In a demonstration of Pompeu Fabra University's and the EUTOPIA Alliance Alliance commitment to research and academic excellence, the Ciutadella Campus hosted this week the symposium of the EUTOPIA-SIF scholarship program in science and innovation. Fifty young researchers from six of the Alliance's universities gathered to share their research, attend workshops, and panel discussions from Wednesday to Friday.

The meeting main point was to share experiences of the researchers who participated in the first and second rounds of the program, selected in 2021 and 2022, and to kick off the third edition, selected in 2023. Researchers from CY Cergy University in Paris (France), Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), University of Warwick (United Kingdom), and Pompeu Fabra University were the participants.

Workshops, panel discussions, and poster sessions, among others

During the symposium's opening, hald by UPF's Vice-Rector for Research, Cristina Pujades, and EUTOPIA More Project Delegate, Carmen Pérez, it was emphasized the Alliance and the University's commitment to research, while also advocating for in-person meetings of researchers: "Take advantage of the symposium sessions, but above all, make the most of the informal gatherings here in Barcelona," advised Pujades.

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On Wednesday, the researchers selected in the third edition of the program received training on ethics and moral integrity in research, led by Marianna Nadeu, R+D+Ethics Project Promoter at UPF, and each of them briefly presented their research projects. The program covers a wide range of disciplines and fields, from studies on the legal risks of Artificial Intelligence to research on ocean phytoplankton, equality of access to higher education in developed countries, and 3D printing, among others.

The second day of the symposium was a day of training and lectures. In the morning, Thijs Devriendt, Head of Scientific Policy at VUB, offered a training session on Open Science and data management, and Sergi Jordà, Director of the Music and Multimodal Interaction Laboratory at UPF, along with Gonzalo Ortiz, a participant from the first edition of the SIF program at UPF, presented their research AI and the Music of the Future. In the afternoon, Reimund Fickert, Director of Projects at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, offered the workshop Achieve Get what you want in a minute and the Exhibition Hall hosted a poster session featuring last year's selected researchers.

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On Friday, UPF's Innovation Unit led a panel discussion moderated by Ana Sagardoy, with testimonies explaining their research and the social impact it has had. Mariah Oliver, project manager of Youthlab, presented her doctoral thesis focusing on women in transnational gangs, conducting research with members of youth urban tribes in Madrid. Marta Guardiola, CTO and co-founder of Miwendo Solutions, leads a team of engineers developing a miniature device that can be added to colonoscopes to improve early detection of colorectal cancer. Jordi Mill, a postdoctoral researcher at Physense and co-founder of VirTest, presented the VIDAA project, which develops web and virtual reality technology for implanting devices in the hearts of patients at risk of stroke.

The symposium also emphasized the impact that science and research should have beyond academia. Camilla Petterson, Head of the Innovation and Utilization Group at the University of Gothenburg, gave a session on Tips on How to make an Impact outside of Academia. Finally, symposium participants were able to enjoy a visit to the Art Track at the Ciutadella Campus.

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EUTOPIA-SIF, an ambitious commitment to research

The SIF program is one of the most important initiatives of the Alliance, along with the MORE project coordinated by UPF. The program's goal is to enhance the research potential and professional prospects of high-level young researchers from around the world. The EUTOPIA-SIF scholarships offer them the opportunity to develop their own research projects in the academic environment of the Alliance, in addition to the training, career guidance, and academic supervision opportunities it provides.