The Department of Materials Science of the University of Milano-Bicocca launched the first edition of the Collaborative Research and Independence Promotion (CRIP) Prize, a program designed to showcase the ideas of young researchers and foster collaborations between groups with diverse expertise in materials science. This first edition highlights two projects that demonstrate the Department's scientific vitality and the ability of our young researchers to pursue original and ambitious research paths.
The first award-winning group comprises Dr. Erika Ponzini, Dr. Artur Tuktamyshev, and Dr. Eleonora Bonaventura, three researchers with very different yet complementary backgrounds. Erika Ponzini has a background in biochemistry and specialises in physics applied to the study of biological fluids; Artur Tuktamyshev has a background in semiconductor physics and an expert command of materials growth and characterisation techniques; Eleonora Bonaventura specialises in Raman and IR spectroscopy applied to functional materials. Together, they chose to address a far from trivial question: what happens to the surface of Verofilcon A contact lenses (a modern, highly hydrating silicone hydrogel) during daily wear? They hypothesize that the outer layer can change during lens wear, affecting its comfort and functional properties. Exploring this transformation requires advanced techniques and a truly interdisciplinary approach, and it is precisely in this combination of perspectives that the project finds its strength. For the three researchers, who had never collaborated before CRIP, this work marks the beginning of a potential new line of research in which biology and materials science converge to address concrete problems in medical devices. For them, CRIP was first and foremost an opportunity to challenge themselves. They decided to bring their expertise, drawn from diverse fields to the table and realised that, together, they could address this scientific question in an original and comprehensive way. The project allowed them to explore new synergies and build a common language across disciplines.
The second awarded project involves Dr. Silvia Mostoni and Dr. Francesca Cova, both researchers but with distinct scientific backgrounds. Silvia Mostoni, a chemist by training, specialises in the synthesis of inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrid materials using liquid-phase methodologies; Francesca Cova, a physicist, works on the characterisation of luminescent materials for the detection of ionising radiation, with a particular focus on understanding the defects and optical response of scintillators. Their project stems from a recognised need in the scientific community: improving the performance of liquid scintillators, which are limited in their sensitivity to high-energy photons, and making them efficient at detecting γ-rays. At the same time, recent advances in the synthesis and functionalization of metal oxide nanoparticles have demonstrated that it is now possible to control their size, morphology, and compatibility with organic matrices. Their idea is to develop new formulations enriched with high-atomic-number metal oxide nanoparticles that enhance detection efficiency while maintaining transparency and stability. Furthermore, their scintillators will be characterised by good nanoparticle dispersion within the organic matrix, even at high inorganic content. This is a complex challenge that requires both refined chemical control and in-depth knowledge of luminescence mechanisms. For the two researchers, this is also an opportunity to build a lasting collaboration and strengthen their autonomy in designing and conducting research. Given their very different yet highly complementary skills, they intend to leverage the project's strong interdisciplinarity to foster collaboration between diverse fields, including their own, and to learn from each other's experiences. CRIP will also allow them to directly manage key phases of the project, from experimental design to data interpretation, developing their ability to lead research activities independently. Furthermore, developing this project, which focuses on strategic scientific and international topics, can provide the knowledge and opportunities to access funding and broader research networks.
The awards ceremony for the first edition of the CRIP Prize will be held on March 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Seminar Room of the Department of Materials Science (U5 – RATIO). The ceremony will be attended by the Pro-Rector for Research, Professor Leo Ferraris, who will outline the initiatives the University intends to launch to further strengthen its research strategies and infrastructure. During the ceremony, the winners will present their projects in detail and, if available, will also share initial results, offering the departmental community a firsthand look at the research currently underway. This event not only celebrates two projects but also marks the beginning of a journey that will continue in future editions of the award, fuelled by new ideas, synergies, and the talents shaping the Department of Materials Science's future.