 We are live. Nadia, you shouldn't mute your microphone. We can't hear you. OK, so welcome to this question and answer session on the joint ICTP, IEA, Sandwich Training Educational Program, the STEP program. I'm Nadia Bingley, the coordinator of the program at ICTP. And before going further, I would like to ask all participants to please keep your microphones muted in this part. There will be a live question and answer session where you will be able to indicate your question by raising your hand. And I will then call your name and ask you to unmute yourself and to ask your question. Before that, I would like to first present some colleagues from IEA Anti-CTP who are involved in this initiative from IEA, the Iscala Ferreira, at IEA Department of Technical Cooperation. She is responsible for the program in which the STEP IEA fellowships are included. The STEP IEA fellowships are funded by the Department of Technical Cooperation at IEA under the Technical Cooperation funds. From ICTP, there is Mary-Anne. Mary-Anne is the head of the Public Information Office. There is Sandra Alimanovich, who is the secretary of charge of the STEP office. And OK, so with us today, we have also two STEP fellows, so I love my Nourgul Noursapina, who is an IEA STEP fellow. And Saladin Mouza, who is a ICTP STEP fellow. Oh, you see him also here. So I will first give you a brief overview of the program. You can find further information on the website of the program on the web pages of the program on the ICTP website. So this program is offering fellowships, fellowship opportunities in physics, mathematics, and related area to PhD students who are enrolled in a PhD program in developing countries. So it is a necessary condition to be enrolled in a PhD program in a developing country. And the fellowship supports visits to ICTP or to a collaborating scientific institution for visits of typically three to four months per year for three consecutive years during the PhD. And at the host institution, the STEP fellow has a co-advisor provided also by the program who supervises the research and training of the fellow at the host institution. So the host institution are indicated also on the program website. And this institution cover a broad range of fields in physics, mathematics, and related area. And having also experts in those fields in those institutions. Under these programs, there are ICTP-sponsored fellowships in the fields which are of the technical and scientific competence of ICTP. And these are also described in the program web page. And there are IE-sponsored fellowships in IE fields that are also indicated on the web page. So this is a program which provides opportunity to go abroad during your PhD and gain some additional experience at the international level with expert in your area with whom you can carry out your research at the host institution for your PhD or obtain expert training in an area related to your PhD. And this while you remain enrolled in your home institution for the PhD. Presently, we have about 30 step students who have ongoing plans of visit in the program. And so far, there are over 150 step fellows who have completed the program and have obtained the PhD. And there are about 10 to 14 new fellowships awarded each year in this program. And the deadline, the coming deadline for the applications is 15 of April. So I just wanted to ask Carla and Sandra or Sandra if they would like to add some comments before asking the fellows to actually tell us about their. I don't know if Carla wants to say something first. Then I will say just a few words about some process on the application. So I go to you. Hello, everyone. It's really nice to see you all. Can you hear me? Very well. OK, I'm looking forward to any questions that come from the participants in this webinar. Thank you, ICTP, for organizing it. I think from the side of the IAEA, one of the important points to note is that if you are speaking IAEA sponsorship, you will need your government's endorsement of your application. So we can talk a little bit more about that maybe after Sandra talks about the application process. But that's something just to bear in mind for the people listening to us for the future. Thank you so much. Bye bye. I look forward to the questions. Thank you, Carla. Thank you. So I just wanted to tell you something about the applications that there are two parts of the applications. The first part should be completed by the applicant, by you, and the second part of the application has to be completed by your supervisor. So if both parts of the applications are not submitted, the applications will not be considered by the selection committee. Therefore, your PhD supervisor should fill out his part of the application before the closing date. So within the deadline, which is 15 of April, you can always check the status of submission of the reference letter directly on the online application form. I just wanted to tell you that we don't send reminders to referees. So it is up to you to remind them and to send the letter. There is a resend button. So you can always check the status. In case the referee doesn't receive your request, you can tell them, tell him to check his. Sometimes it goes to spam junk folder. Otherwise, you can resend the request. If it doesn't work, if this doesn't work, you can contact the step office and it will help to you. So just ensure that your referees send also his letter within the deadline. If you have other questions, you can always send an email to step at ictp.it. I will reply to you. That's all. If you have any questions, just feel free to ask me. Thanks, Sandra. OK, so now you would like to ask Nurgul, Nur Sapine, if she can briefly present herself to us from where she is, which country and host institute and to us a little bit about her experience and if she has some advices for those who would like to apply now. OK, good afternoon, everyone. My name is Nurgul. I'm from Kazakhstan, from Almaty, from Alfa-Rabbi-Kazakhousen University. Current time, I'm a 30-year PhD student. And my host institution is the Institute of Joseph Stefan in Lyubljana, Slovenia. Actually, my PhD dissertation work is focusing on the application of mineral fertilizers and the transfer of the heavy metals and radio nucleic into the plant root system and the effect of application of mineral fertilizer to this system. And with this stepfellow, with this stepfellow ship, I was able to make some analysis that we don't have in Kazakhstan. For example, is the K0, which we carry it out here in Lyubljana, and also other analysis, like the determination of pridinoclides using the new methods, which we are not using in Kazakhstan with the tandem separation. So there is more detail with chemistry. So if you have a question, please ask or. OK, thank you. Nadja, sorry, I did not hear you. Sorry, sorry. Thank you, Nurkul. I have also wanted to mention Nurkul is a stepfellow. So you will, I mean, for the participants, you will be able to ask questions to, I mean, also Nurkul and the other stepfellows who will also tell us a little bit about himself. So now I would like to ask Salahadin to tell us also, similarly, from where he is and where he did the step visits and a bit about his experience. So please, Salahadin. OK, good afternoon. Do you hear me? Very well. OK, thank you. Thank you for inviting me to share my experience about ICTP step program. To introduce myself, I'm Salahadin Saik. I'm a PhD student in Addisaba University in the fields of computer science. Ethiopia. And I had this step fellowship starting from 2018, 2021, to do my research in the wireless communication laboratory, which is located in my ICTP, Marko Nida. So I do my research under the supervision of Dr. Marko Zinario. Before joining this step program, I came to know about this step program due to my workshop visit in 2018, which is organized by, again, Dr. Marko Zinario. So I didn't know about this opportunity. Then when I asked about how could you support my PhD program when I asked him, then try to apply. We have this step fellowship program. Try to apply. And due to that, I get to introduce about this step program. Then I applied, and I got the chance to come every four months per year. So that is how I can do this ICTP and through this step program. So my PhD normally on internet of things, specifically internet of vehicles, to say something about internet of things. Now a day, computers are communicating each other. That is what you call it, internet. But the future of internet is not only computers are communicating each other, but device everything around us, even vehicle can communicate with another vehicle. So my research topic is how we are able to make communication between vehicle with vehicles with other pedestrians. Everything on the road can communicate and to avoid the accidents, the traffic jam, all the scenarios in the road. That is the idea of smart city or smart transportations. So in general, my research area was about internet of vehicles. And on top of that, I am also making this internet of things to more intelligent. So I use artificial intelligence. So under this umbrella of my research, I am able to conduct paper. And I published three papers during my visit in this ICTP program. So I could not accomplish all these things without the help of ICTP. So in this Marco Nilab, I have got the opportunity to utilize all the wireless communication devices, platforms. So it makes me to explore more about the technology where I'm working on. So it is a great advantage for me because in my home country, in my program, we register for this PhD program, six students. So almost all my friends still do not present their proposal, PhD proposals. But just to this ICTP opportunity, I am about to finish my PhD. In coming to three months, I am able to finalize my PhD program. So I highly recommend this step program for the new student to apply. It is a good opportunity. Thank you so much. This is what I want to say. Thank you very much for this nice presentation. So now I can start with the questions. If you have questions, either to the stepfellows who are here or to ask for my ICTP or a colleague for my IA, please raise your hand to indicate the question. I cannot read the chat. So OK, can you unmute yourself? Hello, let me see. OK, I don't see it. Can you raise your hand? Nadia, there is a question in the chat from a fellow from camera room. Hello, we cannot access the chat. Can you read the? Thomas, can the participant raise their hands? As I know, yes. Ah, OK. Let's raise your hand. Yes, yes, yes. OK, now it's Gumbu. Gumbu, can you unmute yourself and ask your question? Yes, hello to everyone. I'm Sebastian Gumbu from camera room. Hello, hello. Yes, yes. OK, so I have about two questions. The first one is how many positions can be filled for one country? Let's say since I'm from camera room, how many positions are available at ICTP program for camera room? If we are more than five PhD students, can we all apply and get a position? OK, so. And this is related to our laboratory because too many I really want to apply. OK, yes. If this is from the same laboratory, usually we recommend not to apply the same year because, I mean, it's unlikely to take two from the same laboratory at the same time. So perhaps you can apply on different years. That would be the advice. OK, how if other students are from? Excuse me? OK, how if other students are from other universities? From different universities? Yeah, from different universities. Well, OK, it depends and also on the fields. I mean, if these are different fields, it may be possible. OK, thank you. The second question was about the support ICTP used to give to a nuclear physicist. You know, previous years, like in 2014, 2012, we do have a nuclear physics field at ICTP. And then many students, we also have a friend who went there for this training, Sandwich Program. But now the nuclear physics field is not longer on the ICTP program. I don't know why. I recall the associate program. It's still open the 21st of this month. We have medical physics field. We have astrophysics, but we don't have nuclear physics. How about those who are working in the field of nuclear physics? OK, maybe Carla can complement my answer. But we have other host institutions that are covering these fields. So in this case, it would be in a collaborating host institution. But the program can work as well in those cases. So it depends on the details of your research, where it would be the most appropriate. But this would be in a collaborating institution. OK, thank you. OK, so yeah, the Nurgull for instance and several fellows in environmental radiation are hosted by the Joseph Stephan Institute in Ljubljana. So this is an example. And also some of the topics are covered by our institution in Trieste or Italy. That's possible. And also in our laboratories in Cyborgs or in Monaco for some specific topics. Yes, yes, yes. Thank you for the clarification. It do become an issue when we have to apply for associate program, associate scheme. Now we really want to apply under the nuclear physics field. But we don't have that possibility. We just have astrophysics or medical physics that is somehow close to nuclear physics. But it is not the same thing. Yeah, that's the main problem we encounter sometimes. We feel like, OK, nuclear physicists have been neglected by ICTP. I don't know. Somehow. No, no, at ICTP, well, it's not I mean, OK, they are the institution in Trieste and DIFINFN in particular, with whom we are collaborating. Carla, you would like to add? I think the removal of nuclear physics from that list was before my time. So I don't have a historical perspective on why that was done. I would suggest that you could apply anyway because the selection panel looks through each and every application on its merit. It's a very competitive process. But if it's a topic, as Nadia was saying, for which there is a collaborating centre, and if it's a topic where there is some interest from ICTP or IAEA from the technical side, then I'm sure it would still be considered, even if it's not on that specific list. Thank you. You shouldn't mute your microphone, Nadia. OK, yes. I will add one of the issues that may be also helpful to know is related to the COVID situation. Nadia, maybe before there is another question. OK, OK. Sarah Motalebi. It's not you. Do you know if the ICTP will decide on the whole institute and the course supervisor? I think that it is the task of the step committee. So is it Sarah? Sarah. Yes. So maybe, Sarah, you can unmute yourself. Hello. Hi. Thank you so much. I'm Sarah Motalebi. I wanted to ask about the course supervisor part in the application. I have, for example, a particular person in mind. For example, I follow the publications, and I, for example, like somebody. And what I wanted to ask is, when I apply, should I mention that particular person or is it the ICTP who would decide on the course supervisor for that project? Actually, suggestions for the course supervisor are very welcome. So the committee will certainly take it into account. So certainly, you are welcome. From which country are you? I forgot to mention that maybe you can also tell us from when you ask the question from which country you are. Sarah, from which country are you? Currently, I'm in North Cyprus, which I'm not even sure if it's from the developing country. It's supported by Turkey. So I guess it's included in the third country. Turkey is also a little bit. Yeah, it's North Cyprus. Also, the governments are related. So my other question is, I'm studying for the qualification exam. And my exam will be in, for example, fall semester. But in the application forms, I saw that it's required for the applicants who succeed the program to stay three months the first year in the institute. But I'm not sure if I, for example, apply and get in how it would be for my qualification exam because I still need to be here. And it's just something in my mind that I wanted to just ask. How would it be, for example, if you get accepted? And then are you supposed to be there? I mean, there is some flexibility. You have to be present for the exam this year, correct? Yes, yes. I'm still studying the courses, finished. And for the qualification, they don't, I mean, after summer in the fall. But there is no exact date, like they will decide. And I think the year would almost finish. Well, OK, there is some flexibility. You may also indicate in your application that the preferred starting date would be next year. The committee will. Yeah, and you know, sorry, the other issue would be like thesis officially starts in my university after qualification. But for example, now I'm doing some preparation. Like it's not officially started. So would that be an issue in application? Well, you will have to ask. I mean, the question which will be asked is if you are a PhD student and I mean, if you are on the path, I think that that is acceptable. And my last question, sorry for many questions. My question is, for example, I'd like somebody in CISA. And if I get to work with him, should I go there to stay for each of these days? Like it would be for three years, but very. OK, so the fellowships is for three to four months per year for three consecutive years. So yes, so it's not for three full years, just three months. Yeah, but in that institute or ICTP. OK, so usually we prefer if the fellow is close to the co-advisor, of course. So we would arrange with the co-supervisor, the co-advisor to have some office space at CISA. OK, thank you so much. Thank you so much. Well, we would try. Thank you. Bye bye. Any other questions? So I don't see. So maybe there is just some additional information we provide perhaps Sandra can say something in this. I mean, the program is continuing in spite of COVID. So maybe Sandra can say something about this. However, we are very well organized also to support students also in this difficult period. However, the state of emergency in Italy is currently set to expire on the 31st of March this year. So hopefully something positive will happen. However, all students who are invited now in this moment need the green pass. I mean, the super green pass is mandatory in Italy. So all those, for example, now vaccinated with different type of vaccine will have to undergo one dose of EMA, recognized vaccine in Trieste. And our offices, our medical and our visa office will support students in this. Currently, students has to undergo the seven days of self-isolation in one of our guest houses. We fully support students. They don't have to pay for the seven days spent in this house. After that, after the self-isolation period, they can, with a negative swap test, we help them to obtain the green pass. And then they can start their visit and they can start, how to say, move and go out from the from the from the ICTP, Adriatico or Galileo Best House. Other things in this moment, I mean, we have many students actually now. We have 10 students are coming in the next month. So I can say that it worked quite smoothly. I mean, we don't, despite these problems, despite the COVID, they're able to organize their visits and stay here in Trieste. I don't know what else to say since you have not been invited yet. I mean, it's difficult to talk, but I just want to ensure that, I mean, there are not such a big problems in Italy. And if you have some questions, please feel free to ask me, I will be very willing to reply to you. I see that nobody raised their hands. I don't know what is going on. I will not be sure, yes. Maybe I ask Carla for the side of the laboratory our visits also ongoing, presently. Yes, it's a very small number and we do it on a case-by-case basis because the travel restrictions vary from country to country. But we have also been able to continue, yes. Thank you. And we saw also in Ljubljana, it's working without quarantine, it seems, from what Norco Ljubljana has said, it is good. That depends from the country. And in Savin, they are accepting that our vaccine, the Russian vaccine. So I'm fully vaccinated and yesterday, they checked me by antigen test and today they tell me that I'm negative. So I can work and here is they are following all restrictions, like in the office who are sitting just two persons, in the lab is the same and we're in the mass distance and everybody's following these rules. So it's possible to work when it's pandemic in the world. So, yeah. Okay, so, any other, yes, I see Kazim Ali, can you unmute yourself? Can you tell us from which, anything you are, hello? Hello everyone, I am Kazim Ali from Pakistan. Thank you for the moment for the ending this seminar and next thing I want to ask, that when after 15th of April, when it will recall students, because we have, I am, because I said earlier that I'm Pakistan, I'm going through my coursework and I need to know when ICTP will finalize this application process after 15th of April. Second thing I want to ask, that should, I have to prepare my research proposal with my supervisor here in my university or we have to, we have to form this research proposal with the ICTP course. Yes, ma'am? Sorry, yes, concerning the results, the outcome, typically the selection is in May and I think you can expect the outcome in June from the selection. Concerning the project, I mean, it's a project that comes from you and your supervisor at the home institution, but if you, I mean, already know someone, I mean, who would be the co-supervisor, it's a very good idea also to interact with that person before to finalize the project. So, ma'am? Ma'am, please make it clear that before, meanwhile I am preparing my application, I have to contact someone at ICTP for co-supervision? It's not necessary. It's, if you have already someone in mind that you would like to suggest a co-supervisor, but it can also, you can also write your project, I mean, the project with your supervisor at home country and then when an application is selected, the committee finds an appropriate co-supervisor. So, it's up to you and your supervisor how you will prefer to proceed. This program is also a good opportunity to strengthen collaboration between the home group and the host group or to establish a collaboration which usually lasts even after the fellowship. So, it's also a good, I mean, or catalyzes some collaboration also in this program. Yeah, thank you, thank you so much ma'am. Thank you. So, there is another question from Attifa. Can you unmute yourself? Yes, maybe. Ali, can you raise your hand? Okay, yes, Attifa. We cannot hear you. Maybe she can type message, Nadia. Maybe she can just message in the chat. Yes, maybe. Attifa, can you write your message in the chat? Don't see. No. Okay, I guess. Is someone else, some other query? No, no other questions. Okay, last chance. Okay, well, if you have any questions, okay, well, if you have some other question, you can write to us also at step at ictp.it. And, I mean, also, while, I mean, if there are questions about the applications also, we will forward it. If there are technical questions to our IT team. Nadia, there is another question in the chat. Okay, let's see. String theorist. Yes, from whom is it? Antonio Kochev. Can you read it? It's the String theorist. Yes, our String theorist welcome. Or is the program specific to Comtheories? Competition? No, no. They are string theorists at ictp. So I'm in the Trieste area. So this is also one of the, I mean, it's part of the fields that are of ictp scientific competence also. Okay. So if all questions have been answered, so I wish you all the best. Thank you very much to all of you for your participation. Thanks to Nurkul and to Salahadin. And thanks to Carla for my year. Thank you. Thank you so much for organizing Nadia and Sandra. Thank you. And thank you Maria and also to Thomas for this. All right. Thank you all. Bye-bye. Thank you. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Thank you so much.