POLiS researcher granted Humboldt Researach Fellowship

We had the pleasure of speaking with Chinmaya Mirle , recipient of the prestigious #Humboldt #Research #Fellowship for #postdocs. It is awarded to exceptionally qualified scientists from abroad who are at the beginning of their scientific career and completed their doctorate no more than four years ago.? First of all, congratulations on receiving a Humboldt Fellowship Chinmaya Mirle !

??? How does one become a Humboldt Scholar?

As with most scholarships, you have to write a proposal which addresses a #scientific #problem at the very basic level and choose a #host from an institute in Germany. The proposal should necessarily have a clear and comprehensive plan of actions for two years, this needs to be submitted to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation online. The applications are usually reviewed by a committee three times per year (in March, July, and November). So make sure to submit your complete documents well in advance for the above mentioned time.

??? How did your research at POLiS - Cluster of Excellence help you for the Humboldt Fellowship?

POLiS has #researchers working on different problems at a common place. This allows us to interact with people working on different #components of a #battery and speed up our understanding of the #challenges faced in each of these components. A number of groups work on #organic small #molecule and #polymer #cathodes. We regularly discussed between the groups about the progress of the work and realized that #sulphonamide based polymers haven’t been explored. This helped me in homing in on the problem that I need to work for the #Humboldt #Fellowship.

??? How did you get the news that you will be granted the Humboldt Fellowship and what was your first reaction?

It is a wish of any researcher to be a Humboldtian. It has meticulous planning and discussions to write the proposal. So, I would expect it to be a positive outcome at the end of the journey. It was March 14th, which is also my sister’s birthday. I opened my e-mail and saw a mail from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Just before opening message, I was praying that it is not a rejection letter. Obviously, I was over the moon when I read the mail stating that my proposal has been accepted for the Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdocs. I immediately called up my host, family, and friends to share the happy news.

??? Where will you be based and who will be your host?

I will be based at Universit?t Ulm and working in the framework of #POLiS. My host will be Prof. Dr. Alexander Kuehne, Institute Director of the Institute of Organic Chemistry III at Ulm University, whom I had already included in my proposal when applying for the Humboldt Fellowship.

??? How significant is the role of the host in the proposal?

I owe so much to my host Prof. Dr. Alexander Kuehne who supported my idea and motivated me to write the proposal so the journey started from there. Ideation is only an initial step. But to convert that idea into a tangible proposal is something special. Going through the entire journey was a bit challenging at times. But, regrouping myself and coming back with renewed energy to improve the proposal was also the phase I enjoyed the most. This process?reveals who we are and it strengthens our character! This journey will serve as a stepping stone for the many challenges that I’m going to face in the future. And I’m grateful to my host for the continuous support during the writing phase.

??? Could you give us a short summary of the project your research group is working on?

The KuehneLab that I am part of is focussing on the #synthesis of #functional #molecules – small and large – for applications in the area of #photonics, #energystorage, and #biomedicine. Furthermore, we explore new ways for structure formation and make non-processable polymers moldable and small particles self-assemble into any desired shape. My project involves the #synthesis of #polymer #particles as #redox-active #materials in #cathodes for #sodiumion #batteries.

??? And what is your role in the research group?

As already mentioned, The KuehneLab is specialized in synthesis of polymer and its particles. I will have the opportunity to learn about the #material #synthesis, #characterisation and expand my understanding in that direction. I will strengthen the group in #electrochemistry and #energy #storage #devices, as battery #materials #design, #cell #fabrication, and #electrochemical #characterisation are my area of #expertise. So, I will be contributing to the group via comprehensive #investigation of the electrochemical properties of the materials.

??? When are you starting the Humboldt Fellowship Program and how long will it last?

First of all, I will be attending a German language course until the end of September and then start the Humboldt Program afterwards, meaning from October 2023. Some branches of study require that the candidate possesses language skills to navigate their research in Germany, which necessarily involves interaction with people in the region. However, it isn’t necessary to learn German language for conducting research in Germany.

??? What research will you focus on during your fellowship and will you still be doing research within the Cluster of Excellence POLiS?

I will be focusing on the design of small molecule and polymer cathodes for Na-ion batteries. This is also the topic of my proposal to the Humboldt Foundation. And yes, I will continue to work in the Cluster of Excellence POLiS during my Humboldt Fellowship, which I am very excited about and thankful for.

??? How is the Humboldt Fellowship helping you do your research?

The Humboldt Fellowship encourages me to pursue my research independently, and by opening doors to establish new #colloborations and initiate #joint #projects with renowed #national and #international #research groups. The enhanced chances of #networking could be achieved by attending several scientific conferences.

??? The Humboldt Fellowships are considered to be among the most prestigious and generous awards in Germany – what does it mean to you personally having been granted this fellowship?

Apart from being prestigious and generous, Humboldt Fellowship provides plethora of #opportunities in encouraging the candidate‘s research interests. It provides #Humboldtians with a very good #platform for #research in the future too, assisting in collaborating with German institutes. The Humboldt Fellowship enhances the chance of continuing my #career in #academics as it provides ample opportunities to explore #independent #reseach. Every research output is determined by the freedom in thought while working. The fellowship provides us with freedom as a researcher to conduct research independently. By this, the quality of research is kept really high and has fuelled my personal goal of landing my career in #academia.

??? Do you already have plans – or dreams – of what will come after the Humboldt Fellowship?

Fingers crossed. Being granted the Humboldt Fellowship has actually opened up the gateway for me to explore numerous #opportunities in research and academia. I’m sure I will be exploring different #possibilities but not sure where destiny will take me.

??? What were your highlights during your time in the Cluster of Excellence POLiS?

POLiS is a perfect platform for researchers working in different domains to come together and discuss their challenges. This allows for faster transfer of knowledge, which makes it easier to come up with new ideas to explore.

??? What are you looking forward to the most during the Humboldt Fellowship?

The foundation organises a number of #colloquia and #network #meetings to enhance the connectivity of Humboldtians worldwide. I am very much looking forward to the annual meeting of the Humboldt Foundation, for which the Federal President of Germany usually holds a reception in the park of Schloss Bellevue in Berlin, which will give me the opportunity to meet and exchange with fellow Humboldtians. However, my primary focus is to work on my proposed research plan.

Heartfelt thanks my host Prof. Dr. Alexander Kuehne for his support during the application phase for this fellowship. I would also like to thank POLiS - Cluster of Excellence and Universit?t Ulm for providing me with facilities necessary to carry out my research in Germany.

The renowned Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdocs is awarded to exceptionally qualified scientists from abroad who are at the beginning of their scientific career and completed their doctorate no more than four years ago. An Alexander von Humboldt Foundation research fellowship is highly coveted because it often leads to a career in science. According to a study by the Foundation, four out of every five researchers achieve a full professorship within 20 years of their research stay in Germany.