Report on the SURFCAT Summer School, Denmark - Sid Halder, Imperial College, London.

Taking part in the SURFCAT Summer School held in Denmark this year has been a highly rewarding experience and attendance was made possible by funding provided from the Solar Chemicals Network. As a first year PhD student, it was a great way to network with fellow researchers and form potential new international collaborations. I was able to present my preliminary research on intercalated MnO2 nanosheet electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction through a flash presentation and poster. The feedback I received from various audiences was invaluable; I now have a more concrete research plan based on suggestions I received at the poster session, as well as more of an idea on the relevant experiments that could be conducted to support my current hypotheses. Specifically, my understanding of intercalation processes has greatly improved after discussions with both beamline scientists and battery researchers. Overall, the summer school was an almost magical experience; brilliant science, excellent food and great venue by the sea. Even the Northern lights and bioluminescent algae decided to make an appearance!

Lin Su, University of Cambridge reports on attending the Gordon Conference 'Molecular Basis of Microbial One-Carobon Metabolism'

Attending the Molecular Basis of Microbial One-Carbon Metabolism Gordon Research Conference (GRC) was an enriching experience, marking my first time at this prestigious event. I had the opportunity to present my recent unpublished work titled "Adapting Gas Fermenting Bacteria for Light-Driven Domino Valorization of CO2." This study explores the integration of photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into syngas, followed by biocatalytic conversion into valuable C2 products. The innovative approach was well-received by conference attendees, particularly for its potential to advance CO2 utilization technologies.

The conference provided valuable feedback, especially highlighting areas where our research could benefit from deeper insights into the molecular biology of gas-fermenting bacteria. This feedback will be instrumental in guiding the future direction of our work, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the biological mechanisms at play.

In addition to the scientific insights, I made meaningful connections with researchers and groups working on related topics. These interactions have already led to discussions about potential collaborative projects, which I am excited to explore further.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Solar Chemicals Network for the Travel Grant, which made my attendance possible. Without their support, participating in this conference would have been financially challenging.

James Finn, University of Loughborough, Travel Award to attend ISE in Croatia

The ISE 36th Topical Meeting in Sibenik Croatia was my first international conference and the first where I delivered and oral presentation of my work. It was an inspirational and informative experience, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend this event. The event kicked off the event with an evening social where I was immediately introduced to a wonderfully diverse group of academics. With good food and good conversations, I learnt about others research, interests and career paths. I delivered my talk on the first day and despite the nerves it went surprisingly well. Following the presentation several other attendees approach me for discussion and collaboration, especially with a view to look at the integration of my work, supercapacitive swing adsorption of CO2, with other electrochemical technologies. I was then able to try and absorb as much as possible from the world experts present. The broad scope of the conference made it really felt like a melting pot of ideas all geared towards electrochemical solutions to addressing climate and environmental concerns. Diverse expertise from material modification with magnets to pilot scale fuel cells has added a vast number of interesting people to my network, setting the foundation for international collaborations around shared goals. This aspect of the conference was by far the most valuable, expanding the network from almost essentially UK based, to making strong links with researchers from the Americas and Europe to China and Tiwan. My horizons feel broader and the possibilities of my work and future feel somewhat limitless.