ReTraCE Project Meeting with Industry and Job Forum

The event ReTraCE Project Meeting with Industry and Job Forum aims to support the development of early-stage researchers (ESRs) in alignment with current policy and actions of the EU Green Deal and corporate practices related to Circular Economy.

Date December 9-10

Host ABIS - The Academy of Business in Society

Venue Online - ZOOM Meetings

Focus Project Meeting with Industry and Job Forum

The event ReTraCE Project Meeting with Industry and Job Forum organized for the H2020 MSCA project in collaboration with the consortium partners, led by University of Sheffield, aims to support the development of early-stage researchers (ESRs) in alignment with current policy and actions of the EU Green Deal and corporate practices related to Circular Economy.

The first day, Thursday December 9 will feature 15 ESRs presenting their findings and outcomes of their research and experts from industry and policy makers will offer their insights, experience and feedback to support them with their further development.

The main focus areas will be on following:

WP1: Operational Research; Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
WP2: Environmental Management; Environmental Sciences; Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Accounting
WP3: Political, Ecological and Behavioural Economics
WP4: Development Policy; Sustainable Management; Science, Technology and Innovation Studies

On the second day, Friday December 10, we will have a session with presentations of key project deliverables followed by a Job Forum to discuss with the ESRs their future job opportunities in the field of Circular Economy.

For more information about ReTraCE please visit the official ReTraCE website.

The aim of the ReTraCE project is the creation of a cohort of professionals capable of driving the transition towards the Circular Economy and employable not only by research institutions, but also by public sector bodies (e.g. local authorities and national agencies) and manufacturing and service sectors including: metals industry, electric and electronic equipment manufacturing, construction materials and waste management. The consortium designed and delivers world class multidisciplinary training to 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs).

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018) scheme, grant agreement number 814247 (ReTraCE)

Programme

Time	Day 1, Thursday, December 9 Session
9:00 – 9.15	Introduction Katarina Haluskova – Project Communication Specialist, ABIS Andrea Genovese – Network Coordinator, Principal Investigator, Professor, Sheffield University Management School
9:15 – 10:30	Session WP1: Circular Supply Chains and Production Systems Led by University of Kassel, it is concerned with the definition of decision support tools for identifying CE opportunities within supply chains and for measuring their performances according to environmental, social and economic perspectives. Risks and barriers (mainly at a micro level) for the implementation of circular supply chains will be discussed, also investigating the potential for mitigation measures and interventions at both technological and planning levels. Furthermore, the WP will also aim to evaluate softer aspects related to the implementation of circular supply chains, such as risk and relationship management in the light of multi-tier supply chain management. Early Stage Researchers presenting: Tommaso Calzolari, Azar Mahmoum Gonbadi, Jayani Ishara Sudusinghe, Felipe Alexandre De Lima Experts: Luca Meini - Head of Circular Economy, Enel David Fitzsimons - Director, European Remanufacturing Council Gerardo Taboada, Purchasing Manager, Nemak Antonio Amoroso, Project Manager, NTT Data
10:30 – 10:45	Break
10:45 – 12:00	Session WP2: Towards the Circular Economy: Assessing environmental efficiency Led by Università degli Studi di Napoli Parthenope, it deals with technical and methodological work aimed at: Defining suitable methodologies for measuring the performance of production systems and their progress towards CE Identifying promising material streams that represent potential pathways towards the implementation of CE Developing modelling approaches to estimate environmental externalities associated with linear and circular systems Developing guidelines for calculation and interpretation of multi-criteria and multi-scale performance indicators, capable to address at the same time costs, benefits and achieved sustainability improvements Early Stage Researchers presenting: Mariana Oliveira, Amos Ncube, Kevin Van Langen Experts: David Fitzsimons - Director, European Remanufacturing Council Maija Pohjakallio - VP Climate and Circular Economy, Metsa Group
12:00 – 13:00	Lunch
13:00 – 14:30	Session WP3: Towards the Circular Economy: Assessing Economic Efficiency Starting from a review of current applications of Circular Economy in the international context (mainly at a meso and macro level) and led by University of Kent, it will be dealing with the economic, social and political implications of CE, investigating its applicability in a European context (characterised by free-market economic principles) and in different economical and geographical contexts (characterised by different growth rates and socioeconomic conditions).Also, the WP will develop adequate theoretical tools for characterising value in a CE and for understanding the role of financial and fiscal incentives. Early Stage Researchers presenting: Mohammad Javad Ramezankhani, Josep Pinyol Alberich, Wasim Malek, Leandro Llorente Gonzales Experts: Dimitri Corpakis -former Head of Unit in the DG Research & Innovation, European Commission Joel Marsden - Researcher Circular Jobs Initiative, Circle Economy Vincenzo Pavone - Permanent Research Fellow, Spanish National Research Council
14:30 – 14:45	Break
14:45 -16:00	Session WP4: Development Policy for the Circular Economy Led by the South-East European Research Centre, it deals with development policies (mainly at meso and macro levels), including the role of international, national and regional legislation to promote the transition towards the Circular Economy, both from a bottom-up (looking at ways to foster entrepreneurial opportunities and innovative business models) and top-down (looking at required governmental supports and incentives) perspective. Early Stage Researchers presenting: Sanja Arsova, Dimitris Georgantzis Garcia, Mira Yoon Experts: Dimitri Corpakis - former Head of DG Research & Innovation, European Commission Almut Reichel - Circular Economy and Waste Expert, European Environment Agency Vincenzo Pavone - Permanent Research Fellow, Spanish National Research Council Vasileios Rizos - Research Fellow and Head of Sustainable Resources and Circular Economy, CEPS
16:00 – 16:15	Closing remarks Ivo Matser – CEO, ABIS Andrea Genovese – Network Coordinator, Principal Investigator, Professor, Sheffield University Management School

Time	Day 2, Friday, December 10
9:00 – 9:05	Short Introduction Katarina Haluskova – Project Communication Specialist, ABIS
9:05 – 10:15	Presentation of project deliverables The aim of the session is to present and bring awareness of the ReTrace project deliverables and the contribution of the ESRs towards the goal of the project. The experts invited for the session will among their feedback also include advice on the best techniques of dissemination of the project reports. Early Stage Researchers presenting: Experts: Patrick Schroeder - Senior Research Fellow, Chatham House Gianmarco Bressanelli - Post Doc Researcher, Rise Lab Clare Broadbent - Head of Sustainability, Worldsteel Ahmad Rais Mohamad Mokhtar - Head of the Industry Network Centre, University Technology Mara
10:15 – 10:30	Break
10:30 – 12:00	Job Forum The focus of the session will be to provide with practical advice on ESR´s future job opportunities and their further professional development whether in academia, industry or policy at the European job market. The experts will support the ESRs to reflect and manage their career onwards. Participating experts: Emma Day - Project Manager, VITAE Christopher Reynolds - Head of Sector, MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships, European Research Executive Agency Clare Broadbent - Head of Sustainability, Worldsteel

12:00 – 12:15	Closing remarks Andrea Genovese – Network Coordinator, Principal Investigator, Professor, Sheffield University Management School Ivo Matser - CEO, ABIS