A UCD postdoctoral researcher has won the Best Poster award at the (opens in a new window)Una Europa StartScience / Symposium on Future Materials and Technologies, hosted at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.
Physics, chemistry and engineering researchers from across the Una Europa alliance gathered in Krakow from 22-25 January for an interdisciplinary series of events focusing on the area of Future Materials and Technologies. The week brought together two strands: Una Europa StartScience and Una Europa Future Materials and Technologies.
A combination of "start-up" and "science", Una Europa StartScience aims to connect researchers with the local ecosystems of the Una Europa partner universities to facilitate the development of public-private partnerships. The Symposium on Future Materials and Technologies aimed to provide a unique platform for researchers, industry professionals and funding institutions to explore the cutting edge of materials science, foster new collaborations, and identify opportunities for joint initiatives within Una Europa.
Five representatives from UCD (pictured above) travelled to Krakow, supported by Una Europa @ UCD: postdoctoral researchers Waseem Wani and Qiancheng Zhang from the School of Physics, and Lorcan O'Toole from the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering; accompanied by Prof Brian Rodriguez from the Future Materials and Technologies Self-Steering Committee and UCD’s School of Physics; and guest speaker Dr Veronica Sofianos from UCD’s School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering.
Waseem Wani (pictured above) was awarded Best Poster at the Symposium for his poster, ‘Exploring Ferroic Behaviour of Hafnia with PFM and Environmental Control’. He said: “The event was filled with insightful talks and fruitful scientific discussions that left me inspired and eager to dive deeper into my work. I learned about various funding opportunities that can help advance research, which was incredibly valuable. The presentations and work showcased by the Una Europa team were truly remarkable, highlighting their dedication to driving scientific progress.”
Speaking about the event overall, Lorcan O’Toole said: “I would highly recommend [others] taking part. It’s a unique opportunity to engage with fellow researchers and explore funding and collaboration opportunities. The event fosters meaningful discussions, not only during the formal sessions but also in informal settings, such as over dinner or while enjoying the city. Such relaxed conversations often spark enthusiastic and exciting ideas!”
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