Unite! news

The Unite! European Alliance is at the forefront of collaborative research endeavours, with two pioneering pilots that delve into the realms of research infrastructure (RI) sharing and data collaboration. These initiatives aim not only to explore the intricacies of collaborative efforts but also to provide invaluable insights and practical experiences for users and researchers engaged in RI sharing. 

In-person RI Sharing

The first pilot embarked on offering an experiential perspective on the process of sharing research infrastructure from the user's point of view. Implementing a collaboration between Josep Arévalo Soler, a researcher from Barcelona specializing in High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) network simulation and the KTH’s Sustainable Power Lab (SPL), the pilot had a primary objective – to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by external users when accessing research infrastructures. 

The pilot's primary motivation centred on validating a doctoral thesis, addressing observed equipment limitations at UPC. This led to the identification of pertinent resources at KTH's Sustainable Power Lab (SPL), specifically the Imperix Power Test benches tailored for converter control strategies. 

A discovery report was written by the RI external user, addressing distinct phases of the project's evolution, starting with the pre-collaboration agreement. This initial stage involved crucial elements such as productive meetings, collaboration term establishment, and mobility scheduling. Subsequent pre-mobility activities encompassed intricate preparations, financial arrangements, and housing logistics. The mobility phase emphasized close communication, granting access to dedicated office and laboratory spaces, along with efficient equipment booking. 
An examination of mobility costs was undertaken, incorporating a transparent breakdown of grant funding sources, a pivotal aspect in the realm of collaborative schemes of this nature. 

The collaborative effort culminated in noteworthy mobility outcomes, marking the development of a substantial chapter for the Doctoral Thesis. Additionally, a conference article was presented, with anticipation building for an upcoming journal article publication. 

Living Labs Research Data Sharing

The second pilot, is centred on the active implementation of a robust data-sharing strategy among carefully selected living labs across Europe. Spearheaded by Jonas Anund Vogel, the Director of KTH Live-in Lab and coordinator of the DigIT Lab project, which was submitted by KTH to the Swedish government with the support of Unite!’s expert team led by Jean-Luc Schanen and in collaboration with the PREDIS MHI lab (Grenoble INP – UGA). This ambitious initiative aims to establish a structured approach to sharing data from different living labs. By forging a shared methodology, the project seeks to facilitate data exploitation and collaboration among all participating partners, yielding an information system designed to facilitate the sharing of data generated by living labs. A report detailing the outcomes of this project will be compiled by its primary stakeholders. 

The impact of this pilot, along with the DigIT Lab project, will extend beyond their individual scope to influence other initiatives within the Unite! Notably, the UNITE.WIDENING project is actively integrating Unite!'s living labs under a similar cooperative framework. This pilot project has also met with success. It has successfully generated a trial information system, meticulously crafted to streamline the sharing of data among living labs. Currently operational between two labs, this trial system aims to serve as a precursor for broader implementation, ultimately connecting all living labs participating in the Dig-IT Lab project. 

These two pilots hold the potential to deliver tangible insights and real-life applications of sharing research infrastructure and data within the Unite!, marking significant strides toward collaborative research excellence.