NANAQUA doctoral candidate Aiswarya Parakkat Bhaskaran took part in a three-minute research pitch competition at ATU’s Partnerships for Innovation, Enterprise and Growth showcase, held at The Model, Sligo, as part of Science Week 2025.

The event was organised through RISE@ATU. It brought together researchers, industry partners and members of the public to show how university research connects with real-world needs. In the pitch competition, early-career researchers had just three minutes to explain their work to a non-specialist audience and show why it matters to society.

Aiswarya is an MSCA Doctoral Candidate based at ATU Sligo. Their pitch covered the safe use of nanotechnology in wastewater treatment. Nanomaterials can break down stubborn pollutants that conventional treatment struggles to remove, such as pharmaceutical residues and industrial dyes. She also highlighted her contribution to the project’s fate and risk assessment work package: ensuring new treatment technologies are effective and safe before they are scaled up. The pitch focused on a question relevant to everyone: how can we clean our water better without creating new risks?

“We ran this event as part of Science Week, showcasing how RISE@ATU connects research with industry. Speakers highlighted projects at various stages, from 3D printing and motion capture to curing and diagnosing throat cancer, giving our PhD students insight into real-world collaboration,” said Dr Ruth Quinn.

For NANAQUA, the event was a valuable opportunity to take research beyond the laboratory. It also showed the public how nanotechnology could contribute to cleaner, safer water in the future.