RSA CE&C 2015-2021

16 the review period. For surface characterization, advanced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy infrastructure is available, including a near-ambient pressure XPS apparatus. Researchers also have access to other extensive unique research infrastructure in other departments and in the research institutes, including the cleanroom facilities at NanoLab@TU/e, the manufacturing facilities at the MicroFab Lab and the advanced imaging and spectroscopy facilities of the ICMS. Specialized equipment is designed and constructed by the Equipment & Prototype Center at TU/e. Investments by the department in new apparatus and on keeping the quality of the equipment up to date are generally funded through external research grants (such as NWO Groot, ARC CBBC, Gravitation programs, ADEM, NanoNed and NanoNextNL). Only with these grants can the department maintain its state-of-the-art equipment at a high, internationally-competitive level, despite the fact that resources for standard, basic but essential equipment are limited. 1.7. FINANCIAL RESOURCES The department uses direct university funding for the salaries of permanent research staff, educational and support staff and the department’s exploitation costs of housing. The running costs for research projects, including the salaries of temporary research staff (PhD students and postdoctoral research fellows), bench fees, consumables and capital investment in research infrastructure are covered by external funding. This external funding encompasses research grants and funding from contract research. 3 Table 3 summarizes the funding and expenditures at the department level in the review period. Despite the relatively small size of the department and the limited direct university funding, the financial situation of the department is very strong, with funding from research grants (fundamental research based on scientific excellence) and contract research (practical applications in collaboration with private partners) amounting to nearly twice the size of the direct university (fixed costs) funding. This high level of external funding relative to the small size of the department is evidence of the quality and quantity of the research, with a significant impact on science, industry and society. This is only possible thanks to the commitment of the people in the department combined with the strong acquisition of external research funding and efficient and effective use of it. 3 University funding in the Netherlands consists of: • Direct funding from the government (lump-sum budget) • Research grants obtained in national scientific competition from e.g., the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) • Contract research on specific research projects obtained from external organizations, such as industry, government ministries, European organizations and charity organizations (e.g., EU projects, industry grants and grants from public-private partnerships)