Missions

The RU MolSYs is a small but coherent RU. It has a well-balanced composition of high level scientists, with a good age distribution. The members are deeply involved in the life of the Institution. The Instrumentation is excellent but expensive to maintain and to renew. The number and the quality of research contracts are excellent and funds obtained are sufficient to hire external scientists on defined term contracts and cover the running costs.

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iring permanent scientists or professors will remain difficult because of institutional constraints. A careful selection will be mandatory, in close collaboration with the Chemistry Department. For large investments and permanent recruitment, the added value of the RU is important. It reinforces the position of all members at all levels, from Institutional to international. A challenge will be to maintain the balance between individual and group visibility, fundamental and applied research. Here again, the RU will bring a real long-term added value.

In the recent context of deep restructuration of research activities at the University of Liège, a strategic reorganization has been initiated within the Department of Chemistry. Education and research in Chemistry impact a large portion of the University since four major Faculties are involved, including the Faculty of Sciences, the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine (and Pharmacy), as well as Gembloux Agrobiotech. Since the 1970s, the Department of General Chemistry and Physical chemistry oversaw the research activities of various experimental and theoretical physical chemistry laboratories, which were also in charge of teaching General and Physical Chemistry in the Faculties of Sciences and Applied Sciences. The introduction of larger Departments merging education and research activities eventually led to the creation of the actual Department of Chemistry, as well as a distinct Department of Chemical Engineering within the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Over the last 2 years, upon recommendation from the authorities of the University, efforts have been made to rationalize and cluster research activities, as well as to segregate research and education.  These efforts aim at increasing research visibility and efficiency, to foster the benefit of a more integrated financial management of research. The effort triggered the inception of Research Units (RUs), while teaching activities remained under the umbrella of the various Departments. Within this context, research activities within the Department of Chemistry were split into two structures according to their main research areas: a first structure dedicated to materials, which was incorporated into the RU CESAM (Complex and Entangled Systems from Atoms to Materials, in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Physics) and a second one dedicated to molecules. This latter structure was named MolSys (Molecular Systems). RU MolSys gathers laboratories dealing with molecules and their interactions, integrating all aspects, from synthesis to theoretical aspects. MolSys is self-sufficient in terms of complementary areas of expertise and is constructed on a large and strong collaborative network deeply rooted in various areas of research in Chemistry at the molecular level with strong connections to environmental, bio and material Sciences.