The seventh Network-wide Event of ETN SOCRATES took place on from 18 till 19 February 2020 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. During the meeting, the recruited Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and their supervisors, together with representatives of the partner organisations and the project management, monitored the progress of the research projects of SOCRATES. This seventh NWE was the last physical meeting of the consortium, as the final meeting will be replace by a conference call.
On Tuesday February 18, the ESRs were offered a site visit to AVRs operations in Rozenburg. AVR specializes in the processing of various types of residual waste (cf. www.avr.nl/en/avr). The company converts this residual waste into energy and raw materials for households and companies, and as such aims to makes what is worthless valuable again. AVR has two locations where energy and raw materials are made from waste: Duiven and Rozenburg. There are 4 transfer stations in The Hague, Utrecht and the heart of Rotterdam. The central location of the locations is very favorable for both waste suppliers and buyers of energy and raw materials. Waste is supplied by water as much as possible and where this is not possible by road.
Group picture of the ESRs at the AVR main hall.
On Wednesday February 19, the whole SOCRATES consortium gathered. The ESRs present individually their results achieved so far and the progress made during the last 6 months (15’ per ESR, followed by 10’ Q&A). In the afternoon, the TSC and SB meeting are organised. During the TSC, ESRs and supervisors discussed in parallel the different flowsheets the project team had developed previously. The focus of this meeting was to define the final flowsheets, to develop communication/dissemination materials and to look at exploitation of the flowsheets.
ESRs presented individually their results achieved so far and their progress made during the last 6 months.
After the TSC, the Supervisory Board meeting took place and conducted a full evaluation of the project state of the art and cross checks all the project milestones and deliverables. Also, attention was given to the dissemination and exploitation activities. At this was the last physical meeting of the ETN SOCRATES, after the meeting a short closure session and reception was organised.
