PhD student Brakemi on an experience unlocked through EU-CONEXUS
Final year PhD SETU PhD student Brakemi Egbedi attended the Presage Training School for a training titled “Addressing contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in advanced wastewater treatment configurations.” It was organised by the Group of Environmental Biotechnology, CRETUS. The training was held at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain, on 20-23 May 2024.
Sustainability focus
Brakemi successfully applied for a mobility fund from EU-CONEXUS under the Call for Participation in International Conferences on Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability. The training focused on the removal of contaminants of emerging concern, such as organic micropollutants (OMPs), antibiotic resistant microorganisms/genes (ARMs/ARGs), and pathogens (including bacteria and viruses) through advanced wastewater treatment. Some of the core thematic areas were examining different technologies for wastewater treatment and post treatment; methodologies to assess the occurrence of chemical and biological pollutants in the environment; microbiological tools to identify the biological pathways; methods to determine the ecotoxicological consequences of their discharge; and process sustainability in a circular economy context.
Personal reflection
Reflecting on the benefits of this training, Brakemi noted that “the EU-CONEXUS mobility has been of immense benefit. Without the funds, I would not have been able to attend this training, which has been very helpful with regards to my PhD research. One core benefit of this training is the fact that it inspired some of the future research works in the recommendations section of my PhD thesis. Interactions with peers and experts have also contributed to a better understanding of the current challenges and opportunities in the field. Finally, my participation in this training has enabled me to gain relevant contacts in the field to establish collaborations for joint projects.”
SETU and EU-CONEXUS
Previously, Brakemi also attended the EU-CONEXUS PhD Summer School at the University of Zadar, participated in the EU-CONEXUS conference at the University of Rostock in 2023. Together with the most recent training in the Presage Training School, these experiences highlight the collaborative element of SETU’s involvement with EU-CONEXUS. When considering extended collaboration and partnership on a strategic level, Brakemi also notes that a “possible collaboration between her research team here at SETU and CRETUS has been initiated. If successful, the result of this collaboration will lead to a research publication in a leading academic journal, in turn contributing to scientific knowledge, increasing the research visibility of SETU and the research group. In sum, these aspects will potentially attract new students and researchers who are interested in collaboration.”
From a funding perspective, Brakemi feels that she has been able to raise novel research themes and topics in collaboration with her research group at SETU, which may increase success rates for competitive grant applications. Furthermore, thanks to the training and knowledge acquired on the topic of circular economy in wastewater treatment, a common feature of seafood processing industries, the research team is now well-positioned to contribute to the circular economy roadmap for Ireland, utilising her PhD research experience as a case study.
The EU-CONEXUS mobility fund aims to support student, staff, and researcher mobility within the European Union, particularly among institutions that are part of the EU-CONEXUS alliance. By encouraging mobility among EU-CONEXUS partner institutions, the fund promotes European collaboration and innovation in education and research. It fosters the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and cultural understanding, contributing to the development of a more integrated and competitive European Higher Education Area.
To find further information about the EU-CONEXUS mobility fund, tap here.
About EU-CONEXUS
EU-CONEXUS is a fully-fledged transnational European University offering joint education, training and study programmes, as well as joint research and professional development opportunities for all of 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.
The core topic that unites all members of EU-CONEXUS is “Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability”. This is the focal point for education, research & innovation, and knowledge-sharing activities that, together, seek to define, understand and address societal challenges experienced by communities in urban and semi-urbanised coastal regions (rivers, seas and oceans).
Learn more about the activities and vision of this alliance on the EU-CONEXUS website, tap here
