During December, I travelled to Almeria, Spain, to attend a training school on Technologies, Analytical Techniques, and Current Issues in Non-Conventional Wastewater Treatment. As an early-stage PhD researcher, this was my first experience of stepping into an international scientific setting entirely on my own, and it turned out to be one of the most meaningful parts of my journey so far.
The training brought together researchers from across Europe to cover the latest analytical methods and technologies used to tackle wastewater streams that fall outside conventional treatment approaches. Sessions combined technical depth with real discussion of the current challenges shaping the field, giving all participants a clearer picture of where non-conventional wastewater treatment research is heading, and which analytical tools are driving that progress.
Beyond the scientific programme, Almeria was where I truly began building my professional network, I met professors working right from the early stages of applying nanomaterials in Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs), as well as researchers looking into newer fields like genomics, and it was fascinating to see how these seemingly different areas of water research are all connected. I also connected with scholars working in advanced water treatment whose work closely relates to mine, and it was great to learn more about what’s happening in their labs. Seeing the pilot-scale solutions implemented on site, along with the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA), was a great experience – it highlighted how much can be achieved by making the most of the resources unique to each location. At PSA, they utilize concentrated sunlight to drive processes like solar photocatalysis and photo-Fenton reactions for treating and disinfecting wastewater, turning an abundant local resource into a genuine treatment technology. Surrounded by experienced scholars and researchers, I had countless conversations over coffee breaks and between sessions, exchanging ideas, comparing research approaches, and connecting with people working on related problems across Europe. Being in a new country for the first time, with not that many familiar faces, pushed me to take the initiative, introduce myself, and engage openly in conversations over coffee breaks and between sessions. Those exchanges, comparing research approaches and connecting with people working on related problems, have already proven valuable since returning to my own research
I left Almeria not only with new technical knowledge in wastewater analytics, but with a broader network of contacts and a renewed sense of confidence in navigating international academic environments as an early-career researcher. It was the perfect first step into the world of scientific training schools, and a reminder that some of the most valuable outcomes of these events happen outside the lecture hall.
