Five PhD students from SETU recently travelled to the University of Rostock to participate in the fourth edition of the EU-CONEXUS PhD Summer School.
The theme of this year’s Summer School, which took place from 22-26 July, was Interdisciplinary Research Methods and Communication for Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability.
Strong SETU participation
SETU was represented by five PhD students from various disciplines who participated fully in the immersive schedule of activities, presentations, and events. The five students funded by EU-CONEXUS included:
- Syeda Attiqa Tajammal, a 2nd-year PhD student researching Smart-release Green Tea Wound Dressings for Diabetic Wounds.
- Damir Akhmets, a 3rd-year PhD student developing a methodology for mapping seaweed in the intertidal zone of Ireland's coastline using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellite imagery.
- Theresa Marie Greiwe, a 1st-year PhD student conducting a comparative analysis between 'dry-stone wall' heritage in Ireland (coastal region in the West) and Italy (Liguria, coastal region in the North-West).
- Hayette Ballakehal, a 1st-year PhD student examining learners' perspectives on environmental sustainability in tertiary education in Ireland.
- Rozina, a 1st-year PhD student exploring the biological degradation of synthetic plastics, focusing on enzymes as potential catalysts for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) recycling.
Programme highlights
The EU-CONEXUS PhD Summer Schools provides a joint, flexible, and innovative programme, based on inter-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches, with learning outcomes and sessions focused on research and professional development skills. This opportunity aims to boost students’ international research careers with a focus on societal challenges.
This year’s Summer School brought together 30 PhD students from across the alliance and experts from more than ten countries. Participants attended lectures by experts on research methodologies and skills, professional development, and communication, as well as workshops on applying theory and expertise in practice.
Some notable highlights were a workshop by Dr Teresa Dowling, a Lecturer from the Department of Health Sciences at SETU, on "Engaging with Policy Makers and Stakeholders in Research." Participants also experienced the EU-CONEXUS spirit of community by visiting famous sites across the city of Rostock and participating in cultural and social events.
A special word of congratulations to two SETU PhD students, Hayette Ballakehal and Theresa Marie Greiwe who were part of the team who won the the inclusivity and diversity award at the summer school. Their project looked to develop educational tools for heritage preservation and conservation, including using innovative technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality) in experiential learning.
Networking and collaboration
Beyond the formal schedule, the programme provided valuable networking opportunities. Participants connected with peers and academic staff from EU-CONEXUS partner universities, fostering potential collaborations for future projects. Dr Mike Kinsella and Dr Yvonne Kavanagh also attended the Summer School and a two day work package meeting to contribute to discussions on the joint PhD level actions. EU-CONEXUS has a key objective of delivering joint PhD level actions to develop a European higher education inter-university virtual campus. The joint aim is to establish a common framework for a joint EU-CONEXUS PhD programme and an EU-CONEXUS Doctoral School that provides a vision of doctoral programmes and research activities for PhD students which will introduce new joint, flexible and innovative curricula for PhD level students, based on inter-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches.
About EU-CONEXUS and SETU
SETU is part of the EU-CONEXUS European University Alliance with eight universities across Europe and is a fully-fledged transnational European University and research alliance offering education, training, study programmes, performing research and links with socioeconomic actors for supporting innovation. SETU colleagues participated in explorative and collaborative talks covering topics related to the PhD Doctoral School. The opportunities for PhD students through EU-CONEXUS are an integral offering and highlight the benefits of collaborative approaches across Europe.
About EU-CONEXUS
EU-CONEXUS is a fully-fledged transnational European University offering joint education, training and study programmes, joint research, and professional development opportunities for all its staff, researchers, and students.
SETU is a partner of the EU-CONEXUS European University Alliance on Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability with La Rochelle University, France; Catholic University of Valencia, Spain; University of Zadar, Croatia; Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; Frederick University, Cyprus; Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania; Klaipeda University, Lithuania and University of Rostock, Germany.
EU-CONEXUS is themed on “Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability”, focusing on education, research & innovation, and knowledge-sharing activities on defining, understanding, and addressing societal challenges experienced by communities from urban and semi-urbanised coastal regions (rivers, seas, and oceans).
Further details can be found on the EU-CONEXUS website, tap here
Image credit: EU-CONEXUS / © ITMZ | Universität Rostock
Main: EU-CONEXUS Summer School Group at Rostock
Inset: (L-R) SETU PhD students Damir Akhmets, Theresa Marie Greiwe, Rozina Syeda, Attiqa Tajammal, and Hayette Ballakehal