The initiative aimed to strengthen cooperation between partner universities by promoting joint doctoral research through cotutelle and co-supervised PhD programmes in the field of Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability (SmUCS).
The call offered up to 15 grants of €3,000 each, providing eligible doctoral students with financial support for international mobility, specialised training, doctoral courses, summer schools and other educational activities organised by EU-CONEXUS partner institutions.
Beyond supporting individual researchers, the initiative sought to enhance knowledge exchange, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and contribute to the development of innovative, internationally connected doctoral programmes.
The following doctoral students were awarded EU-CONEXUS PhD Grants, receiving financial support to advance their research and strengthen international academic collaboration.
PhD candidate: Alexandre Camino
Thesis: Driving change towards an intelligent policy for sustainable municipal waste management on urban coastlines
Partner universities and supervisors: University of Rostock (Prof. Peter C. Lorson, PhD) and La Rochelle University (Prof. Isabelle Sueur, PhD; Prof. Guillaume Delalieux, PhD)
PhD candidate: Pieris Panagi
Thesis: Multi-layered digital twin for a sustainable coastal built environment
Partner universities and supervisors: University of Rostock (Prof. Joern Ploennigs, PhD) and Frederick University (Prof. Paris Fokaides, PhD)
PhD candidate: Tutul Kumar
Thesis: Determination of parameters enhancing Vibrio vulnificus growth in the Baltic Sea
Partner universities and supervisors: Klaipeda University (Prof. Mathias Labrenz, PhD) and University of Rostock (Prof. Mirko Basen, PhD)
PhD candidate: Benas Dumbrauskas
Thesis: Development of a digital twin for a ship’s diesel engine operating on alternative fuels
Partner universities and supervisors: Klaipeda University (Prof. Paulius Rapalis, PhD) and University of Rostock (Prof. Stefan Ludtke, PhD)
PhD candidate: Josip Juric
Thesis: Determinants of diplomats’ well-being
Partner universities and supervisors: University of Zadar (Prof. Zvjezdan Penezic, PhD) and Catholic University of Valencia (Prof. Maria del Carmen Moret Tatay, PhD)
PhD candidate: Ana Castro Sancho
Thesis: The digital transformation of hiking and its impact on the sustainable management of natural parks in coastal or peri-urban areas
Partner universities and supervisors: University of Zadar (Prof. Ana Simunic, PhD; Prof. Ana Pejdo, PhD) and Catholic University of Valencia (Prof. Pablo Vidal-Gonzalez, PhD)
PhD candidate: Chenyi Ge
Thesis: Development of bio-based antiviral materials based on biopolymers and marine bacteria-derived compounds for biomedical applications
Partner universities and supervisors: La Rochelle University (Prof. Beatrice Colin, PhD) and Catholic University of Valencia (Prof. Angel Serrano-Aroca, PhD)
PhD candidate: Amruthamol Nellinikunnathil Ashokkumar
Thesis: An AI-driven approach for minimally disruptive repairs of reinforced concrete maritime ports in response to climate change
Partner universities and supervisors: La Rochelle University (Prof. Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga, PhD) and University of Rostock (Prof. Panagiotis Spyridis, PhD)
PhD candidate: Cristina Daniela Bălțoi
Thesis: Opportunities to reduce operational emissions in the context of sustainable urban development
Partner universities and supervisors: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Prof. Cristiana Croitoru, PhD) and Frederick University (Prof. Byron Ioannou, PhD)
PhD candidate: Maria-Angelica Stanciu
Thesis: Enhancing energy and environmental efficiency through integrated parametric and agent-based modelling for biomimetic design in structural components (E3-BioMod)
Partner universities and supervisors: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Prof. Răzvan Calotă, PhD) and South East Technological University (Prof. Indrakshi Dey, PhD)
PhD candidate: Alexandru Popa Oprița
Thesis: Methodology for assessing climate risk at the local scale in the urban environment
Partner universities and supervisors: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Prof. Cristiana Croitoru, PhD) and Frederick University (Prof. Byron Ioannou, PhD)
PhD candidate: Alexandru Ioniță
Thesis: Construction and investment management in the context of the circular economy and sustainable reuse and demolition processes through the integration of information systems (BIM/Digital Twin)
Partner universities and supervisors: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Prof. Nicolae Postăvaru, PhD) and University of Zadar (Prof. Mladen Rajko, PhD)
PhD candidate: Madjid Hadj Amer
Thesis: Approach to the durability of concrete subjected to carbonation
Partner universities and supervisors: Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (Prof. Constantin Dorinel Voinițchi, PhD) and La Rochelle University (Prof. Karim Ait-Mokhtar, PhD; Prof. Rachid Cherif, PhD)
PhD candidate: Mareeha Rafiq
Thesis: Harnessing algae-derived biostimulants to enhance crop resilience and productivity: a multi-omics and digital twin approach
Partner universities and supervisors: Agricultural University of Athens (Prof. Emmanuoil Flemetakis, PhD; Prof. Thomas Bartzanas, PhD) and Catholic University of Valencia (Prof. Ana de Luis Margarit, PhD; Prof. Jeronimo Chirivella Martorrel, PhD)
PhD candidate: Walid Abdallaoui
Thesis: Optimisation of data management in the edge-fog-cloud continuum for smart cities using a deep reinforcement learning-based approach
Partner universities and supervisors: South East Technological University (Prof. Alan Davy, PhD) and La Rochelle University (Prof. Yacine Ghamri-Doudane, PhD; Prof. Islam Naas, PhD)
The results of this initiative highlight the Alliance’s continued efforts to strengthen doctoral education and research cooperation across its partner universities.
