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Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industries and UniTo present the second Students' Green Challenge with CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat) - the innovation provider of the Stellantis Group. Registration closed on 04 November 2024.     Who is it addressed to? The challenge is open to all those enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's, Combined Bachelor and Master's degree courses at the University of Torino who want to get involved and propose their own innovative solution to the company.   Stellantis and the challenge theme CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat) is the innovation provider of the Stellantis Group, one of the world's leading car manufacturers aiming to offer freedom of movement through sustainable mobility solutions. With a portfolio of 14 brands, Stellantis is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and reaching the net zero target by 2038. Such a challenging target requires the management of every phase of a vehicle's life: optimised management of raw materials, transformation and production processes and end-of-life recovery. To address these challenges, CRF Sustainable Raw Materials launches a challenge to the students of UniTo. The objective is to develop new proposals for the use of green materials (recycled, bio-based, recyclable) in BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). In particular, the challenge focuses on: evolution of BEVs by increasing the use of green materials (target of 35% by weight of green polymers and 50% recycled metals by 2038, from the current 12% green polymers and 35% metals); definition of supply chain archetypes that support the use of such materials; challenges to be addressed to achieve decarbonisation targets. Teams are invited to propose innovative solutions for the entire supply chain, from supplier to material recovery, including vehicle redesign scenarios to reduce CO2 eq emissions. Proposals must be concrete, feasible and focused on sustainability.   Join us in this challenge to redesign the future of sustainable mobility! At the Challenge launch event on 21 November 2024, the Challenge will be explained to participants in detail by company representatives.   Instructions for application LApplications must be submitted on the form by 4 November 2024, and subject to availability (30 places).   It is possible to apply either individually or as established teams of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 participants. If you apply as a team, you must indicate the name of the team in the ‘Notes’ section of the form, which must be completed by all members, penalty of exclusion from the initiative. Multidisciplinary teams, with members from different courses of study, are strongly recommended. The organisation reserves the right to modify and/or supplement the composition of the teams, which will be officially defined during the launch event on 21 November 2024, following the matchmaking session. The challenges are conducted entirely in Italian and participation in the programme's main events, as well as the preparation of a final pitch to present to the company, is compulsory for all participants. Programme Kick-off event on 21 November 2024 Palazzo Badini - Sala Lauree, ground floor, University of Turin Morning: presentation of the initiative and the actors involved Afternoon: team matchmaking and first work session Mentoring event on 28 November 2024 Room 3D136 - 3rd floor - Campus Luigi Einaudi, University of Turin Afternoon: during the event, teams will be able to benefit from the presence of mentors to ask for support and opinions on the idea, pitch and innovative proposal. Final pitching and awards event on 12 December 2024 Palazzo Badini - Sala Lauree, ground floor, University of Turin Afternoon: all teams will present their solution with a pitch to an evaluation committee composed of representatives of the organising bodies with a final award ceremony. More details and information on the programme of events will be provided in the coming days.

On 27th and 28th September 2024, Researchers' Night, the annual event dedicated to promoting science and research, took place across Europe. Once again this year, Spoke 2 researchers from the NODES ecosystem took an active part in the editions organised in the cities of Turin, Pavia and Busto Arsizio, with numerous initiatives to bring the public closer to the themes of sustainability, recycling and technologies.   Friday 27th September Torino - UNIGHT: “Da rifiuto a risorsa: i rifiuti minerali come alternativa sostenibile all'estrazione di materie prime vergini” (‘From waste to resource: mineral waste as a sustainable alternative to virgin raw material extraction’) At the Royal Museums of Turin, the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Turin presented a series of research focused on the recovery and reuse of mineral waste. The researchers illustrated the advantages of reusing waste such as rubble, excavated earth and ceramic materials, proposing innovative solutions for the production of technosols, circular mortars and other resources useful for industrial development. Busto Arsizio - “Alla scoperta del progetto NODES: Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile” ('Discovering the NODES project:Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile') In the Garden of Villa Manara in Busto Arsizio, researchers from the Department of Science and High Technology of Insubria University presented the activities of NODES Spoke 2. Through a hands-on activity, participants had the opportunity to learn the meaning of recycling codes and experience the recycling and reuse of waste materials in an interactive way. Pavia - Sharper Night: “La valorizzazione di scarti caseari attraverso la biologia sintetica” (‘The valorisation of dairy waste through synthetic biology’) In Pavia, in the University's central building, the Department of Industrial and Information Engineering presented innovative research into the fermentation of dairy waste. The aim of the experiment was to show how these waste materials can be used to produce high-energy molecules, thus contributing to the reduction of waste in the food industry. Pavia - Sharper Night: “Gli enzimi, protagonisti della quotidianità” (‘Enzymes, protagonists of everyday life’) Also in Pavia, the Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biology and Biotechnology ‘Lazzaro Spallanzani’ illustrated the crucial role of enzymes in everyday life. Using practical examples, the researchers explained how these proteins have been used for centuries in fermentation processes and how they are now used in a wide range of industrial applications, from the food industry to pharmaceuticals, biofuels and detergents. Pavia - Sharper Night: “WakeUP: dagli oli di scarto alle bioplastiche” (‘WakeUP: from waste oil to bioplastics’) Finally, also in Pavia, the Department of Chemistry presented WAKEUP, a prototype developed within the NODES project, which aims to transform waste oils into bioplastics and materials for water purification, demonstrating how academic research can have a direct impact on environmental sustainability. Saturday 28th September Torino - UNIGHT: “Mi rifiuto! ...di fare rifiuto” ('I refuse! ...to do waste!’) On Saturday in Turin, at the Royal Museums, the Politecnico di Torino presented an interactive event to explain to the public how apparently unusable materials, such as paper, plastic, glass and biomass, can be transformed into resources through the use of advanced technologies. This initiative highlighted how recycling and reuse are key tools for reducing environmental impact. Torino - UNIGHT: “Indovina quanta! L'acqua che usi ma non vedi" (‘Guess how much! The water you use but don't see') In the afternoon, another event by the Politecnico di Torino explored the concept of virtual water, i.e. the amount of water used in the production of consumer goods such as clothes. Participants were able to discover how much water is needed to produce a simple T-shirt and how hidden water consumption can be reduced through conscious choices.   The participation of Spoke 2 of the NODES project in the Researchers' Night 2024 was an important opportunity to bring the public closer to research and the challenges of sustainability, recycling and technological innovation.   A huge thank you to all the Spoke 2 researchers who helped bring research closer to young and old in the various cities and make this event, once again, a great success for universities and civil society. Until next year!!

NODES Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industries will participate in the Biocat4Value - Biocatalysis Conference for Biological Transformation along Renewable Value Chains. Organised by the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) Biocatalysis Division, the event will be held from 18 to 20 November 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

On 19 June 2024 in Turin, Spoke 2 launched a new challenge to explore the topic of Industrial Symbiosis by asking for help from experts from various disciplines and the narration of the experience of some participating companies.

We imagined for a long time what it would be like to be in a room full of young innovators, ready to revolutionise the way we tackle environmental challenges. Nothing, however, had prepared us for the spirit that animated the 1st edition of the Spoke 2 Green Challenge. Four multidisciplinary teams of students from the University of Turin tackled the challenge launched by Edison Next Environment: how to sustainably reuse a piece of land after heavy metal remediation.

On 21 May 2024, a delegation from Spoke 2 was a guest of the University of Sannio in Benevento, a partner from the South, in order to expand synergies and visit the research infrastructure. 

DataWaste is the innovative project realised by Dr. Silvia Fraterrigo Garofalo, researcher of the Research Module 5 of Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industry, on the occasion of Giovedì Scienza, an important science dissemination event in the Turin area. This project was created to be a concrete and integral solution to tackle the problem of food waste through the process of Industrial Symbiosis, the research theme of Spoke 2, enhancing synergies between companies and promoting a circular economy.

Spoke 2 had the pleasure of interviewing Duccio Travaglini, co-founder of Greencome, an innovative company in the field of communication and awareness-raising on climate change. Greencome has the declared aim of mobilising people and organisations to fight global warming, thus becoming an example of innovation. Through new media and dissemination content, it aims to reach a wide and transversal audience to raise awareness on environmental issues. During the talk, Travaglini emphasised that innovation is not limited to technology, but can involve multiple aspects. In this regard, he cited the example of Re4Circular, a project financed through the NODES cascade funds of the start-up Atelier Riforma, which has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of addressing textile waste in a circular manner. This is an innovative solution that, acting on the end-of-life of products, can bring concrete benefits in terms of circular economy and reduced environmental impact. An emblematic case of how technology, when at the service of sustainability, can enable new environmentally friendly business models. Innovation, therefore, not only as technological development for its own sake but, as Travaglini emphasised, also as a change for the better of visions, processes and economic systems, in the perspective of a future with a lower climate impact. This is the mission of Greencome and the innovators working for a cultural and social change to support the ecological transition.

On the occasion of the first stop of Round GRIP, Full Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Turin Cristina Prandi, coordinator of Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industries, shared some of the objectives of the activities implemented by Spoke 2, completely dedicated to the development of green technologies and coordinated by the University of Turin together with its partners. « We deal with everything related to environmental sustainability and especially the development of new technologies that enable the recycling of materials in the most sustainable way possible » explained Prandi. « Spoke 2 is dimensionally large, with many partners, and we are creating an important community of dialogue between research organisations and industry. » In fact, the main operational line of Spoke's activities aims at creating strong synergies between the world of work and the world of academic research, a fundamental collaboration to accelerate the development of sustainable solutions and innovative technologies that can transform industries in the area in a green way. Speaking about the objectives of the project, Cristina Prandi expressed the hope of developing a common language between the different stakeholders. And the event on 13 March was built to meet this intention: « We have put a lot of work into this event, which is focused on content and networking. It is strategic to create a knowledge transfer chain from basic research, mainly developed in universities, to industrial research. » The first stop of Round GRIP was in fact the beginning of a long journey of meetings and exchanges with the intention of consolidating these collaborations. The event, which was held at the Environment Park in Turin, was attended by over 100 key figures from the business and research worlds of the NODES ecosystem. Creating a network of companies within the project « is fundamental: at a general level and also at the level of the country system. We are trying to find this point of dialogue with companies that allows the valorisation of excellent research done in universities with the needs of companies » Prandi added. Finding operational points of dialogue that enhance academic research in response to the needs of companies is essential for both parties.  

It is with great satisfaction that the delegation of Spoke 2 - Green Technologies and Sustainable Industry concludes its participation in the prestigious Ecomondo fair, hosted by the stand of the University of Turin. Ecomondo 2023 was a unique opportunity to network with companies in the Green world and to present the NODES - Northwest Digital And Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem. We could have talked with the more than 1,500 exhibiting brands, or the 300 buyers, or even more importantly with the delegates from the 280 nations represented... but we confess we couldn't make it ;-) Nevertheless, we walked many steps, to visit the other booths and shake hands and tell our stories of innovation, education and technologies. Spoke 2 also had a chance to get noticed thanks to the participation of Proplast, a Spoke partner innovation hub, which presented a poster during the session "Towards a national program for industrial symbiosis: perspectives and opportunities for Italy." The poster, available in the attachments, provides a detailed overview of NODES and the specific activities of Spoke 2. During the event, we had the pleasure of congratulating in person the company IRIS s.r.l., winner of the NODES Line A grant. IRIS s.r.l.'s presence at the fair not only helped strengthen the reputation of Spoke 2, but also led to a well-deserved recognition. IRIS s.r.l. was honored by the Foundation for Sustainable Development as one of the top ten companies in the field of circular water management. These kinds of tangible successes demonstrate the effectiveness of the synergies generated within this innovation ecosystem.

The course, promoted by the University of Turin and Butterfly Area and implemented as part of the NODES - Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile Project and the National Agritech Centre, financed by the MUR and the European Union, aims to train business figures and consultants in cutting-edge techniques for environmental sanitisation. With a focus on sustainable technologies, the course aims to promote the reduction of environmental impact through the conscious use of conventional sanitation and the introduction of new technologies to optimise sanitisation practices, in order to reduce the risk of residues in the environment and contamination of foodstuffs in the agro-food chain.

Spoke 2 - Green technologies and sustainable industries and the University of Turin present the first edition of the Students' Green Challenge, in collaboration with Edison.  Registration is open until 29 April 2024, subject to availability of 30 places.   SUBSCRIBE     Who is it addressed to? Students on master's or single-cycle degree courses at the University of Turin.   Edison and the sustainable re-use of reclaimed land and resolution of regulatory and management issues Edison is Europe's oldest energy company and among the leading energy companies in Italy and Europe. The Edison Group offers solutions and advanced technologies to its residential, industrial and public administration customers to optimise energy consumption and gradually reduce their carbon footprint, accompanying them in the transition towards greater environmental, social and economic sustainability. Edison, through its Edison Next Environment company, therefore works to support companies in understanding their impact on the territory and to manage in a ‘circular’ manner materials no longer used. This takes place in 3 areas of intervention: Environmental Services, Waste Management and Valorization, Biomethane. In the area of Environmental Services, thanks to NODES, the Company has chosen to launch a Challenge to UniTo's students in order to collaborate in solving related regulatory and management issues. Specifically, they are asked to highlight and find possible solutions for the following (compatibly with current legislation and possible access to PNRR incentives): the sustainable re-use of reclaimed land; the future uses of reclaimed sites. At the Challenge launch event on 9 May 2024, the Challenge will be explained to participants in detail by company representatives.   Application Instructions individual and/or pre-composed teams of minimum 3 - maximum 5 participants, preferably multidisciplinary. all team members must still register on the form, under penalty of exclusion from the initiative, specifying the name of their team in the ‘Note’ section Attendance at all activities and production of a final pitch to present to the company required. Why participate? In addition to putting their skills to the test, the students will be able to work closely with experts in the field and actively contribute to our country's energy transition. In addition to academic recognition, through the award of an Open Badge, the winning team will have the opportunity to see their idea become reality, with the direct support of Edison. By the end of June 2024, the winners will benefit from: a visit to the laboratories; opportunity to meet company managers with lunch provided on the premises; opportunity to access a talent acquisition session aimed at future job opportunities. How does it work? Kick-off event on 9 May 2024 Sala Principi D’Acaja - Palazzo del Rettorato, University of Turin Morning: presentation of the initiative and the actors involved Afternoon: team matchmaking and first work session   Mentoring speed-date event on 16 May 2024 Place: Aula 3D1 36 - 3rd floor - Campus Luigi Einaudi, University of Turin Afternoon: During the event, teams will benefit from the presence of mentors' operational tables to ask for support and opinions on the idea, pitch and innovative proposal. Final pitching and award ceremony event on 23 May 2024 Place: OGR Torino Afternoon: all teams will present their solution with a pitch to an evaluation committee composed of representatives of the organising bodies with a final award ceremony. More details and information on the programme of events will be provided in the coming days.