News & Events
DESIRED Autumn School on Sustainable Catalysis
Liblice, Czech Republic | 21–24 October 2025
The DESIRED project successfully organised the Autumn School on Sustainable Catalysis, held in the inspiring setting of Liblice Chateau from 21 to 24 October 2025.
This four-day School formed an integral part of the DESIRED Training, Education and Capacity Building Programme and offered an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students, PhD candidates, and early postdoctoral researchers to deepen their understanding of the crucial role that catalysis plays in sustainable chemistry.
The School provided participants with a comprehensive overview of catalysis and its relation to sustainability, bridging fundamental research and applied technologies.
Advancing Knowledge in Sustainable Catalysis
The School brought together world-leading researchers, industry professionals, and young scientists to explore the transformative role of catalysis in achieving sustainability goals. Participants attended a series of plenary and keynote lectures, oral presentations, and interactive discussions, fostering the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and innovative ideas in the field of catalysis.
Scientific Highlights
The scientific programme included high-level contributions from the project’s renowned experts, highlighting cutting-edge research in catalytic science and its applications.
Some of the key presentations included:
- DESIRED project presentation – Prof. Angela Dibenedetto
- Plenary lecture: “DFT calculations on the reaction mechanism of CO₂RR to C₂ species under solar irradiation” – Prof. Michele Aresta
- Oral presentation: “Photo-electrocatalytic CO₂ conversion using porous material–Cu₂O composites” – Dr. Pavla Eliášová
- Oral presentation: “Photo-electrochemical reduction of CO₂ on Cu₂O/mxene photocathodes” – Dr. Luis Carrascosa
Fostering Collaboration and Capacity Building
The DESIRED Autumn School served as a vibrant platform for training, networking, and collaboration among participants from academia and industry. The interactive atmosphere of Liblice Castle facilitated scientific exchange, discussion of current trends, and the establishment of new research connections within the European catalysis community.
The DESIRED consortium would like to thank all speakers, organisers, and participants for their valuable contributions, and looks forward to future initiatives promoting education and innovation.