The last Advanced Training Course (ATC5) of the PRORISK network took place in Girona, Spain, on 15-17 March 2023 and was organized by CSIC-CEAB and the University of Girona (UdG) in cooperation with Masaryk University (MU). The main focus of this training event was on communication and entrepreneurship in order to complement the scientific skills of the PRORISK young researchers with transferable skills important for their future career.
During ATC5 Nancy Goucher (UWaterloo) discussed various aspects of communication such as identification of communication needs, communication tools, identification of audience, knowledge mobilization, evaluation of success and other interesting topics. Luděk Bláha and Veronika Jálová (MU) presented funding opportunities for research activities and further professional development. Marc Masip (UdG) introduced communication strategies also from a journalist’s perspective. To implement new knowledge, students prepared a script for a video which was supervised and shooted by Alex Mas Alcoberro during ATC5.
Communication topics were accompanied by entrepreneurship course including a presentation of Markéta Vlasáková (MU) about intellectual property and patenting. To further introduce research-business career, Mariona Serra Pagès (HIPRA), Sergio Jarque (ISDIN) and Ignasi Rodríguez – Roda (UdG) were invited to share their experience with entrepreneurship as well as working in the non-academic sector.
As collaboration is important not only in research, an introduction of another MSCA-ITN project was included in the program. The ARISTO project was presented by its coordinator Dimitrios Karpouzas (University of Thessaly, Greece). In exchange, coordinator of PRORISK Luděk Bláha introduced PRORISK and its activities during the training event of ARISTO in March 2023.
The ATC5 was finished with the integrative workshop where students discussed PRORISK Ecosystem Services case studies and started preparation for a workshop with stakeholders which will take place in Amsterdam in October 2023.
The ATC5 program was intense (for details on courses see the ATC5 program and course description) but we found time also for an evening tour in beautiful Girona.
Many thanks to the organizers and lecturers for the attractive program. And many thanks also to our students for active engagement and great atmosphere.
Our ESR Chander Kant Negi spend his two months secondment at Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo in May and June 2023. He focused there on toxicogenomic assays. About his experiences, you can read in this report.
We wish you HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024! May it bring you health, love and ever more success in your life.
