In the context of efforts to promote science in the community and encourage young people to pursue careers in research, the project “Center for Counseling and Guidance in Research Careers – Western Region” makes a significant contribution. Funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Component 9: Support for the private sector, research, development, and innovation, Investment I10, this project aims to establish and support a national network of eight regional career guidance centers, part of the ERA TALENT platform.

One of the project’s initiatives is to conduct interviews with prominent figures in the scientific field in order to demystify this field and make it more accessible to young people. In this context, a remarkable interview was conducted with Mr. Maxim Chernodub, senior researcher and project director of PNRR I8.

Mr. Chernodub focuses on quantum physics, working at the Denis Poisson Institute, a collaboration between the University of Orléans and the University of Tours, France. He also coordinates one of the I8 projects in the Western region, funded by the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

In the interview, Mr. Chernodub talks about his beginnings in quantum physics, his first visit to Romania, and his impressions of working with the West University of Timișoara. He also describes his team’s research field, which focuses on quark-gluon plasma, a state of matter that existed in the first microseconds after the Big Bang. In addition, the senior researcher discusses the possibilities of applying theoretical research in practice or technology and offers valuable advice for young researchers at the beginning of their careers.

The full interview with Mr. Maxim Chernodub is available in bot   english, as well in romanian