ALBA Synchrotron
The ALBA Synchrotron has successfully concluded its first-ever ALBA Hackathon, held on October 16 and 17. This pioneering initiative brought together 70 researchers and students with the goal of connecting science, talent and industry to tackle technological challenges proposed by companies. The four winning teams will carry out experiments at the ALBA Synchrotron to test the feasibility of their proposed solutions.
The ALBA Synchrotron has hosted for the first time the ALBA Hackathon, a pioneering initiative that has brought together more than 70 students, researchers and professionals for two days to find innovative solutions to real challenges proposed by companies such as Acciona, Applus+ Laboratories, Dentaid and Ercros.
Organized jointly by the ALBA Synchrotron, the UAB Research Park (PRUAB) and the Cerdanyola del Vallès Town Hall, and the sponsorship of ACCIONA, the event has been a unique meeting point for science, industry and young talent, promoting knowledge transfer and open innovation.
Real challenges for a sustainable future
The hackathon foused on challenges in the key areas of water, plastics and energy. The companies Acciona, Applus+ Laboratories, Dentaid and Ercros proposed a challenge so that the participating teams developed proposals based on the use of synchrotron light, a unique scientific instrument that allows analysis of materials at the atomic level.
Improve the sustainability of water treatment plants was the challenge proposed by Acciona. Applus+ Laboratories suggested exploring the use of new technologies to make hydrogen as a fuel sustainable and safe. For its part, Dentaid proposed developing methods for recover wastewater in production processes, and Ercros, to delve into the factors that influence the shrinkage of thermosetting plastics during processing.
The participating teams, formed by students, researchers and professionals, have worked for two days generating such creative, innovative and disruptive solutions that making the decision on the winning solutions has been very complicated for the jury, made up of experts from fields such as computer engineering, telecommunications, social action and bioinformatics. In total, 10 teams presented their proposals and 4 projects have been awarded, one for each challenge.
The winning projects of each challenge will have the scientific advice from the ALBA Synchrotron team and the corresponding companies, with the aim of carry out experimental measurements limited to the synchrotron, aimed at validating and developing the proposed solutions.
A space for collaboration and creativity
During the inauguration of the ALBA Hackathon, several authorities highlighted the value of this meeting as space for exchange and co-creation and stressed the importance of the public-private collaboration and knowledge transfer to generate social and economic impact.
The director of the ALBA Synchrotron, Caterina Biscari, expressed her pride in hosting this hackathon “because it is the first at a synchrotron, and – in the same way the Synchrotron works – the solutions from this event put science at the service of people.”
For his part, Carlos Valero, managing director of UAB Research Park, highlighted “the importance of uniting companies and students and exploring possible solutions in a creative way to build a bold innovation ecosystem rooted in the territory.”
Lourdes Puigbarraca, deputy director general of Transfer and Knowledge Society of the Generalitat of Catalonia emphasized that this event "highlights the transformative power of innovative talent and technology when connected to industry." "Public-private collaboration allows ideas to be transformed into solutions with social and economic impact, helping to consolidate the university system as a driver of economic and social innovation and propelling Catalonia as one of the most innovative regions," he added.
Also Angela Fernandez Curto, deputy general manager of Unique Science and Technology Infraestructures of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, emphasized that “the hackathon is an example of open and collaborative science, key to transforming society and generating quality employment.”
From the Diputació de Barcelona, Ana María Martínez insisted on “the importance of bringing science closer to the territory and to the citizens”, while Carlos Cordón, mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, closed the institutional speeches by expressing his pride in Cerdanyola's role as a "City of Knowledge" and highlighting the value of launching projects and actions that contribute to the well-being of citizens.
Two days of intense activity
The ALBA Hackathon has combined inspirational sessions, visits to the synchrotron facilities and spaces of networking as Speed Innovation Dating, where companies from Cerdanyola del Vallès met with students and professionals for quick meetings to establish contacts, generate synergies, and explore job or internship opportunities.
Since the company presentations, participants have worked intensively in teams, taking advantage of all available time to devise viable and scientifically sound proposals.
"Breathing this energy and motivation among the participants is very satisfying. The participants have taken full advantage of all the knowledge that we have shared from the Synchrotron, the research staff and mentors of each challenge and we believe that the result provides great value for companies, with new points of view to solve their challenges," says Alejandro Sánchez, head of the ALBA Synchrotron Industrial Office.
This event has represented a very concrete and powerful way of generating this transfer of knowledge, since it allows solve real business challenges in a collaborative and multidisciplinary way through a cooperative model between university, business, city council and scientific-technical infrastructure such as the ALBA Synchrotron.