Granular materials are ubiquitous in nature and in various industries, such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and ceramics. Their thermomechanical behaviours are governed by the interactions between solid particles, as well as between particles and the surrounding media (gas or liquid). Although granular materials have been investigated extensively, there are still some unsolved challenging issues concerning the thermomechanical behaviours, including heat generation (i.e. self-heating) and transfer, and thermal effects on material properties and process performance. Furthermore, the unique thermomechanical attributes have led to emerging applications with granular materials, such as additive manufacturing, powder coating, high quality composites, insulation and efficient thermal processing for energy conservation, but there is a lack of mechanistic understanding of thermomechanical behaviour of granular materials in these emerging applications. MATHEGRAM will hence deliver a timely, concerted research and training programme to address these challenges, bringing together a multi-disciplinary and inter-sectorial consortium consisting of 6 leading academic institutes, 4 non-academic beneficiaries and 6 partner organisations from 8 EU member states. Our vision is to develop robust new numerical models and novel experimental techniques that can predict and characterise heat generation and transfer, as well as thermal effects in granular materials. The enhanced mechanistic understanding of granular materials will enable them to be used in diverse industries, while also achieving energy conservation and CO2 emission reduction. We will also train a cohort of 15 ESRs with balanced gender, who will be the next generation scientific and technological leaders with competency and the research and transferable skills to work effectively across disciplinary and sectoral boundaries.

The INSEAI project aims to create an international network for knowledge and comparative socioeconomic analysis of informality and policies to be implemented for its formalisation in the EU and Latin America. The interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach involves academic (nine from UE and seven from LA), non-academic (three from UE and four from LA), and four non-eligible funding entities. Training activities and debate events will be organised throughout secondments, and specific tools (to detect, prevent and avoid informality) will be developed with the network members and people from their environment's societal collaboration. INSEAI Network faces at least seven critical challenges currently claimed by stakeholders at HEI in Europe and LA: 1) Raising the level of research organisation in the region in the informal issues covering the current state-of-the-art knowledge and formalisation governance lacks. 2) Multiplying the effect of research results opens the possibility of catching public policy interest. 3) Driving the PhD students' attention to informality as an endemic issue deeply rooted in the globalised dynamics changing people's lives and stratifying world peripheral capitalist positions. 4) Developing Open Science, promoting gender equality, and consolidating the network continuity. 5) Developing training tasks, exchanging knowledge and methodologies, and trying to innovate in analysis and quantification tools with the support of research and dissemination technologies. 6) Managing external databases and those generated by the network to offer tools (using big data, algorithms, apps) for public use in favour of informality knowledge and estimation and the formalisation processes governance. 7) Bringing together research and innovation interests from academic and civil society entities to understand the convergences and divergences in structuring labour markets and informality dynamics in regions with different degrees of development.

NANAQUA emerges at the forefront of addressing the global water crisis, leveraging nanotechnology and nano(functionalized) materials (NMs) for cutting-edge water treatment solutions. In tackling the societal challenge posed by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), NANAQUA addresses the risks these pollutants, including endocrine-disrupting compounds, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, and pharmaceuticals, pose to freshwater resources and ecosystems. With over 500 European monitoring sites reporting pollutant concentrations harmful to aquatic life, the urgency for effective solutions is clear. NANAQUA's approach transcends current wastewater treatment systems, which inadequately remove CECs, by integrating nanotechnology into (photo)chemical and biological degradation systems. NANAQUA's solution further involves developing smart nanosensors for real-time water quality monitoring and generating insights in toxicity of nanomaterials and CECs. This strategy promises a comprehensive improvement in water purification effectiveness, aligning with the EU's Water Reuse Regulation and supporting sustainable resource management. The project establishes the first European doctoral training network dedicated to NMs integration in water treatment, training 15 professionals through an international, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary research program. This unique combination of training in (bio)chemical water treatment, materials science, (eco-)toxicology, and environmental sustainability assessment is pivotal for becoming experts in this field, granting highly valuable competencies for the job market. Environmentally, NANAQUA's long-term impact includes enhanced water treatment, reducing harmful CECs in aquatic systems, and thus protecting human health and promoting pollution-free habitats. Economically, it aligns with EU regulations, promising reduced costs, energy use, and job growth in the water treatment sector.

“Collaborative Smart Grids” (CSGs) are a promising concept built on digital technologies and economic and organizational structures, directly linked to the empowerment of consumers, the promotion of behavioural change and increased collaboration among all stakeholders. CSGs require a new vision but also innovative business models and technology developments around energy production, distribution and consumption to be successful and sustainable. The multidisciplinary and multilayer concept embedded in CSGs is essential to contribute to greener and smarter energy systems in our societies. SMARTGYsum - SMART Green energY Systems and bUsiness Models- will train 15 ESR for 36 months to enable the implementation of the Smart Energy vision, focusing on different technical and socioeconomic aspects that conform Electric Energy Systems (EESs) and CSGs, providing an excellent basis to develop their future careers in Power Electronics, Electric Engineering, Material Sciences, ICT, Data Sciences but also energy capturing of value, value chains, finance & investments, management of energy markets, economical and policy instruments, etc. As a result, there will be a network of academic and industrial partners closely collaborating following a transferable, inter and multidisciplinary approach, aimed at raising the employability and career opportunities of ESRs within the public and the private sectors, as well as their potential for conducting innovation, entrepreneurship and for impacting in the European society at medium and long-term.