Sparking curiosity: the role of research infrastructures within the ATTRACT Academy
The ATTRACT Academy is an educational initiative designed to foster entrepreneurship among Europe’s young talent. Launched as part of the ATTRACT project, it brings together students from different disciplines, including physics, design, and finance to collaborate on real-world applications of emerging technologies. In a recent episode from the Science|Business podcast, Michael Krisch, director of research at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), explores ATTRACT Academy’s mission to provide students with unique opportunities to engage directly with emerging technologies, while also learning how to translate them into potential business ventures, among many other important issues.
During the interview, Krisch highlights that research infrastructures like ESRF or CERN play a crucial role in breaking down barriers between scientific disciplines, a challenge the ATTRACT Academy has addressed through its interdisciplinary training approach. This collaborative environment helps students gain a deeper understanding of the tech landscape, making it easier for them to navigate and contribute to innovation as well as provides them with the opportunity to engage with experts who have sharpened their skills over many years.
“Once you spark their interest (of students), you see the eyes starting to sparkle, and you see a genuine interest of curiosity to really help and understand and move forward”, commented Michael Krisch.
Looking ahead, the ESRF director of research envisions the ATTRACT model being expanded beyond its current focus. He believes it could be applied to other technological areas of societal importance by partnering with specialized universities and research institutions. This collaborative approach would further enhance the Academy’s capacity to nurture tech talent and strengthen Europe’s competitive edge in innovation.
The Academy is funded as part of the ATTRACT project, a two-phase, multi-year Horizon 2020 initiative led by CERN, and including ESRF, Esade Business School, Aalto University, the European Space Observatory, European XFEL, Institut Laue-Langevin, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the European Industrial Research Management Association.
Here you can listen to the Science|Business podcast “Hot Talent: how to train Tech Innovators”.
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