UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MESSINA

Their core work

The University of Messina is a mid-sized Italian university with research strengths spanning CO2 conversion technologies, power electronics, and social sciences. Their chemistry and engineering departments contribute to European efforts in transforming CO2 into useful chemicals and fuels using plasma and photo-electrocatalytic methods. They also bring expertise in wide-bandgap semiconductor materials (SiC, GaN) for energy-efficient power conversion in automotive and industrial applications. A smaller but active humanities wing covers topics from organized crime studies to ancient Near Eastern cultural history.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), UNIME focused on open innovation ecosystems, artificial photosynthesis, and CO2 capture in cement production — largely as a third-party contributor to others' projects. From 2019 onward, they stepped up significantly: winning their largest grant (SCOPE, €2.49M) for plasma-based CO2 conversion and deepening their power electronics portfolio with GaN semiconductors. The shift signals a move from supporting roles in broad sustainability topics toward leading research in specific, high-impact energy conversion technologies.

UNIME is consolidating around advanced CO2 conversion (especially plasma-based) and GaN/SiC power electronics — expect them to seek partnerships combining these two threads for green energy applications.

How they like to work

UNIME most often joins projects as a participant or third party (15 of 18 projects), contributing specialized expertise rather than leading consortia. However, their three coordinator roles — including SCOPE at €2.49M — show growing confidence in project leadership. With 232 unique partners across 45 countries, they are a well-connected but not dominant network node, comfortable working in large international consortia while maintaining a diverse partner base rather than relying on repeat collaborators.

UNIME has collaborated with 232 unique partners across 45 countries, giving them a genuinely global reach unusual for a regional Italian university. Their network spans EU member states extensively, with additional connections into Central Asia and the Caucasus through post-Soviet studies.

What sets them apart

UNIME's rare combination of CO2 conversion chemistry and wide-bandgap power semiconductor expertise makes them a natural bridge between green chemistry and energy-efficient electronics — two fields that rarely coexist in a single institution. Their SCOPE project demonstrates they can lead ambitious ERC-scale research, not just contribute. For consortium builders, they offer a Southern Italian base (useful for geographic diversity requirements) with surprisingly broad international connections and a willingness to join as either a specialist contributor or project leader.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SCOPE
  Their flagship: €2.49M ERC grant as coordinator for surface-confined plasma CO2 and ammonia conversion — by far their largest project and a strong signal of research leadership.
• GaN4AP
  Positions UNIME in next-generation GaN power semiconductors for automotive and industrial applications — a high-commercial-relevance topic with direct industry links.
• GALATEO
  An unexpected coordinator role studying ancient Assyrian social etiquette — reveals a strong humanities wing and intellectual range beyond their STEM portfolio.