to date. The institute is also proactive in fostering entrepreneurial activities, spin-off creation, and creating collaborations and links between industry and ICFO researchers.

Central to ICFO’s mission is the training of the next generation of scientists and technologists. Over 200 PhD students have defended their theses here and hundreds of students have participated in research stays, all joining an active alumni network that connects them to current and former colleagues, the institute and its industrial partners. Academic program management and the Alumni network team up to provide career orientation through an Alumni Seminar Series as well as an annual Beyond ICFO career event.

ICFO is also known for its outreach activities in the field of photonics at the European level with active and leading roles in projects such as GoPhoton!, LIGHT2015 and PHABLABS 4.0 as well as the Quantum and Graphene Flagships initiatives.

ICFO is the coordinator of CARLA. Within the project, ICFO will lead the Work Package 3 “Implementation and sustainability” and 4 “Coordination and dissemination” and it will also coordinate the stakeholder Working Groups “Students and researchers” and “Diversity in photonics”. ICFO will be responsible for the creation of the guide to Empowering Diversity and will be implementing two editions of the CARLA camps in Barcelona.