PhD International Talent Challenge

Announcement of the winning teams
Jul 22, 2024

As part of the Re-UNITA – Research for UNITA project, the six partner Universities launched, in June 2023, an international competition open to PhD students enrolled in any PhD Program at Re-UNITA Universities (UBI, UNITO, UNIZAR, UPPA, USMB and UVT).

In a first phase, stakeholders from the territories of each UNITA university participated in local workshops, to propose global challenges in the respective scientific areas - Circular Economy, Cultural Heritage and Renewable Energy. Subsequently, the International Juries voted and defined one challenge for each scientific area.

In a second step, 13 teams of PhD students from Re-UNITA Universities applied for the competition. The teams, composed of 2 to 5 members, had to choose one of the proposed challenges and then work for six months to develop innovative projects with solutions to the chosen challenge.

3 teams stood out - one in each scientific area - and won the competition:

  • Circular Economy: Project "The transition from linear to circular economy in the Faget area through industrial symbiosis".
    • UVT PhD Team: Alexandra Burdulea, Paul Handro, Amelia Laura Maris and Elena-Alexandra Sinoi.
  • Cultural Heritage: Project "The Unita Move App (TUMA)".
    • UPPA PhD Team: Noémie Rivière and Elodie Rivière.
  • Renewable Energy: Project "Zero net energy residential green buildings".
    • UBI PhD Team: Hugo Antunes, João Dinis, Pedro Andrade and Pedro Barandier.

Congratulations to the winners and to all participants!!

Watch the recap video