ACTPAC consortium in Utrecht, The Netherlands

The second in-person ACTPAC consortium meeting took place on April 24–25 in the beautiful city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, with 22 scientists in attendance. The event was graciously hosted by Prof. Dr. Bert M. Weckhuysen and his team at Utrecht University. All project partners from the 10 participating organisations were represented in person, with the exception of Innovaplast, who joined online due to a visa delay.

As the ACTPAC project progresses, additional work packages are being launched, and this meeting marked the first opportunity for many newly appointed Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers to meet their peers and collaborators within the consortium. 

During the two days’ event, scientists from the five academic partners in ACTPAC presented their progress and results within their respective work packages. They shared new knowledge and key findings achieved since the last in person meeting in Aarhus, Denmark. 

With the project reaching one-third of its timeline, it is a crucial moment to begin strengthening the connection between academic researchers and industrial partners. To support this, one key component of the tightly scheduled agenda was the formation of discussion groups based on topic relevance. These internal group discussions focused on technical details, such as equipment requirements for scaling up operations from laboratory to pilot scale. Through intensive interaction, researchers established personal connections and developed a shared understanding of the needs and preparations required to ensure a smooth transfer and replication of laboratory results at a larger, pilot scale.

The ACTPAC project is on a strong trajectory of progress and has now reached a critical phase. The consortium is preparing to submit its first periodic report, which will be reviewed and evaluated by an external panel appointed by the EU Research Executive Agency.

As part of the two-day event, ACTPAC members had the opportunity to visit Prof. Weckhuysen’s Lab. The lab, located across two buildings, is equipped with state-of-the-art spectroscopic analysis and characterisation facilities. Many of the instruments are custom-built and uniquely designed, enabling a wide range of groundbreaking research and exciting discoveries.

In addition to the scientific sessions, a short city tour of Utrecht was organised, offering attendees a well-deserved break. The tour provided a moment of relaxation for the participants to enjoy the beautiful scenery and rich cultural heritage of Utrecht. A perfect balance to the intensive programme

The second in-person ACTPAC consortium meeting took place on April 24–25 in the beautiful city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, with 22 scientists in attendance. The event was graciously hosted by Prof. Dr. Bert M. Weckhuysen and his team at Utrecht University. All project partners from the 10 participating organisations were represented in person, with the exception of Innovaplast, who joined online due to a visa delay.

As the ACTPAC project progresses, additional work packages are being launched, and this meeting marked the first opportunity for many newly appointed Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers to meet their peers and collaborators within the consortium.

During the two days’ event, scientists from the five academic partners in ACTPAC presented their progress and results within their respective work packages. They shared new knowledge and key findings achieved since the last in person meeting in Aarhus, Denmark.

With the project reaching one-third of its timeline, it is a crucial moment to begin strengthening the connection between academic researchers and industrial partners. To support this, one key component of the tightly scheduled agenda was the formation of discussion groups based on topic relevance. These internal group discussions focused on technical details, such as equipment requirements for scaling up operations from laboratory to pilot scale. Through intensive interaction, researchers established personal connections and developed a shared understanding of the needs and preparations required to ensure a smooth transfer and replication of laboratory results at a larger, pilot scale.

The ACTPAC project is on a strong trajectory of progress and has now reached a critical phase. The consortium is preparing to submit its first periodic report, which will be reviewed and evaluated by an external panel appointed by the EU Research Executive Agency.