September 14-19, 2026

Call for applications: December 1, 2025– May 15, 2026, via the VIU website

This PhD Academy is led by:

- University of Padova
- Boston College
- Duke University
- Ludwig Maximilians Universität

Glass (silicate melt) is fundamental in Nature: it shapes Earth’s surface with volcanoes, modifies our planet with magma transfer, allows plate tectonics and Earth dynamics. Glass is fundamental in Material Sciences and Technology: we are surrounded by glass of diverse types, from the common float glass of windows to the sophisticated optical fibers to hi-tech glasses with properties considered unthinkable just a few years ago. Glass is fundamental in the Arts and Cultural Heritage: it has always attracted for its combination of beauty and practical use throughout the last five millennia or more of human history. With time, artistic glassmaking has reached the highest aesthetic peaks. Glass is fundamental to Venice, where the island of Murano has been the world capital of glassmaking for over 1000 years. The circle is completed as glass is returned to nature in the form of sea glass, slowly fading into the ocean where its story ends.

The Academy will cover the Glass topic in a multidisciplinary way and from various viewpoints such as geology, volcanology, industry and technology, archaeology and history, and science and art of artistic glass making. The Academy will also include teaching and development of key transferable professional skills such a as science communication.

Faculty
Bernardo Cesare, University of Padova (Scientific Coordinator)
Ethan Baxter, Boston College
Dorian Canelas, Duke University
Donald Dingwell, LMU

Learning outcomes for participants
Participants will learn about the multi-faceted nature of glass, about the various ways of approaching this material from the production, technology and analytical viewpoints. They will learn about the very different histories of glassmaking from the human and the geological perspectives. They will also learn transferable skills relevant to their professional and scientific career development, with emphasis on Science Communication through storytelling and filmmaking.

Who can apply?
This international PhD Academy is offered to PhD students, post-docs, and early career researchers working in the interdisciplinary fields of Geosciences, Chemistry, Engineering, Material Sciences, Physics, Archaeology, Archaeometry, Art History, Sculpture, Visual Arts.
Open to candidates from all the VIU Member Institutions; applications from excellent candidates from non-member institutions will be also considered and evaluated.

Fees & grant support
Full fee waiver scholarships are available for students from VIU member institutions. In addition, grant support is available to support partially or fully the costs of international travel. Accommodation is provided free of charge.
The participation fee for students of non-member institutions is (tbc) EUR (incl. VAT). The fee is inclusive of tuition, course materials, accommodation, lunches, social events, and taxes.
Students from non-member institutions are not eligible for VIU grant support.
VIU Alumni are eligible for a reduced fee.

Applicants must submit the (1) application form, (2) a letter of motivation – which should include a short bio and a brief description of the candidate’s research project, (3) a curriculum vitae, and (4) a photo.

For further information please download the brochure and the program or write to: phdacademy@univiu.org