In the framework of UNITE.H2020 and with support from the Seed Fund Initiative, the Unite! Workshop on Energy, Green Transition, and Climate took place in Karpacz, Poland, from September 16-18, 2023.
A diverse group of researchers and Ph.D. students participated in the workshop to discuss energy, green transition, and climate, aiming to contribute to a more sustainable future. Seventy researchers from all nine Unite! partners, most in the early stages of their careers, had the opportunity to outline their areas of expertise and projects, paving the way for cross-institutional research initiatives and collaborative approaches. A Fishbowl discussion led by Katarzyna Chojnacka followed, and Juan Jesús Perez and Roberto Zanino presented the origins and goals of the Unite! Initiative.
The collective discussions emphasized the importance of pragmatic environmental policies accompanied by a geological perspective on climate change. The final session saw the presentation of 42 different project themes, signalling the initiation of consortium formation. Participants exchanged contact information, cementing the foundation for future dynamic collaboration.
The workshop provided an optimal environment to foster networking, dialogue, and collaboration for further research activities and projects among the Unite! researchers. It served as a foundational seed for establishing thematic communities of researchers to address specific challenges related to energy, green transition, and climate change.
Prof. Katrzyna Chojnacka, from Wrocław Tech University released a brief interview to summarize workshop sensations and results:
“To the best of our knowledge, such Horizon matchmaking meetings are a unique initiative exclusively conducted by the Unite! alliance. This workshop can be considered an experimental endeavor from which we will draw invaluable lessons on organizing such events in the future, especially given that more of these meetings are planned under the Horizon WIDERA project, aimed at fostering scientific cooperation.
The event in Karpacz undoubtedly facilitated the integration of all participants, engaging them in building scientific relationships through diverse methods such as elevator pitches, a Fishbowl Discussion, World Cafe Tables, and an educational workshop in the Sudeten mountains to Samotnia Shelter. Alongside these activities, there were also extensive discussions on ways to enhance scientific cooperation among researchers at the nine universities in different fields and building thematic communities: Energy Transition, Green Transition and Climate.
I believe establishing Unite! scientific cooperation representatives at all nine universities would be highly beneficial. These representatives could become a contact points and would enable the dissemination of information about various scientific events within individual universities, ensuring that it reaches the scientists directly. Such a structured approach would likely promote a more cohesive and effective collaboration among the universities in the network, paving the way for groundbreaking innovations and advancements in our respective fields.”