Elizabeth Thomas awarded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship

Exciton Science congratulates Dr Elizabeth Thomas upon receiving a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship from the European Union.

Elizabeth, who has been a member of Dr Alison Funston’s group at Monash University since 2022, will move to Delft University of Technology to work with Professor Arjan Houtepen in September 2024.

As part of the successful grant project, she will also collaborate with Utrecht University’s Dr Freddy Rabouw.

“We'll be looking at the photonic enhancement of indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots in a plasmonic nanoresonator,” Elizabeth said.

“These cost-effective, environment-friendly InP-based nanoresonators could be used in display devices, light-emitting diodes, high-output lights, and lasers."

Elizabeth, who completed her PhD with Exciton Science Associate Investigator Professor K. George Thomas at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, already has a number of professional and personal connections to the new country she is now set to call home.

Exciton Science’s Chief Operating Officer Dr Nick Kirkwood worked as a postdoctoral researcher at TU Delft from 2016 to 2018, and has offered his colleague advice on settling into life in the Dutch city.

But there’s also some unfinished family business waiting there for Elizabeth.

“It's pretty ironic that my brother did his PhD at Leiden University in the Netherlands,” she said.

“For his thesis defense, my parents and I got a visa to travel to the Netherlands. But at the same time, I had to go to Japan for an exchange program as part of my PhD. So, I missed that trip. Now, I have a second chance.”

Elizabeth is following in the footsteps of Dr Francesco Campaioli as the latest Exciton Science member to be successful in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program.  

Former RMIT University postdoctoral researcher Francesco, who is now based at the University of Padova in his native Italy, helped her to navigate the challenging grant application process.

She also received valuable advice from Dr Renzo Fenati, another former Centre member who now works as a grants officer.

“It was very beneficial because I could reach out to people who already went through this, and they know the different aspects of successful grant preparation,” Elizabeth said.

If everything goes according to plan, that won’t be the last time Elizabeth is able to benefit from her connections with the Centre.

“I would absolutely like to collaborate with Exciton Science as it provides an excellent platform,” she said.

“One of the greatest advantages of the center is the opportunity to discuss your work with people with diverse expertise. It's a two-way exchange of knowledge. I have gained a wealth of insights here.

“I hope that in the future, I will collaborate with the wonderful people at Exciton Science. That's what I'm looking forward to.”