Faculty of Energy Transition – ACTIVITIES
We involve society as a whole in sustainable development
We reward, we train and we raise awareness.
We reward, we train and we raise awareness.
The road to clean energy is everyone’s business. That is why one of our objectives is to recognise the work performed in this area, to train future professionals in the field of sustainability, and to equip companies and individuals with knowledge. Awards, scholarships, and events are some of the actions we carry out in order to achieve this.
The Genesal Energy Chair of Energy Transition of the University of Santiago de Compostela launches the call every year for its Awards for the best undergraduate degree and master’s degree dissertations, which stand out for their quality in areas related to energy transition and sustainability, such as the calculation of the carbon footprint, the integration of industrial systems based on green hydrogen, or the analysis of environmental solutions through KPIs in energy operations and technologies.
One of the objectives we sought when setting up the Chair was to facilitate a stable framework for collaboration that would allow us to promote technology transfer and dissemination and public-private collaboration, in which science, research, and debate would be placed at the service of the ecological transition. In this context, we believe that it is important to call for grants and awards both for projects focused on current lines of research related to the energy transition, as well as for innovative projects breaking new ground. We firmly believe that, in order to ensure that future societies are sustainable and resilient, it is essential to invest in the development of academic research from the outset.
4 prizes are awarded in each call, two for the best undergraduate dissertations, and two for the best master’s dissertations. In both cases, the first prize is €1500 and the second prize is €750. In order to be eligible for any of them, students must have defended their work in an undergraduate degree or master’s degree at any of the Galician public universities in the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics); and both dissertations from the year of launching the call and the previous year will be admitted.
Once all the applications have been submitted, a technical committee made up of the vice-rector of Digital Transformation and Innovation of the USC, the director and deputy director of the Chair, and at least two representatives from Genesal Energy, will evaluate the work submitted. This will take into account the degree of originality and innovation presented, the quality of the work carried out, and the potential for further development, amongst other factors.
The transfer of knowledge between universities and businesses is key to ensuring sustainable growth in society. Collaboration between the two institutions brings together the power of companies to generate economic activity and high-quality employment in the field of academic research, helping to build bridges between talent, education, research, and innovation.
The Genesal Energy Chair of Energy Transition offers the perfect opportunity to create the perfect framework for promoting a close, efficient and, above all, stable public-private collaboration. Every year we collaborate with different master’s degrees in the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to launch 3-month paid internship agreements at Genesal Energy’s facilities.
The idea is to provide students with a minimum amount of initial professional experience, which will give them leverage when it comes to entering the job market. Those selected will have the opportunity to join our team and train with experts in the world of distributed energy, demonstrating their ability to learn and adapt to new procedures and environments. In addition, this type of offer helps the professional world to discover the huge potential of university talent.
Social and environmental sustainability is part of our DNA, which is reflected in the different initiatives we carry out, such as the calculation of the carbon footprint, the development of a fair energy transition plan or the collaboration with various public entities. However, we want our contribution to go one step further, and that is why we seek to have an added positive impact through the dissemination of good practices and the scientific and technical knowledge gained from years of experience.
We want to collaborate with spreading awareness about climate change and the potential social and environmental impacts derived from it and the fight against it, as well as helping to raise awareness in society about energy and sustainable issues. Within the Genesal Energy Chair of Energy Transition of the University of Santiago de Compostela, we organise different events for professionals from both the academic and business world.
So far we have held two events. The first, a panel discussion featuring eight female experts from different fields, focused on the role of STEM women in today’s world. It also seeks to help break down the gender barriers that still exist today in the world of science, technology, and engineering. The second event, aimed at SMEs, revolves around the calculation of the carbon footprint. At Genesal Energy, we shared our experience in this area and, in addition, experts from the academic world gave a seminar in which attendees were taught how to calculate their own carbon footprints.
But this is just the beginning. In the Genesal Energy Chair of Energy Transition, we are clear about the importance of scientific and technological dissemination, so we continue to work on organising more events, talks, and seminars.