UTCB hosted the 2024 EU-CONEXUS EENVIRO Research Conference
Between 29th – 31st of October 2024 Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest hosted the EU-CONEXUS EENVIRO Research Conference titled “Sustainable Solutions for Energy and Environment”. This event, the largest research gathering organized by our Alliance to date, explored energy and environmental topics from a present and future perspective. The conference’s first day was held jointly with the UTCB Doctoral School Conference.
The event aimed to facilitate collaboration between diverse research communities associated with our partner institutions, stakeholders and international partners. In addition, it was also set to stimulate interdisciplinary research projects. Participants from EU-CONEXUS partner institutions, as well as international partners submitted extended abstracts or articles. The event fostered collaboration and exchange of knowledge on subjects related to energy and environment from different points of view.
The conference focused on four main scientific domains:
- Coastal and environmental engineering
- Environmental sciences and biodiversity
- Life sciences and biotechnology
- Social, culture and human sciences institute
This year’s edition in numbers:
- over 300 participants
- more than 150 articles or extended abstracts received
- 20 international keynotes speakers and invited lecturers
- 500 co-authors
- 50 universities or research institutions globally involved
- 50 scientific posters
- 8 workshops, including in the frame of 3 Horizon calls
- 20 sessions with presentations
- Art exhibition of EU-CONEXUS international students
- 6 research laboratory visits
- 4 cultural and social events
We are honored to have had the following keynote speakers and invited lectures:
- Isabella Baer-Eiselt – “Joining Forces for Excellence in Research and Innovation: The EU-CONEXUS Research Area’’
- Lucie Vaucel – ‘‘Support for Joint EU-CONEXUS Research Projects”
- Adrian Curaj – “Sustainability in Research: Principles and Practices”
- Laure Castin – “AUF and the sustainable development goals’’
- Elisabet Roca – “Beyond technological barriers: Fostering social engagement in coastal projects”
- Yurii Hrinchenko – “Integrating sustainability principles into the curriculum and research: main challenges and possible solutions’’
- Denis Worlanyo Aheto & Emmanuel Acheampong – “Sustainable Marine Fisheries Development Amidst the Strive for Energy Sufficiency in West Africa: The Challenges and Prospects in Ghana’’
- Tim Tengfei Zhang – “Respiratory infectious transmission risk and its control during air travel’’
- Frédéric Thevenet – “How to move forward in indoor air quality? Let me introduce you to IRINA“
- Paris A. Fokaides – “Digital Twins in Coastal Engineering: Pioneering Sustainable Solutions for Environmental Challenges”
- Jūratė Gruodė – “Environmental and Epigenetic Modifications of the Human Genome: Role in Disease Development“
- Slaven Zjalic – “Sustainable methods to maintain food safety in climate changes
- Dalia Marija Stanciene – “Ethnopharmaceutical Heritage for Preservation of the Environment
- Darius Daunys – “Evolution of Biodiversity Protection in Coastal Seas: The Case of the Eastern Baltic”
- Vanessa Albury – “All Water is One Water: Bringing Science and Sustainability to a Greater Audience the Fun Way, with Art!“
The sessions of the conference included:
- EU-CONEXUS Opportunities for PhD students
- Keynotes and PhD students presentations
- Catalist workshop – Next-Gen researchers: Exploring innovation for the future
- DivAirCity workshop – Balancing the Scales: How to Assess Urban Resilience?
- Workshop on co-tutelle & co-supervision for EU-CONEXUS PhD supervisors and matchmaking
- EFdeN Sustainable City visit (Building systems laboratory – Ilinca Năstase; Thermal systems laboratory – Răzvan Calotă and Alina Viorica Girip)
- EU-CONEXUS Opportunities for researchers
- Global Exchange Dialogues with EU-CONEXUS International Partners
- Workshop Horizon Europe Funding Opportunities Cluster 5 – Climate and Energy
- Workshop Horizon Europe Funding Opportunities Cluster 4 – Digital Field
- Workshop Horizon Europe Funding Opportunities Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Field
- Humanities Unstuck workshop
- EU-CONEXUS Plan for Impact: Maximize Horizon Europe Project Success, Strengthen Impact Potential with Strategic Researcher Matchmaking, EU-CONEXUS Project Development Office
- Coastal and Environmental Engineering session
- Coastal and Environmental Engineering session
- Environmental sciences and Biodiversity session
- Life sciences and Biotechnology session
- Social, Culture and Human sciences session
- Poster session
- UTCB Labs visit (Hydraulic and Environmental Protection Laboratory – Dragoș Găitănaru; Wind Engineering Laboratory „Constantin Iamandi” – Costin Coșoiu; Laboratory of Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering – Andrei Olteanu; Structural Testing Laboratory, Seismic Risk Evaluation Research Center – Alexandru Aldea)
We would like to thank our distinguished guests, university staff members and volunteers for making this event possible. For more information about this conference, please make sure you check the EENVIRO website and EU-CONEXUS dedicated page.