Mid January 2024 we held our 1st Annual project meeting in Bristol, UK. Perfectly organised by one of our UK partners, the University of Bristol. With almost 60 participants, most of them in person but also several joining online, it aimed at updating participants on the progress of our initiatives and planning for the upcoming period. Over the course of three productive days, we delved into detailed discussions, scientific presentations, and strategic planning sessions.
Day 1: Work Package Discussions The first day was dedicated to detailed discussions on the progress of each Work Package (WP). Each WP had a reserved time slot to review the tasks, data management, and initial data sets. This thorough examination ensured that all aspects of the tasks were addressed.
Day 2: Summarizing and Presenting Scientific Progress On the second day, we summarized the discussions from the first day and presented selected scientific progress through oral and poster presentations. We also discussed the internal collaboration between the sister projects—AVENGERS, EYE-CLIMA, and PARIS—particularly regarding stakeholder and inventory team engagement.
Day 3: External Collaboration and Feedback The third day saw external participants from AVENGERS and EYE-CLIMA join to discuss the joint engagement strategy in more detail.
The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) provided valuable feedback, which was highly appreciated. We welcomed the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) from the UK as a new associated partner, contributing through knowledge and data exchange.
Stakeholder Engagement Meeting In conjunction with the annual meeting, we also held our first stakeholder engagement meeting to coordinate activities with National Inventory Teams. We discussed:
- The wishes and needs of inventory teams
- Topics of interest for inventory teams
- Project capacities and ideas for activities
- Realistic timelines and constraints
UBA, RIVM, and EEA presented their perspectives, and participants suggested a kind of joint “workshop train,” organised by the three sister projects. Alongside, it has been decided to produce several webinars to introduce e.g. methodologies, good practices and share knowledge. Together with AVENGERS and EYE-CLIMA, we will produce joint newsletters. Interested? Sign in!
Overall, the meeting was successful and straight forward. We look forward to continuing our progress and furthering our collaborative efforts in the coming months.
