One of the exciting new features introduced under the Horizon Europe framework for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships is the non-academic placement. This optional phase allows researchers to gain hands-on experience outside the traditional university environment, by collaborating with an industry or non-academic partner. The goal? To bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application, build new skills, and explore how research can contribute to innovation beyond academia.
For my own placement, I’ve had the chance to collaborate with ZOIC, a cutting-edge Paleotech company based right here in Trieste. ZOIC specializes in the restoration, reconstruction and optimal display of paleontological specimens. From building large exibits to to developing visualizations for museums and science communication, their work brings deep-time science to life through highly skilled specimen preparations.
Although the non-academic placement is normally scheduled for the final months of the fellowship, in our case we had to be a bit creative — and fast-track the collaboration. Because, as it turns out, samples don’t wait!
In this early-phase placement, we’re been exploring how academic researchers can integrate into the workflows of a commercial paleotechnology company. It’s been a fascinating start— and a steep learning curve. As a biological anthropologist, I’ve never worked directly with paleontological material before. This placement pushes me to extend my expertise in bone analysis, mineralisation, and ossification processes, while also giving me the chance to apply my newly acquired synchrotron radiation skills in fresh and challenging ways. Here a few snaps from what that working environment looks like – much more to come !
