YEREVAN, Armenia — Held from June 1 to 8, early-career researchers from the American University of Armenia (AUA), the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, and the Scientific Research Institute of Energy (SRIE) of Armenia completed the second STREACS Short-Term Scientific Mission in Ireland and Italy. The visits were carried out as part of the Strengthening Research in Armenia for Energy Transition toward Climate Solutions (STREACS) project, a three-year initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program led by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment.
Designed to connect local researchers with advanced European networks and bridge critical knowledge gaps, the practice-oriented mission combined technical lectures, laboratory visits, scientific paper writing workshops, and interactive climate exercises.
In Ireland, hosted by Maynooth University’s Innovation and Research Centre for Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure (IRESI), the track opened with warm welcomes from Professor Fabiano Pallonetto and Dr. Amy Fahy. The program offered an in-depth exploration of grid flexibility, energy storage, and ancillary services markets led by Dr. Pallonetto and Dr.Behnam Mohseni. Participants examined real-world sustainability through a case study by Dr. Paend Bakht on farming sector engagement in renewable energy (AgriRenew), explored systems thinking in energy transitions with Dr. Carrie Anne Barry, and discussed AI-driven load forecasting for energy optimization with Dr. Muhammad Akram.
The visit also featured a hands-on tour of the Maynooth Sustainable Energy Demonstration House in collaboration with the local sustainable energy community, Energy Data spaces sessions led by Dr. Adarsh Sunilkumar, a proposal grant-writing workshop, and a collaborative Climate Fresk workshop coordinated by Dr. Fahy. To help researchers transition from data collection to publication, Dr. Muhammad Waseem and Dr. Sunil Kumar led a dedicated, multi-part Scientific Paper Writing Laboratory.
Meanwhile, in Italy, parallel sessions were hosted across Caserta and Naples by the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (UNICAMPANIA), the University of Genoa (UNIGE), the International Centre for Energy and Resource Management (iCERM), and the Department of Engineering at the University of Naples Parthenope. Professor Lucia Altucci and Professor Sergio Nardini covered energy planning under highly uncertain conditions. They were joined by Annalisa Bringiotti who discussed Dr. Pietro Desole.
Professor Vincenzo Bianco introduced the critical link between waste management and energy security, followed by an afternoon workshop dedicated to energy security within the current geopolitical landscape. A core highlight in Caserta was a Scientific Paper Writing Deep Dive and Laboratory coordinated by Professor De Rosa and Professor Bianco, where researchers worked directly on their ongoing projects to refine journal indexing, paper structures, and publication strategies. The Italian program concluded at the University of Naples Parthenope with a Climate Fresk workshop led by Professor Simona Di Fraia and Professor Bianco.
Across both countries, a central component was the presentation of preliminary results from ongoing STREACS research projects. Academic peers and European faculty provided constructive feedback to help participants refine their methodologies and prepare their fieldwork for formal publication.
Hasmik Knyazyan, STREACS project manager at the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, highlighted the mission’s impact: “By combining deep-dive writing laboratories, technical lectures, and peer reviews of our participants’ active research, this second mission provided our researchers with the exact tools needed to publish high-impact work. Connecting our local academic community with EU centers of excellence ensures that Armenia’s energy transition is backed by rigorous, evidence-based research,” she remarked.
As the STREACS project progresses, participants will continue leveraging these international partnerships to finalize their research papers, draft competitive Horizon Europe proposal calls, and shape sustainable energy solutions for Armenia.
STREACS (Strengthening Research in Armenia for Energy Transition toward Climate Solutions) is a 36-month EU Horizon Europe-funded project uniting six research institutions and one private company from Armenia, Italy, and Ireland. The initiative aims to bolster Armenia’s research capacity in the evolving field of energy transition. For additional information and updates on STREACS. Visit ace.aua.am/projects/streacs.
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit ace.aua.am.
