Meet the winners of the Una Europa PhD Impact Award 2025

How can environmental law renew and strengthen the legal status of animals? Current animal protection laws are fragmented, inconsistent, and often speciesist, while environmental law offers broader, systemic tools to protect life as a whole. By linking animals more closely to biodiversity and ecosystem protection, my approach aims to move beyond selective or discriminatory protection and recognise all animals as part of the living world that sustains us.

"I entered this competition because I wanted to share my research with a wider audience. Law is not just technical rules – it’s also a way to change things, to make society evolve.

Communicating science is essential. Ideas need to be explained clearly so they can inspire policy, social change, and collective action. This competition changed how I see my own work. I realised that making complex research simple is not about losing depth but about gaining influence, connecting with people and showing why it matters.

I feel proud to bring forward a vision of law that protects animals, ecosystems, and humanity together through the invaluable concept of One Health."

Is the role of scientific research crucial in revolutionising the fossil-based packaging industry by making it safe for the environment, the economy, and human health? How can innovation driven by science lead to sustainable alternatives that address the pressing global challenges related to packaging waste and pollution?

"I decided to take part in the Una Europa PhD Impact Award because I deeply believe in the importance of sharing scientific research beyond academic circles. While science has a tangible impact on society and the planet, it often remains confined to laboratories or specialised publications. This initiative offered a valuable opportunity to explore how to make my research more engaging, accessible, and relevant to a broader audience.

To me, science communication is not just about disseminating knowledge, it's a vital tool for building trust between science and society. Communicating clearly and engagingly doesn’t mean oversimplifying; it means highlighting the value of research, shedding light on its processes, open questions, and societal relevance. 

This competition challenged me to reflect not only on what I research and how I do it, but also on why it matters. It helped me reconnect with the passion that originally drew me to this path, a reminder of the deeper questions and motivations that go beyond data and results. 

Rediscovering that sense of purpose has been both grounding and inspiring. It has renewed my commitment to conducting research that is not only rigorous, but also meaningful and socially engaged.

I feel deeply honoured and motivated to present at Berlin Science Week. Sharing my work with a diverse audience is both a stimulating challenge and a unique opportunity for growth, by listening to new perspectives and contributing, in my own way, to strengthening the bond between science and society. I hope this moment sparks new collaborations, ideas, and conversations that continue well beyond the event itself. "

How does the Baltic seafloor store and release carbon? And why does it matter for the climate? Coastal seafloors are dynamic components of the global carbon cycle. In shallow regions such as the northern Baltic Sea, sediments, vegetation, and animals interact to store and release carbon, forming so-called “blue carbon” ecosystems. These systems can function as long-term sinks, but under certain conditions also become sources of carbon emissions.​

"I'm approaching the end of my PhD, and I can now clearly see the potential implications my research has for society, other scientists, and policymakers. The PhD Impact Award felt like the perfect opportunity to reflect on that impact. It’s also a great way to share essential results with people outside my scientific bubble — and that’s something I really care about. 

Communication gives scientific results their real value: people can only care about what they know. Take my research, for example — why should people understand that we need to protect and manage coastal ecosystems sustainably if they don’t know about their key role in carbon cycling? That’s exactly what motivates me to tell my research story. 

The Award didn’t just focus on the direct impact of my research, but also for its broader meaning. In everyday research life, we sit in the lab, take samples while diving, or stare at numbers on our computers, but we rarely stop to ask ourselves how society benefits from our work. Taking the time to think about that was incredibly valuable and eye-opening. 

I’m very excited to present at the Berlin Science Week! I already met the other winners during a coaching session and can’t wait to learn more about their research. I’m also curious about the audience — I hope my talk will make them see the Baltic seafloor in a new light. Presenting at Berlin’s Natural History Museum [Museum für Naturkunde] will definitely be a very special moment for me. "

How can artificial intelligence make our power grids smarter and more reliable? How can AI enhance electrical measurements, predict faults, and improve energy efficiency, paving the way toward more intelligent, sustainable, and resilient energy systems?

"I'm a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering at the University of Bologna and my research has been focusing on AI-based distributed measurement architectures in electrical power systems. I decided to take part in the competition because I feel it offered such a wonderful chance to connect with other researchers, exchange ideas, and learn from their approaches, enriching both my scientific experience and human connections.

I believe science communication is essential because knowledge should be accessible to everyone. Finding ways to explain complex ideas in simple and relatable ways is crucial in all areas of life, whether in education, the workplace, or everyday situations. On that same note, my participation in this competition pushed me to talk about my research in ways I’m not used to, which encouraged me to think differently about my work, emphasising clarity, practicality, and applicability, rather than only engineering aspects. And I am deeply grateful for that.

I’m really excited to be part of the Berlin Science Week. I’m looking forward to meeting people, sharing my ideas, and hearing their perspectives. Also, more personally, having the opportunity to be in Berlin for professional recognition, after having visited the city many times as a tourist, makes this experience even more special."

Abdelkarim El-Hajjami (Université Paris 1 Pantheón-Sorbonne) was also awarded a prize for his project in the focus area of Data Science & Artificial Intelligence. However, he will not be able to join the presenters in Berlin.

This weekend, our four winners will present the impact of their research on the Inspiration Stage which marks the opening of Berlin Science Week, one of Europe’s leading science festivals. The Inspiration Stage features 12-minute short talks, during which our winners will share their research and explore how society can benefit from it. Best of luck to our winners – we can't wait to see them in action!

The jury of the focus area Data Science & Artificial Intelligence recommended the PhD Impact Award for two excellent doctoral research projects who are essentially on a par. Of those two awardees, Virginia Negri will present her research at Berlin Science Week’s Inspiration Stage.

The Una Europa PhD Impact Competition is part of Una Europa for Society, initiated under the Una.Futura project.