FUNLAYERS Hackathon at INL: From Ideas to Stronger Proposals
October 27, 2025
On 23 October 2025, INL hosted the FUNLAYERS Hackathon: Sprint to Submission, an initiative organised by INL and the Early-Stage Researchers Association at INL under the EU-funded FUNLAYERS project.
FUNLAYERS – led by INL – is a twinning initiative aimed at propelling INL’s research excellence in the field of layered materials. As part of its capacity-building activities, the hackathon provided INL researchers with a focused environment to develop and strengthen project proposals, enhancing their ability to design competitive and impactful research initiatives.
Throughout the day, participants worked in interdisciplinary teams, supported by mentors who provided feedback on refining project ideas, structuring objectives, and articulating potential impact. The format encouraged constructive dialogue and practical skill development in proposal preparation.
As mentor Dr Sara Abalde reflected, “If I had had this opportunity when I was a junior post-doc, it would have saved me from so many pitfalls.”
The event concluded with a series of pitches recognising the most promising projects.
The activity underscores INL’s commitment to nurturing research excellence and strengthening internal capacities through the FUNLAYERS project, reinforcing INL’s leadership in the European research landscape on layered materials.
