European Researchers’ Night 2026: taking science across Europe

European Researchers' Night 2026

On 25 September 2026, LifeWatch ERIC and its Distributed Centres participated in several initiatives of the European Researchers’ Night (#ERN), bringing biodiversity science, research and innovation closer to citizens across Europe.

  • Understanding the importance of marine ecosystems

In Lecce, Italy, the former Olivetani Monastery hosted a series of informative events, such as project booths, documentary projections, and small-scale reconstructions of extremely fascinating scientific experiments. The Marine SABRES project was present with a “Marine SABRES in Fairs” booth.

Visitors could test the Marine SABRES Serious Game, developed by LifeWatch ERIC as an interactive experience designed to explore the complex relationships between human activities, marine ecosystems, and human well-being, while reflecting on the choices and trade-offs involved in achieving a more sustainable future.

The event also featured the screening of “Tides of Balance”, the Marine SABRES documentary directed by Fabrizio Lecce, offering perspectives on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the sustainable use and management of marine ecosystems.

  • Exploring solutions for mine-impacted waters

The ERN in Huelva, Spain, included a series of activities, interactive labs, and dialogues promoted by the University of Huelva with the objective to bring science closer to the public. The RECUP-DAS project was there, and presented a workshop on “Ecological treatment of acid mine drainage”, through the Environmental Mineralogy and Geochemistry Group of the University of Huelva (one of the project partners).

The workshop introduced the technology at the core of RECUP-DAS: Dispersed Alkaline Substrate (DAS), a passive treatment system that can neutralise the acidity of water from mining-impacted sites while efficiently retaining metals.

The technology was developed by researchers of the Tharsis research group at the University of Huelva, and will be applied as part of RECUP-DAS in the surroundings of Mina La Poderosa, by building a new DAS treatment plant within the Tinto and Odiel river basins, historically affected by the presence of metals. A real-time monitoring system developed by LifeWatch ERIC will also support the creation of a digital twin of the treatment plant, demonstrating how digital technologies can contribute to environmental monitoring and research.

  • Learning about the herborisation of algae specimens

In Porto, Portugal, the ERN rolled out with interactive experiences, demonstrations with scientists, games, workshops, and much more. The Portuguese National Distributed Centre of LifeWatch ERIC is managed by PORBIOTA. In Porto, Portugal, PORBIOTA was represented by the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto at the European Researchers’ Night held at the i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health.

As part of the “Bridges for Science” project, the team organised a workshop on the herborisation of algae specimens, offering participants a hands-on opportunity to explore biodiversity research and scientific collections.

Overall, participating in these initiatives across Europe has been a great chance to bring scientific work beyond the research community, where it can open a dialogue with citizens and show the value of biodiversity and ecosystem research to address environmental challenges.

Project RECUP-DAS members at the University of Huelva for the 3rd Executive Monitoring Committee meeting

RECUP-DAS Monitoring meeting

On 24 June, the Faculty of Experimental Sciences at the University of Huelva hosted the third Executive Monitoring Committee meeting for the RECUP-DAS project, an initiative co-funded by the European Union through the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027.

The aim of RECUP-DAS is to apply DAS (Dispersed Alkaline Substrate) technology to reduce the presence of metals resulting from acid mine drainage and to develop advanced scientific monitoring and digitalisation capabilities that will enable the assessment and tracking of the environmental recovery of the River Odiel.

The meeting was attended by Susana Benavides, Director-General for Water Resources at the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Regional Government of Andalusia, and Javier Marcial de Torre, Managing Director of the Andalusian Environment and Water Agency (AMAYA), organisations which are collaborating on the project alongside the University of Huelva and LifeWatch ERIC.

During the meeting, progress was reported on the design and planning of the new DAS plant planned for the area around Mina La Poderosa, as well as the status of the work that will enable a comprehensive assessment of its environmental impact. Among them are the development of an advanced environmental monitoring system; the integration and scientific analysis of data; and the development of digital solutions that will enable land-use managers and the scientific community to assess the progress of the environmental recovery of the river Odiel.

The day concluded with a visit to the laboratories of the Mineralogy and Environmental Geochemistry Unit at the University of Huelva, led by José Miguel Nieto, principal investigator of the Tharsis Group and a leading figure in the development and application of DAS technology in the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

About RECUP-DAS:

RECUP DAS is a project co-funded by the European Union through the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, and launched in January 2026 as a result of a collaboration agreement between the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the University of Huelva and LifeWatch ERIC. With a budget of 10.4 million euros, it falls under Specific Objective 2.9 of the Andalusia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, within Priority 2D STEP, which is aimed at promoting clean technologies, the ecological transition and the protection of biodiversity. As well as tackling a long-standing environmental problem linked to the discharge of water contaminated by mining activities into the ocean, the project incorporates a significant circular economy component. In this regard, research will be carried out into the reuse of solid waste generated following the treatment of acid mine drainage, as this waste may contain critical metals of strategic interest to Europe.

More info: http://lifewatch.eu/2026/01/28/recup-das

Agroecology Monitoring experts meet in Rome

Agroecology meetings

The European AGROECOLOGY Partnership gathers together the European Commission and 72 partners across member states, associated countries, and third countries, in order to accelerate the transition to agroecology, making farming systems more resilient, productive, and climate/biodiversity-friendly through Living Labs and Research Infrastructures.

Currently, the Partnership is developing an innovative monitoring framework that includes indicators, methodologies, and data management tools to track and measure the social, economic, environmental performances and impacts of the agroecology transition in Europe.

In the initial stage of this process, three thematic workshops were organised, focusing on agro-environmental, economic, and socio-cultural/governance, to build on expert knowledge generated by previous experiences. These workshops identified key priorities, needs and shared challenges that have informed the development of a Conceptual Framework (CF) proposing a logical structure for monitoring agroecology and its sustainability effects.

Building on this foundation, a second event was organised in Rome, on 9 and 10 June, to review and refine the Framework and identify shared priorities and recommendations through collaborative expert engagement. The event featured two discussion sessions, one consolidating lessons learnt from the previous thematic workshops, and one fostering a shared vision for the future.

The experts met in the Coopertiva Coraggio premises for two and a half days to identify priority areas of action of the AGROECOLOGY Partnership, structure an action plan, and validate the Conceptual Framework structure and its three monitoring lenses.

For more information about the partnership, visit: https://www.agroecologypartnership.eu/en

RECUP-DAS: the new €10.4M project to restore the Tinto and Odiel river basins

RECUP-DAS

LifeWatch ERIC is proud to be part of the new funded project RECUP-DAS, through an agreement signed together with the Andalusian Regional Governement and the University of Huelva.

With a total budget of 10.4 million euros, RECUP-DAS is a strategic initiative funded under ERDF Andalusia 2021-2027, that promotes the environmental recovery of the Tinto and Odiel river basins, two of the systems that most suffered the acid drainage from historical mining (the name “Río Tinto” refers to the reddish colour of its waters from iron and other metals dissolved into them).

This initiative entails the collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in terms of leadership on the sustainable management of water, in collaboration with the Andalusian knowledge system and LifeWatch ERIC as scientific infrastructure specialised in biodiversity and ecosystem.

The project follows an innovative and sustainable approach, aligned with the regional hydrological planning. The Directorate General responsible for water resources will oversee the construction of a DAS technology-based plant for the treatment of acid mine drainage and environmental restoration of the affected areas, with a gradual recovery of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services.

DAS stands for “Dispersed Alkaline Substrate“, a technology developed by the “Tharsis” Research Group of the University of Huelva, which will be improved and optimised throughout the project: this passive treatment system neutralised acidity and removes dissolved metals in contaminated water without the need for continuous energy or permanent addition of reagents.

With a total budget of 5.9 million euros assigned, LifeWatch ERIC will lead the digitisation of the system and the development of a digital twin, which will allow the simulation of different operating scenarios to optimise efficiency, and improve decision-making along the plant operation.

In addition, LifeWatch ERIC will also be responsible for the dissemination of project’s results, ensuring that knowledge generated can be transferred and replicated in future restoration initiatives, regional, national and international.

The main expected results of RECUP-DAS are a significant reduction in the pollutant load in affected waters, improvement of the ecological status of the intervened watercourses, and the generation of scientific and technical knowledge applicable to basins in similar conditions. Solid waste generated from the treatment process will be the object of further analysis on how to potentially valorise it, within the framework of circular economy.

Stay tuned to know more about RECUP-DAS!

Agroecology & Digital Innovation: LifeWatch ERIC at ERSAC 2025

ERSAC 2025

The ERSAC Conference 2025 (European Research Services on Agroecology), from 1 to 3 October 2025, brought together scientists, decision-makers and practitioners across Europe to exchange strategies for a sustainable and resilient agriculture sector and advance actions in support of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy.

LifeWatch ERIC joined the conference under the framework of the AgroServ Project (https://www.lifewatch.eu/agroserv): a network of research infrastructures that offer integrated services, with the objective of accelerating the agroecological transition. LifeWatch ERIC contributes through its infrastructure, data services and coordination in order to strengthen the collaboration across infrastructures.

Iria Soto Embodas (Scientific Researchers at LifeWatch ERIC’s ICT Core, presented a talk on “Data and Monitoring for the Agroecological Transition in the Agroecology Partnership.”, in the session dedicated to Agroecological Transition for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture. Iria emphasised the need for harmonised data collection and monitoring standards in Europe, and the role of ICT and digital platforms in evaluating, supporting, and scaling agroecological practices. In fact, associating agroecological policy and practice with robust monitoring and data systems can support sustainable farming at scale.

Are you curious to learn more about agroecology? We had a conversation on this topic with José Manuel Ávila-Castuera, Senior Scientific Manager. Listen to the podcast to learn more about this approach: https://www.lifewatch.eu/podcasts/agroecology-applying-ecological-processes-to-agriculture.

European Agroecology Partnership members meet in The Netherlands

agroecology partnership meeting

LifeWatch ERIC actively participated in the in-person WP5 European Agroecology Partnership meeting, “Accelerating farming systems transition: agroecology living labs and research infrastructures”, held at Wageningen University & Research from 18 to 20 June 2025.

The meeting, co-organised by WUR and LifeWatch ERIC, brought together key partners to review progress on monitoring and data management strategies for assessing agroecological transitions in Europe. A central focus was on enhancing cross-task collaboration to support the design and implementation of sustainable farming systems across the continent.

Hosted at the WUR Impulse Building, the meeting included plenary sessions, cross-task workshops, and a field visit to the organic dairy farm De Hooilanden and market garden De Lichtveen.

Representing LifeWatch ERIC, José Manuel Ávila and Iria Soto, leaders of Work Package 5, coordinated and moderated several sessions, facilitating strategic discussions to shape the Partnership’s second phase.

The Agroecology Partnership, funded under Horizon Europe, supports multi-actor innovation through a unique integration of Living Labs and Research Infrastructures. It fosters collaboration among scientists, farmers, advisors, policymakers, and citizens to co-create resilient and sustainable food systems.

EULAC EnergyTRAN mobility event in Seville

EULAC ENERGYTRAN mobility event

On 20 May 2025, the second day of the EULAC EnergyTRAN mobility event took place at the Statutory Seat of LifeWatch ERIC, located in Plaza de España in Seville, Spain. This initiative is part of the EU-LAC cooperation framework, aiming to strengthen scientific collaboration between European and Latin American research infrastructures, particularly in the environmental and energy transition domains.

The second day gathered a diverse delegation of Latin American representatives, including members of: Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Argentina (Julian Asinsten, Martin del Castillo, Lilia Inés Stubrin, Valeria Arza, Martin Obaya, Emanuel López), Tecnológico de Aguascalientes, México (Adrian Bonilla-Petriciolet, Didilia Ileana Mendoza-Castillo), National High Technology Center (CeNAT), Costa Rica (Jazmín Calderón Quirós), and LifeWatch ERIC team members (Francisco Manuel Sánchez, Antonio José Sáenz, Joaquin López, Julio López Paneque, Iria Soto, Ana Mellado, Maite Irazábal).

Throughout the day, participants from Latin America had the opportunity to engage directly with LifeWatch ERIC members and explore the organisation’s technological, analytical, and data management services. Sessions included:

  • An overview of LifeWatch ERIC’s data management services and technological resources such as the Scientific Knowledge Graph, LifeBlock, and the MyLifeWatch platform;
  • Demonstrations of data loggers and sensor networks for environmental monitoring;
  • A detailed showcase of the collaborative research platform and analytical workflows developed within the EnergyTRAN project;
  • Insightful presentations on the long-term sustainability of LifeWatch ERIC tools and their application in other European projects, such as AGROSERV and Microbes4Climate.

These in-person meetings are precious opportunities to cultivate openness and constructive dialogue, ensuring long-term international cooperation.

The event concluded with an exchange of ideas for future collaborations and opportunities, which are vital to sustain and expand the EU-LAC research partnerships and respond to shared challenges across regions.

RitrainPlus November Events: project management and tools for Research Infrastructure efficiency

Eleventh CoP meeting

The RitrainPlus project is organising a Knowledge Exchange Workshop, and a Community of Practice meeting, both taking place this November.

RitrainPlus aims to bring together research infrastructures, core facilities, business management schools and European universities, in an innovative collaboration designed to transform the access and empowerment of human resources.

European research infrastructures and core facilities will benefit from the RitrainPlus skill-base, helping to drive their professionalisation, efficiency and long-term value creation.

Knowledge Exchange Workshop:

Organised jointly by ICOS and ACTRIS, the online workshop is dedicated to the management of a portfolio of European projects at 360 degrees. 

This event is open to all scientific disciplines, and it is organised in three independent sessions on 14, 15 and 29 November. Participants can register for one or more of the sessions, depending on their interest. 

The three sessions will cover essential topics: Session 1 focuses on methods for identifying emerging themes and assessing project portfolios; Session 2 addresses practical strategies for managing multiple projects simultaneously; and Session 3 explores ways to ensure the sustainability and long-term legacy of projects.

Please note that space is limited, and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

For details on this workshop, we suggest consulting the Ritrain Plus website: https://ritrainplus.eu/2024/10/16/ritrainplus-knowledge-exchange-workshop-project-portfolio-management/

Next CoP online meeting: Technical Tools to improve the efficiency of RIs staff

The second event organised by the Ritrain Plus consortium is part of a series of meetings dedicated to the project’s Community of Practice (registrations can be done through this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ritrainplus).

This is the 11th online meeting of the community, dedicated to research infrastructure staff, and it will take place on 15 November, from 12:00 to 13:30. Cristina Huertas-Olivares (International Initiatives & Projects Manager) and Joaquin Lopez Lerida (Data e-Science Management Plan & BlockChain Officer), both from the LifeWatch ERIC Statutory Seat and ICT-Core offices in Spain, will moderate and present during the session. 

The goal of the meeting is to promote the efficiency of distributed Research Infrastructures, which often face the challenge of managing multiple tasks, while collaborating remotely with colleagues. The session has the advantage of being highly practical: attendants will be presented with a suite of digital tools to enhance their daily workflow.

The Zoom link of the meeting is available on the Ritrain Plus dedicated page: https://ritrainplus.eu/2024/10/14/next-cop-online-meeting-technical-tools-to-improve-the-efficiency-of-ris-staff/ 

Advancing Global Energy Solutions at the first EULAC Energytran Virtual Thematic Event

energytran project

The EULAC Energytran project held its first Virtual Thematic Event on 26 and 27 June, titled “Strengthening Europe – Latin America Cooperation in the Energy Transition“. The event brought together stakeholders from Europe, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. The participants – around two hundred – included representatives from scientific communities, universities, policymakers, research infrastructures, project managers and private sector actors, alongside the consortium partners. Our Ana Mellado and Maite Irazábal participated to represent LifeWatch ERIC’s role in the project.

This project addresses common energy challenges between the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean. focusing on improving the sustainability of the energy transition process. The two-day virtual event covered the first two work packages of the Energytran project, about technology and policy innovation. This event is part of a broader effort to promote a sustainable and equitable energy transition in both regions. At the meeting, discussions revolved around five panels:

  1. Knowledge Exchange in Scientific Cooperation between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
  2. Challenges and Opportunities in the Energy Sector.
  3. Environmental and Social Impact of Renewable Energies.
  4. Emerging Technologies for Energy Sustainability.
  5. Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy Applications.

The event concluded with key takeaways from OEI, CENAT, CSIC, PUC, and UNNE. It highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange, addressing sectoral challenges and opportunities, and considering the social and environmental impacts of energy transitions. The panels also focused on emerging technologies and applications of solar thermal energy. Ana Mellado – LifeWatch ERIC’s Project Executive Coordinator – gave a conclusion regarding the role of technology and research infrastructures in the energy transition process.

The role of LifeWatch ERIC within the consortium

LifeWatch ERIC will bring its expertise in environmental monitoring and data management, contributing to the project’s transdisciplinary approach. The consortium includes prominent universities and research institutions from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, and Portugal. It aims to produce over twenty deliverables, including policy recommendations, and training materials. Moreover, it will create a comprehensive inventory of research infrastructures relevant to the energy transition.
For more information about the Energytran project, please visit the official website: https://energytran.oei.int/