Training events

The overall aim of the training network is to provide an integrated formation of the ESRs at a doctoral level with a balanced training in research skills, technical knowledge and transferable skills with a focus on entrepreneurship, in order to maximise the researchers’ employability and enhance the European technological competence.

Training event 1: Ulster University (Belfast)

The first training event was held in the University of Ulster and hosted by Dr Pilar Fernández-Ibáñez and Prof Tony Byrne. In this event, students had the opportunity to learn about advanced principles of heterogeneous photocatalysis, reaction Engineering for water treatment and advanced characterization techniques of materials as Raman spectroscopy, XPS, AFM and SEM and TEM.

Training event 2: Delft-IMP (celebrated on-line)

REWATERGY training event 2 was held by Delft-IMP and hosted by Dr David Valdesueiro. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the course had to take place online. On this occasion three topics were discussed: Atomic Layer Deposition taught by Prof. Dr. ir. Ruud van Ommen from the Delft University of Technology, a training course on Entrepreneurship with Dr Dap Hartmann from Delft University of Technology and training on IP protection and patent filing with Ard Ellens from EDP Patent Attorneys.

Training event 3: ProPhotonix (celebrated on-line)

Training event 3 was to be held in Cork but had to be delivered remotely due to mobility restrictions imposed by the situation with COVID-19. This workshop was organized by Prophotonix (Dr Ken Reynolds) and was divided into three days. During the first day, aspects related to Commercial LED Lamp Engineering were discussed. On the second day, Dr Honor Fagan from Maynooth University taught Equality and Diversity Training. Finally, 1-day Leadership course was designed as part of the REWATERGY programme with Olivia Roche in Prophotonix.

Training event 4: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (celebrated on-line)

Training event 4 was held online because the situation with COVID-19 pandemic has not improved in recent months. This training event has been divided mainly into two parts: Global energy analysis of processes (organised by our partner IMDEA Energía) and Research & Development in industrial environments. The “Research & Development in industrial environments” course of 3 ECTS, has been taught by our beneficiaries Aqualia, ProPhotonix and Delft-IMP from the perspective of three different sectors. From the water sector developed by Aqualia FCC, the LED light sector by ProPhotonix and the materials sector by Delft-IMP.

Training event 5: Cambridge University (celebrated on-line)

During these six months, Training Event 5 was carried out, which consisted of the writing skill and ethics in science course organized by the academic partners of the consortium and the Intermediate Showcase Workshop.

Writing skills and Ethics: good research practice course

The writing skills and Ethics in the science course were organized by the three universities of our consortium, each in charge of teaching a part of the course. Laura Torrente from the University of Cambridge was responsible for the “Scientific publications” part, Pilar Fernández from Ulster University taught the part “Quality indexes, journal selection and research proposals” and Javier Marugán from the Rey Juan Carlos University taught the part of “Conferences presentations and posters and good ethics practices”.

Intermediate Showcase Workshop

On the 14, 15 and 16th of December 2020, the Intermediate Showcase Workshop was organized by the ESRs as part of training event 5. A three-day event brought together students, supervisors, beneficiaries, collaborators, and stakeholders. The students led this event, identifying and inviting international leaders in academia and industry in their areas of research and/or interests. The showcase included presentations from students, beneficiaries and invited guests, as well as targeted networking and social activities. Each session was focused on one of the three WP/prototypes of REWATERGY with a scheduled time of 3-4 hours per day. The ESR was responsible for the organisation of each session as those involved in the corresponding WP/prototype.

Training event 6: Summer School of the European PhD School in AOP

The “European PhD School on Advanced Oxidation Processes” was founded (in June 2014) to promote the higher education of young researchers in the environmental applications of AOPs, as well as to overcome national boundaries and bureaucracy barriers.

As part of the optional training, attendance to the different talks organised in the Summer School by the European PhD School in Advanced Oxidation Processes. Four of the eight ESRs attended to the Summer School (ESR1, ESR4, ESR7 and ESR8).

  • Advanced Oxidation of Water and Wastewater: From Fundamentals to Advanced Modelling and Process Control, organized by IWA held on to the 14th of November 2019.

  • Advanced treatment of urban wastewater and reuse: effect of consolidated and new treatments on contaminants of emerging concern, organized by the International Consortium of Water Researchers (ICWR) impart by Dr. Luigi Rizzo from Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno (Italy) on the 17th of September 2020.

  • Advances and challenges in the measurement of contaminants of emerging concern (and transformation products) in environmental matrices, and preparation and characterization of photocatalysts for environmental applicationsimpart by Prof. Ana Agüera from University of Almeria (Spain) on November 23, 2020.

  • Toxicity tests: methods and relevance for water/wastewater treatment by AOPs, impart by Dr. Isabel Oller from CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almeria (Spain) on December 16, 2020

  • Water and wastewater disinfection by advanced oxidation processes, consolidated and new treatments on contaminants of emerging concern, impart by Dr. Inmaculada Polo López from the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (Spain) on April 28, 2021.

Training event 7: Waterschap De Dommel & Aqualia (celebrated on-line)

Training Event 7 was structured in four courses: C5: Integral water cycle management (2 ECTS, Aqualia); C13: Business development (1 ECTS, Aqualia); C7: EU Policy in water and resource recovery (1 ECTS, DOMMEL); C23: Career Planning (1 ECTS, Cambridge). However, the last course was moved to the training 9 and covered with two online courses integrated in the Moodle platform of the University of Cambridge. ESRs attended the courses programmed in Training Event 7 organised by Aqualia and our partner Waterschap De Dommel. Both courses were held online as travel was not yet allowed due to pandemic restrictions.

Training event 8: Final Showcase and International Workshop

In the REWATERGY program was also programmed a Final Showcase event and International Workshop (3 ECTS each, total 6 ECTS) which coincided with the SA/SB meeting held in Jerez de la Frontera on October 25th, 2022.

The Final Showcase event and International Workshop was held on October 24th, 2022, at the hotel NH Avenida Jerez in Jerez de la Frontera. On this occasion, the students actively participated in identifying potential speakers for the workshop. The proposed speakers were accepted by their supervisor and formally invited to participate in the event by the PM. However, it should be noted that it was difficult to find participants who could give the talks in person, so the possibility of holding the talks online was opened. There were three external participants, and the students were also able to present their most recent results in 10-minute talks.

Training Event 9 (e-learning) organised by the university of Cambridge

Finally, training event 9 is made up of a series of courses that students have taken during the year 2021 and that complement their transferable skills. The online courses were carried out through the Moodle platform that the University of Cambridge makes available to enrolled students. ESRs had access to certain courses that were chosen based on the skills and credits of the courses scheduled in training 9.

  • C19: Communicating your research (1 ECTS, Cambridge)

  • C21: Time management (0.5 ECTS, Cambridge)

  • C22: Networking and teamworking (0.5 ECTS, Cambridge)

  • C23: Career Planning (1 ECTS, Cambridge)

  • C20: Open Science, Open Access and Open Data (1,0 ECTS, ODI)

Two courses programmed in T5 and T7 were moved to Training Event 9. The credits of Career Planning were supplied by two online courses available in Moodle. And the Open Science, Open Access and Open Data were supplied by different online options.