On May 13th 2025 Dr. Silvia Damerio was invited to deliver an EMA Early-Career e-seminar entitled "Tunable spin and orbital torques in Cu-based magnetic heterostructures". The recording is accessible through the EMA website: https://magnetism.eu/302-recordings-2025.htm.

EMA Early-Career Seminars

The European Magnetism Association (EMA) leads a series of online seminars to ensure the broad visibility of its members and their work, while maintaining a low carbon footprint. The series is a good opportunity to reflect on and otherwise encourage the geographical, thematic and gender diversity of the researchers working in the field of magnetism. The e-seminar series are streamed via Zoom and live-streamed on the EMA twitch channel and intend to feature and promote early-stage researchers. For more information visit the EMA website: link.

Dr. J. Alejandro De Sousa has participated in the program “Bojos per la Ciència-Física” organized by Fundaciò Catalunya La Pedrera.

This year Dr. Silvia Damerio has participated with several other ICMAB researchers in the 7th edition of the programme #Científiques organized by the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI) and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST). The initiative aims to inspire and help overcome gender stereotypes, highlighting the talent of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

#Científiques programme

#científiques is an initiative organized as part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11), in which female scientists from public and private entities across Catalonia give informative talks at educational centers throughout the country.  Running since 2019, six editions have been held. #científiques is aimed, on one hand, at female scientists from public and private entities in Catalonia and, on the other, at 6th grade primary school and 1st year secondary school students in Catalan educational centers.

More information: https://cientifiques.cat/cientifiques_2025/

Engineering Chiral Interactions and Current-induced Switching in Magnetic Heterostructures for Efficient Spintronics
PhD Candidate: Stefano Fedel

Date: Friday, 28 November 2025
Time: 11.00 AM
Venue: Sala d'Actes Carles Miravitlles

Abstract
This thesis investigates chiral magnetic interactions and current-induced control of magnetization in complex magnetic heterostructures to advance the development of spintronic technologies. The work explores how interfacial effects, material composition, and structural properties influence chiral interactions and spin–orbit torques (SOTs), which are key for efficient magnetic switching. It demonstrates that interface engineering and ultrathin metallic layers can strongly enhance performance while reducing energy consumption. The study also reports the observation and control of complex chiral magnetic textures, such as spiral domains, in metallic multilayers. Overall, the research provides new insights into the mechanisms governing chiral magnetism and spin–orbit phenomena, offering design principles for future low-power, high-speed spintronic devices and magnetic memory technologies.

Supervisor:
Can Onur Avci, ICMAB-CSIC
PhD Committee:
President: Sergio O. Valenzuela, ICN2, Spain
Secretary: Saul Velez, UAM, Spain
Vocal: Stefania Pizzini, Institut Néel, CNRS, France
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

PhD Programme: Materials Science

From 30 November - 1 December 2023 the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) hosted a new school within the ICMAB Series of Schools on Frontiers in Materials Science and Condensed Matter. A school on ORBITRONICS, the latest twist on understanding and exploiting angular momentum transport in solids.

On 26-27 January 2026 we will host the CHIRAL SPINTRONICS 2026, the 6th Edition of “ICMAB Schools on Frontiers in Materials Science and Condensed Matter”. 

The ICMAB School on Chiral Spintronics 2026 provides an exciting opportunity to explore these concepts through a focused two-day program. The school will cover the theoretical foundations of chiral magnetism and its manifestations in real materials, as well as the latest experimental techniques and device perspectives. Lectures will be delivered by leading researchers in the field and are designed to be self-contained, making them accessible to early career scientists. Participants will gain insight into the mechanisms that govern chiral spin textures and their potential for enabling low-power, high-density spintronic devices. The school will also include roundtable discussions, poster sessions and plenty of opportunities for interaction to foster engagement and collaboration.

Participants will be able to attend in-person or online. On site participants will also be able to submit the abstract for a poster. The best poster abstract will be promoted to contributed talk. There will also be a poster prize for the best poster presentation!

For more info check the school's website: https://chiralspin2026.icmab.es/

Join it to discuss the latest advances in experimental and theoretical spintronics.