The Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) will host three new PhD researchers through the prestigious INPhINIT doctoral fellowships awarded by the ”la Caixa” Foundation. These highly competitive fellowships aim to attract and retain outstanding international talent at leading research centres in Spain and Portugal.
As part of the 2025 call, the ”la Caixa” Foundation has awarded 60 doctoral and 40 postdoctoral fellowships to excellent researchers to carry out their projects. The programme not only provides competitive funding, but also offers comprehensive cross-disciplinary training in areas such as scientific communication, leadership, and career development .
The three doctoral researchers joining ICCUB will contribute to the institute’s research in fundamental physics, strengthening its activities in cosmology, gravitation, and theoretical physics.
International talent in fundamental physics
Mariami Mtchedlidze, from Georgia, will pursue a PhD in Particle Physics and Gravitation. Her academic path has been shaped by strong international experience, with studies in Tbilisi, Rome, and Bremen במסגרת the Erasmus Mundus Master’s programme in Astrophysics and Space Science. Her research interests focus on gravitational physics and cosmology, with the aim of fostering collaboration and innovation in these fields.
Nell Weidemann, born in Liège (Belgium), joins the PhD programme in Physics. Specialised in cosmology and the large-scale structure of the Universe, she completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Liège with high honours. She aims to combine research and teaching, contributing to major open questions in physics while inspiring future generations.
Sebastián Nicolás Mendoza Vasconez, from Quito (Ecuador), will carry out his PhD in Physics with a focus on theoretical physics. He completed his undergraduate studies at Jacobs University Bremen and further specialised through the Mathematical Tripos (Part III) at the University of Cambridge. His interests lie at the intersection of quantum physics and gravity, particularly in holography, as well as in condensed matter physics, machine learning, and quantum information science.
A programme fostering research excellence
The ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowship programme is one of the most significant initiatives promoted by a private organisation in Europe, both in terms of the number of fellowships awarded and the breadth of disciplines covered. In this edition, more than €22 million will be allocated to doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, co-funded by the European Commission through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND Actions .
With the incorporation of these three researchers, ICCUB continues to strengthen its international outlook and its commitment to excellence in cosmos sciences.
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