Interview with Stéphane Dorbolo, coordinator of LeidenForce

For the past year, the Horizon Europe-funded consortium LeidenForce has been studying the Leidenfrost effect with the goal of understanding and ultimately controlling it.

To mark LeidenForce’s first anniversary, we spoke with Stéphane Dorbolo, project coordinator, based at the Université de Liège (PTyX laboratory, FNRS). A specialist in fluid physics and soft matter, he studies droplets and granular materials in collaboration with several international research teams.

In this interview, he shares the origins of LeidenForce and his perspective on how doctoral researchers and scientists collectively shape this European scientific endeavor.

You initiated the creation of LeidenForce. What was the turning point between a good idea and a structured project?

Stéphane Dorbolo: It all started one morning in July 2020. I was reading an article explaining that a grape, nearly cut in half, could generate plasmas (a state of matter similar to a glowing, energy-rich gas) inside a microwave oven. What struck me was that the article mentioned this phenomenon is linked to the Leidenfrost effect (a particular resonance in microwaves creating a hot spot between liquid spheres).

That same evening, I shared a few ideas with longtime collaborators on Leidenfrost, Alexis Duchesne (ULille) and Benjamin Sobac (UPPA), to imagine an ambitious project capable of securing European funding.

Five months later, we reached out to ARI (now RISE), the Université de Liège’s research support office, for help in finding funding.

The rest? Five years of writing proposals, preparing programs for future doctoral researchers, and lots of encouragement… and discouragement. But thanks to highly skilled partners and domain experts, their trust, tenacity, a bit of luck, and - let’s emphasize it - the support from FNRS and FWB, we finally began actual research.

Why did this project need to be European?

SD: In Belgium, you quickly realize the world is bigger than a single country... Bilateral projects are often limited in scope and mostly fund travel or short stays.

To think big, Europe was the natural choice. Horizon Europe not only provides more substantial resources but also offers international visibility, connecting us with other groups interested in the Leidenfrost effect.

This naturally creates open teams, motivated by the same ambition: conducting relevant research and training the next generation of scientists.

Recruiting doctoral researchers is a crucial step. What guided your choices for forming the team?

SD: Recruiting doctoral researchers is a key milestone. First, it’s essential that each researcher has a solid foundation of skills.

Beyond technical expertise, human dynamics matter: you have to take a calculated risk on personalities to ensure the team works harmoniously and that everyone thrives within the project.

Watch: The doctoral researchers of LeidenForce

What should one pay attention to during a doctoral researcher’s first months?

SD: In the first months, you need to pay attention to everything… and in the following months, just as much.

The truth of one day isn’t necessarily that of the next. Sometimes, everything seems fine, and in the blink of an eye, you realize it wasn’t. Conversely, apparent difficulties can become successes.

Our goal is for doctoral researchers to fully take ownership of the project. It should not remain the “supervisors’ project”; the doctoral researchers themselves must become the specialists.

Over time, ideas and research focus naturally shift toward the students, which requires both patience and trust.

Why is it important for doctoral researchers to work together rather than in parallel?

SD: Physics isn’t just a scientific discipline; it’s also a social science. Can you really imagine a researcher working entirely alone? Collaboration is essential for progress: sharing ideas and building solutions that no individual could achieve on their own.

What will be crucial for the next phase of the project?

SD: We are eager to see results start coming in. Small achievements should bring joy to researchers. They are essential for maintaining motivation, because a PhD is a marathon: it requires continuous, intense effort, much like high-level athletes.

Every step forward matters, even if it doesn’t lead to a spectacular result. Learning to value small victories is an integral part of the doctoral journey.

What has this first year taught you about the project itself?

SD: Leidenfrost is richer than you might think… but this applies to any research topic. Curiosity and openness remain our best guides for exploring the unknown.