Research projects have a secret life that most PhD students and postdoctoral researchers are not always aware of. Beyond scientific ideas and published papers, projects are the real engines that keep research groups alive: they fund people, enable growth, support infrastructure and make ambitious research possible.

In publicly funded institutes, structural funding guarantees basic operation, but it is competitive research projects that truly drive scientific activity. This interactive seminar will uncover what really happens behind the scenes: how projects are selected to fit long-term research lines defined by Principal Investigators, how multiple projects overlap and complement each other, and how individual PhD and postdoctoral work feeds into several funded activities at the same time.

Through visual explanations, real-life examples and active audience participation, we will explore the hidden rules of project execution: budget constraints, reporting strategies, funding incompatibilities and the practical challenges of allocating research work across multiple projects. Participants will discover how these decisions are not arbitrary, but essential to avoid losing funding and to maximize scientific output.

The session will also explain the important role of Project Administrator and how we help with project coordination, use funding wisely and keep researchers focused on science. By the end of the seminar, attendees will understand why securing research projects benefits everyone and how smart management strengthens both research groups and individual scientific careers.

About Javier Hervás

Javier Hervás is a professional in Project Management with over 15 years of experience. He has been working in research since 2009 and has been a member of IMDEA Networks Institute since 2015.

During his career, he has worked closely with Principal Investigators on the management of a wide range of funding schemes, including regional, national and European research projects. His work covers the full project life cycle, from proposal preparation and budgeting to project execution, reporting and financial justification.

Javier specializes in bridging the gap between scientific teams and administrative processes, helping researchers navigate funding rules, optimize resources and maximize the impact of their projects. His goal is to enable scientists to focus on research while ensuring that projects run smoothly and efficiently.

This event will be conducted in English