Highlights from the Online Symposium of STSM and VM Grantees

The Online Symposium of STSM and VM Grantees, held on 23 October 2025, brought together around 50 members of the EU4MOFs network to celebrate the achievements of researchers supported through the Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM) and Virtual Mobility (VM) grants — key programs enabling scientific exchange, skill development, and interdisciplinary cooperation.

The symposium was opened by Romy Ettlinger, who introduced COST Action CA22147 (EU4MOFs) and highlighted its mission to unite academic and industrial partners in transforming MOFs from laboratory discoveries into real-world technologies. She emphasized the Action’s commitment to reproducibility, open science, and community building.

Quim Peña, Grant Awarding Coordinator, followed with an overview of the STSM and VM programs, explaining their vital role in fostering collaboration, training, and the exchange of knowledge across Europe.

Session 1 – STSM grantees

Chaired by Olesia Kulyk, the first session featured presentations from STSM grantees who completed scientific visits across Europe, sharing results that spanned MOF synthesis, processing, and data-driven research.

Theresa Bloehs opened with her study on the reproducibility of multicomponent MOF synthesis, emphasizing the importance of consistency across laboratories. E. Eja Petersen explored life-cycle assessments of MOF syntheses, while Sara Talebi Deylamani demonstrated phase control of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks in aqueous media. Further talks included Didem Aydin on biohybrid MOF composites and Miroslava Filip Edelmannová on MOF–Ti–Ni and MOF–Ti–Cu photocatalysts for hydrogen generation. Thao Nguyen presented volumetric printing of MOP microbots for catalysis, and Kay Özkan showcased porphyrin-MOF electrodes for energy conversion. Daniel Pereira analyzed CALF-20 MOF for CO₂/CH₄ separation in biogas upgrading, and Subhajit Dutta introduced 3D-printed macroscopic MOF aerogels.
The session concluded with David Gryc’s analysis of MOF databases — a data-driven approach connecting experimental and computational efforts in materials design.

Session 2 – VM grantees

The second session, also chaired by Olesia Kulyk, featured our Virtual Mobility (VM) grantees — researchers who collaborated remotely to advance projects beyond borders.

Ocean Cheung opened with “The Story of MOFCast”, a podcast connecting MOF researchers worldwide and sharing stories behind the science. Next came a presentation by Frank Hoffmann, who unveiled MOF Universe 2.0 — an expanded digital platform for MOF data and collaboration.
Shun Tokuda followed with a demonstration of a user-friendly graphical interface for the Material Preparation Information Format (MPIF), encouraging all researchers to use MPIF in their work to promote reproducibility and FAIR data standards. Finally, Olena Bondar presented The MOFspace, a webinar series designed to strengthen community knowledge exchange. The first webinar was successfully held on 28 October 2025, with the next scheduled for 25 November 2025, inviting all members to participate and stay connected.

The symposium concluded with thanks to all grantees and host supervisors whose efforts embody the EU4MOFs mission of promoting collaboration and innovation in MOF research. Grantees reflected on how these grants have shaped their research careers, the challenges they overcame during implementation, and the new collaborations and future projects that have emerged as a result. The event demonstrated how the STSM and VM programs empower early-career scientists to exchange expertise, build partnerships, and advance toward a shared vision of a reproducible, open, and sustainable MOF research community.

🎥 Watch the full recording here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb2qVlAPDpQ

If you are thinking about applying for any of our grant programs — including STSM or VM — go for it! These opportunities are designed to help you grow scientifically, expand your network, and make a lasting impact.

Stay connected with our ongoing initiatives:
🎧 MOFCast — the podcast connecting MOF researchers worldwide
💾 MPIF — the Material Preparation Information Format for reproducible data sharing
🌐 MOF Universe 2.0 — digital collaboration platform
💬 MOFspace Webinars — regular online events for knowledge exchange and networking