An excellent master’s thesis Argovia Travel Grants worked at the Department of Biomaterials Aris Lafranca investigates Valuable experience for & Biomedical Technology and the Euro- a hybrid resonator students pean Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing at University Medical Center Gron- In 2024, Aris Lafranca received the prize Nanoscience students can apply for Argo- ingen (NL) and at the Department of Chem- for the best master’s thesis in nanosci- via Travel Grants if they are planning to ical Engineering and Biotechnology at the ences at the University of Basel. As part complete project work or a master’s thesis University of Cambridge (UK). One mas- of his winning thesis at the Department abroad. Spending time in an international ter’s student is still working at the Insti- of Physics, the young nanoscientist from research environment gives them access tute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Ticino investigated a hybrid resonator in to highly specialized laboratories, technol- Medicine of the University of Maastricht greater detail. Made of hexagonal boron ogies and research groups that comple- (NL) and will complete her master’s degree nitride and a silicon nitride membrane, ment the opportunities on offer in Basel. in 2025. this resonator could potentially be used Students familiarize themselves with new Reports from students on their time abroad: to measure forces, masses or accelera- methods and start to build up a global sci- https://bit.ly/3Jss64m tion, as well as for biomedical applica- entific network, gaining international ex- tions. Lafranca’s investigations sought to perience that not only drives their aca- better characterize the system and to demic development but also boosts per- monitor and control the influence of tem- sonal skills such as adaptability, intercul- perature. tural communication and independence. Report on Aris Lafranca’s master’s thesis: In 2024, four students benefited from “During my time in Cambridge, https://bit.ly/4grLNGh the offer of financial aid in the form of I was able to practice and im- Video with Aris Lafranca: Argovia Travel Grants. Three of them have prove my skills in the areas of https://youtu.be/UhcM43AK-7s since completed their projects, having scientific planning, discussion and criticism, as well as inter- personal communication. I also benefited from a highly sup- “Aris’ thesis is without a doubt “I’m grateful to the Swiss portive and motivational work- the best and most expertly Nanoscience Institute and ing environment, which gave executed master’ thesis I have Professor Santos for this amaz- me the opportunity to build read here in Basel. ing opportunity. As well as friendships with people from all I am very pleased that he has gaining knowledge and practi- over the world and expand my decided to continue working in cal experience, I discovered scientific network.” experimental physics as a PhD new avenues of professional Michelle Arnet, a former nanosci- student in my group.” and personal development — ence student who completed her Prof. Martino Poggio, and had a great time in Gronin- master’s thesis at the Depart- Department of Physics, gen, both inside and outside ment of Chemical Engineering University of Basel the laboratory.” and Biotechnology at the Univer- Alexa Dani, a former nanoscience sity of Cambridge (UK) and is now student who wrote her master’s doing a doctorate at the German thesis at University Medical Cen- Cancer Research Center in Hei- ter Groningen in the Netherlands delberg (Germany) and now works at Roche in Basel 14 SNI Annual Report 2024