Many postdocs via Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Dita Floresyona, one of the researchers coming to Uppsala, will explore a (photo-)electrochemical process to convert carbon dioxide into methanol, while using biomass for the anode reaction, contributing to an environmentally friendly and circular economy.

Another exciting project focuses on Darwin's finches and their evolutionary history. By using advanced sequencing techniques and computational methods, Matteo Sebastianelli will investigate how these species have evolved and recovered from genetic bottlenecks, providing new insights into species' adaptability.

African Performing Arts

A third project examines how the introduction of copyright systems affected the production of African performing arts in French North and West Africa between 1850 and 1960. It investigates how African music and drama were categorized into legal categories of intellectual property and highlights local resistance and alternative ways of organizing creativity.

"I look forward to coming to Uppsala and being part of the ALMEDA research group," says Anna Marie Skråmestø Nesheim, one of the grant recipients. "Professor Ashleigh Harris's work at Uppsala University on African popular literature inspires me. Her thoughts on the role of metadata in creating colonial categories are very relevant, and I look forward to participating in her and the ALMEDA team's conversations!"

Better support for applications

The EU program Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA PF) is an important channel for obtaining funding to recruit excellent international postdocs to Uppsala University. Researchers at the university who want to go abroad for a postdoctoral stay can also apply. To attract more applicants and, not least, approved projects at Uppsala University, the university's research support has actively worked in recent years to support researchers who want to apply for MSCA PF.

"It now seems that our work has paid off. We organized the webinar 'Writing competitive MSCA PF grant proposals' for the first time in 2019. Then we went from a couple of approved grants in 2016 and 2017 to a total of eight in 2019. With nine awarded grants now coming to Uppsala University, we are setting a new record. It's really exciting," says Anna Holen, research advisor at the Division for Research and Collaboration Support.

In May, the next application round for MSCA PF opens with a deadline of September 10, 2025. In April and May, the research support offers the webinar 'Writing competitive MSCA PF grant proposals.'

"The webinar is aimed at researchers planning to apply with Uppsala University as the host organization. Both postdocs applying themselves and supervisors recruiting a postdoc can participate in the webinar," says Anna Holen.

Kerstin Henriksson