The project was implemented under a PEOPLE MARIE CURIE ACTION (International Research Staff Exchange Scheme FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IRSES). The aim was to establish a Worldwide-extending Virtual Center of Excellence in the Area of Nanostructured Magnetic Materials, training of young scientists, spreading of knowledge and expertise, through collaboration and exchange of staff among an international network of research groups with multidisciplinary expertise. 

The network comprises of 6 European Universities and Institutes (NCSR Demokritos Greece, CNR Rome Italy, Josef Stefan Institute Slovenia, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan Poland, University of Ioannina Greece, and University of Nicosia Cyprus), three USA universities (University of Delaware, University of Florida, North Texas University), and the Korean Basic Science Institute (KBSI), one of the most important Korean State Institutes with top large Scale Experimental Facilities.

Coordinator of the network was the NMR group leader Dr. G. Papavassiliou.

Highlights

The joint study on the magnetic properties of Bi₂Se₃, conducted by three members of the consortium, NCSR-D, KBSI and UIOAN, in the course of research on novel nanomagnets for spintronic applications, unveiled the presence of unexpected surface orbital magnetism on Bi-rich Bi₂Se₃ nanoplatelets. The results of this pioneering work enlightened new pathways for potential applications ranging from magnetic spin control and quantum computing to plasmonics and catalytic chemistry. The study which enrolled also academic staff from the Petroleum Institute (Abu Dhabi, UAE), received wide recognition from the financial press in UAE: 

http://www.al-press.com/index.php/en/education/5481-petroleum-institute-researchers-publish-in-npg-asia-materials

This work was published in NPG Asia Materials (2016) 8, e271; doi:10.1038/am.2016.56.