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Innovate3X - 4
Development Of Multi-Scale Approaches For Testing, Separation, Removal, And Recovery Of Valuable Components, Water, And Energy Through Hybrid Processes
Initiator: UPC BarcelonaTech
Desired Outcome:
SMAR3TS project partner - UPC BarcelonaTech and its R2EM research and innovation team at Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering (CCEM Barcelona) are working on revolutionary approaches for maximizing water reuse and water recovery. With synergies to R3Volution project - HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions), the R2EM team is looking through smart, circular and integrated solutions (e.g., integration of MF, UF, NF, RO, EDBP-MD).
The Innovate3X (I3X) challenge (described here as a call to innovate solutions for resilience, restoration, and regeneration) invites research and innovation talent within the SMAR3TS project to contribute to the following goal: to develop multi-scale approaches for testing, separation, removal, and recovery of valuable components, water, and energy through hybrid processes.
Express your interest in SMAR3TS Secondment
YOUR Opportunity at UPC BarcelonaTech (Barcelona, Spain)
This I3X challenge is initiated by UPC BarcelonaTech within the SMAR3TS project and requires a secondment with a minimum duration of 30 days (to take place starting from Dec 2025). Fully funded by the European Commission, the four-year SMAR3TS project started in October 2025 and unites 35 partners worldwide to accelerate resilient, restorative and regenerative transitions through research and innovation mobility.
For more info: please see details in the attachments.
Please note: the secondments are open only to SMAR3TS Consortium Partners.
Necessary Skills and Capabilities across Disciplines
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Development of technologies related to process optimization for water reuse, energy recovery in industry, bio-based economy, circularity and sustainability assessment.
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Commercial analysis of technologies for separation, removal and recovery material.
Examples of Challenges that Need to be Addresses
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Development of digital tools for modelling and control optimization of testing processes, integration of AI into testing, separation, removal and recovery of valuable components, water and energy.
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Piloting separation, removal and recovery processes in industrial sites.
About the Initiator - i3X @ UPC BarcelonaTech
Background info
The Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering (CCEM Barcelona) at the UPC BarcelonaTech is a multidisciplinary hub at the forefront of materials science, in the fields of micro and nanoengineering, nanotechnology and biomaterials.
Research Group/Company Department
R2EM group is developing research activity on development of sustainable urban and industrial waste management cycles based on resource recovery approaches promoting circular solutions of waste to product and waste to energy. Research also involves efforts on developing environmental remediation solutions for soils and ground water remediation, process and environmental monitoring and environmental risk assessment on ports.
Link to the website: https://futur.upc.edu/idioma/en
Contact: Prof. Jose Luis Cortina, jose.luis.cortina@upc.edu
See attachment: Expertise and available technologies at UPC BarcelonaTech within SMAR3TS project and examples of strategically relevant I3X Initiatives
Alignment to Work-Packages
SMAR3TS domains that are relevant to the work of UPC BarcelonaTech organization/research and innovation team are:
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Nutrition: e.g., upcycling process of agri-food waste, sustainable food packaging
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Mobility: sustainable mobility and digitalization, processes for critical material recovery and reuse in the mobility sector
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Energy: energy recovery, energy transition, reducing energy consumption
Alignment to Resilience, Restoration, Regeneration (R3)
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Regenerative food production and recycling
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Regeneration processes in the pyrometallurgical industry
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Restoration: recovery and reuse critical raw materials for the future of mobility
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Restoration: maximizing water reuse and water recovery through smart, circular and integrated solutions for sustainable energy use and production
NOTE:
The expression of interest for the secondment at UPC BarcelonaTech must be submitted via the platform. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and you will be contacted as soon as possible. For any questions, please contact: info@smar3ts.eu
Related Keywords
Energy Technology, Energy efficiency, Carbon capture and energy, Analyses / Test Facilities and Methods, Waste Management, Recycling, Recovery, Water Management, Water Resources Management, Energy, Verification and Assembly, Integration and Test, Heat recovery, Energy for Industry, Energy Storage, Energy for Transport, Water treatment equipment and waste disposal systems, Water, sewerage, chemical and solid waste treatment plants, Spain, reuse, recovery, analysis, commercial, smart, circular and integrated solutions, wg-mobility, wg-energy