Advisory Board Meeting 26.09.2018

MINUTES
 

The meeting gathered the members of the Advisory Board and the BioEcon Team.
It started with a welcome from the director of IUNG-PIB and coordinator of the BioEcon project.
The main task of the meeting was to reviews and assess the work of the team before the second audit of the project.
1.      Prof. Stelios Rozakis, ERA Chair of the BioEcon project summarised works carried out in WP2 – brain gain, including:
·        Presentation of the BioEcon team from the last year before the changes in positions of a postdoc and senior researcher: presentation of the prospective candidates and finally the applicants who successfully completed the recruitment process: dr Kesheng Shu (contract since February 2018) and dr Nosra Ben Fradj (contract since December 2017)
·        Discussion of the changes introduced: position of senior researcher was shortened from remaining 33 to 24 months and divided into several 6 months long periods to attract experienced researchers under a sabbatical semester (4 visiting scholar positions opened to invite researchers from different fields of expertise). The change led to employment of the following researchers:
o   prof. Efstratios Loizou - specialist in input and output analysis – contact from March to December 2018,
o   dr Hassan Pishgar - specialist in LCA – contract from August 2018 to January 2019,
o   dr Tomasz Czekaj (contract beginning in October)
·        Doctoral students’ evaluation presented, which led to the choice of MSc Piotr Jurga for the position: expertise in environmental protection (MSc) but lack of expertise in economics and agricultural economics – Mr. Jurga is to attend an intensive 9-month course on Agricultural Economics and Business (Business Economics and Management) starting October 2018
2.      Presentation of WP3 – new interdisciplinary strategy development:
·        The objective hasn’t changed, the new team continues with the interdisciplinary strategy developed originally under the previous ERA chair.
·        The team covers now a wider spectrum of research in the field of bioeconomy
·        Presentation of the building of integrated bioeconomy model for Poland: methodology and scope
·        Presentation of the main milestones in building the integrated model, starting from Sept 2017 to the end of the project’s lifetime:
September 2017:            Submission of first paper attempting at model integration
July – Dec 2017:               FADN data retrieval:
difficulties connected to working with sensitive data required working directly from Warsaw, therefore the team is using data available in the department (as a result of other projects)
December 2017:              Set up research issues in common with industry
March 2018:      Biomass resource potentials estimated. Several papers submitted.
July 2018:           Strategies identified and characterised.
November 2018:             Optimisation modelling performed - ongoing though slightly falling behind the schedule
March 2019:      Several papers submitted. Pilot projects running.
July 2019:           Data collected from industrial partners and included in model.
November 2019:             Model run again under different objectives and constraints.
February 2020:  Events transferring research outputs performed. Papers submitted.
June 2020:          PhD thesis near to completion. Future research funds secured.
3.      Peer review strategy discussed by prof. Rozakis:
·        Research question chosen for the reviewing process: “How do scientific papers relate the concept of  bioeconomy to sustainability?” Two main topics were identified for this review: bioeconomy and sustainability; bioeconomy was considered as a primary and sustainability as a secondary topic.
·        The matrix of conditions/topics connected with sustainable bioeconomy was presented
·        Presentation of the list of publications submitted by teams members covering different fields of research, amongst others:
o   Input-output analysis
o   GIS, spatial analysis
o   Modelling in bioeconomy or bioenergy sectors
o   LCA, efficiency analysis, Multicriteria analysis
 
4.      A new programme of doctoral studies was also presented by the ERA chair
The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation- State Research Institute in Puławy offers doctoral studies in agronomy and environmental protection, leading to a degree of doctor of agricultural sciences
The new program of doctoral studies (March 2016) discussed by prof. Rozakis includes:
-PhD studies separate for agronomy disciplines and environmental protection, compulsory and optional education modules,
-Doctoral seminars, also in English,
-Classes on commercialization of research results, bio-economics and others
-apprenticeships
2 seminars wereorganized so far:
Multicriteria analysis conducted by prof. Stelios Rozakis;
Life-cycle assessment conducted by Fausto Freire
 
The following enquires were addressed by the AB members:
I.                 Availability of publications:
-        publications are mentioned in the newsletter released every 3 months. They are also meant to be available from the bioeconomy platform after its completion.
-        Publications can be also downloaded from the website of BioEcon – those are open access publications (a requirement from the project)
II.                The prospective development of bioeconomy in Poland:
- Different scenarios will be taken into account, eg. Agroforestry solutions, supporting biodiversity, etc.
- the main capacity of dept. is taken into account, which is spatial analysis, agronomy, LCA analysis, economic modelling in terms of producing tools for exploiting the main capacities of the department
- Local bioeconomy may be the key to the future development of bioeconomy in Europe
III.              The current challenges for the team:
 
-        Development of strong LCA ability  to conduct integrated analysis, make use of the data from experimental farms
-        Expand collaboration with bio-based sectors, regionalized (already started in Lubelskie) to use the results obtained from small scale regional projects and apply to bigger scale economy (at country level)
-        Collaborate with other countries, through presence in projects, consortia etc.
-        Analyse the possibility of supply of biomass in the context of agriculture
 
5.      WP4 presented by dr hab. Jerzy Kozyra
·        Presentation of a short film on the topic how to reduce energy demand in the Lubelskie region.
·        Explained resignation from creating the energy cluster: building the strategy should precede building clusters; BioEcon supports one already existing cluster (LKE), another one will be created (Tomaszów Lubelski energy Cluster)
·        Discussed interaction with policy makers including:
o   Ministry of Science - consulting BBI program among others
o   Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - supporting CAP,  BIOEAST initiative (The Central-Eastern European Initiative for Knowledge-based Agriculture, Aquaculture and Forestry in the Bioeconomy)
o   Ministry of Energy - Promoting  bioeconomy thriugh creation of Local Energy Clusters
o   Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology
o   Lublin Marshal Office – regional interaction: e.g. support for Nevada-Lublin region acceleration program for start-up and research institutions
·        Research plan with industry – two projects launched:
o   “Agroforestry in Zielawa Valley”– involving an innovative model of production, processing and distribution of herbs
o   “Evaluation of the impact of fertilizer products based on urea with the addition of a urease inhibitor on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of soil, plant productivity including the emission of ammonia to the atmosphere” – projectfunded by Grupa Azoty: new fertilizers with lower ammonia emission (research on soil quality, microbiology, productivity)
-next project with Grupa Azoty is in preparation
·        Synergies with research structures:
Formation of a cluster was abandoned in favour of supporting an existing LKE cluster in Lublin
Formation of Tomaszów Lubelski cluster is planned for the future: dr Kozyra presented the analysis of energy model for Tomaszów Lubelski County. Discussed the strategy elements to build a successfully operating energy cluster:
o   Creating energy system based on renewable energy
o   Increase and sustainable use of local
o   Rationalisation of energy use
o   Use of waste and residue for energy purposes
o   Trading energy between partners
 
6.       WP5 presented by dr hab Rafał Pudełko:
Dr Pudełko presented the trainings organized in IUNG-PIB (by prof. Rozakis and dr Freire) and the external trainings and study visits including:
·        Study visit in JRU Public Economics – INRA, France, 19-23.02.2018, by Nosra Ben Fradj, postdoctoral researcher
·        Study visit in Research Unit Sustainability and Global Change, University of Hamburg, Germany, 22.02-01.03.2018, by Kesheng Shu, postdoctoral researcher
·        BioEcon team members participated and organised additional 8 trainings and workshops: 6 in Puławy, 1 in Warsaw and 1 in Lublin
·        Conferences and events during which team members presented the BioEcon project include: 9 international, 6 national, and 9 regional events
·        Summer school is planned for May/June 2019, the main focus will be on using GIS as a tool in bioeconomy (20 lectures planned, at least 10 will by foreign researchers)
 
Dr Pudełko presented the list of articles presented during the 167^th EAAE seminar, highlighting the collaboration between the BioEcon team members, department employees and other IUNG researchers
·        List of publications presented: 8 publications submitted since the last meeting
 
7.      Establishment of TTO presented by innovation broker, Aneta Pieczykolan:
 
·        Ms Pieczykolan discussed the structure and main tasks of the TTO, created in a form of interdepartmental structure within the Institute
·        Identification projects for commercialization in the Institute: several meetings were organized with heads of departments and researchers in Oct-Dec 2017, a questionnaire was prepared and based on ideas collected from the researchers a training organized in June 2018 on commercialization and technology transfer
·        Training Program in the area of innovation and technology management, IPR management, entrepreneurship, technology and knowledge transfer (which is obligatory part of the Task 5.1 ) was completed by Ms Pieczykolan in April and May 2017 at the Lublin University of Technology
·        Plan for intensified collaboration with business in future presented, the main points of which included:
o   Completion of the Institute’s offer and posting it on the Bioeconomy Platform
o   Preparation of a questionnaire for entrepreneurs(active on the BioEcon Platform)
o   Review of procedures in the area of innovation management
o   Analysis of the special-purpose companyvalidity
 
8.      WP6 – widening of participation and concentration of resources by prof. Stelios Rozakis:
•        Prof. Rozakis presented the ongoing results: two national (BioMagic, TechRol) and one European project (BioReg) and presented the strategy for the near future:
o   to build relationships with current network and expand other connections with priority to privileged relationships (INRA, Agricultural University of Athens)
o   2017 – 2019 : Organize seminars, summer schools, conferences, visiting scholars
o   2019 – 2020: Organize and/or participate to networking events for proposals
The team is attending various networking events and trainings to learn what needs to be improved to receive projects
·        The main networking events:
o   Collaboration with the Bioeconomy Observatory
o   WIDESPREAD-03-2018/ CSA Coordination and Support action - Twinning (Meeting with the National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the EU - Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences scheduled on 30 Nov in Warsaw)
o   Strengthening ties with industry and international institutions: with Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) responsible for the implementation of open Call for proposals for Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs), Innovation Actions (IAs - DEMOs and FLAGs) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs): current annual call H2020-BBI-JTI-2018
o   Strengthening connections with Polish academic institutions: e.g. signing a Memo of Understanding with the Economic University of Krakow
o   Strengthening connections with the European Association of Agricultural Economics
o   Targeting Bioeconomy relevant ERA-NET actions’ Platform Wageningen UR
Prof Rozakis presented the weaknesses identified and the objectives that need to be met by project proposals, among others:
·        Excellence – ensure the highest research quality
·        Pay attention to bottlenecks: IPR, data, knowledge management
·        Prepare proper communication and dissemination plan
·        Set realistic KPIs in regard to the publication plan
 
Shortly presented the Twinning proposal which is being prepared, which aims at:
·        strengthening a defined research field in the institution from widening country
·        raising research profile of the institute and its staff
·        Transposing, implementing and enforcing the know-how/knowledge from 2 internationally leading institutions
The expected impacts are: research excellence (in the selected field of research: Agronomy, Farm management, Bio-economic modelling), improved capability to succeed in competitive research funding, enhanced reputation, attractiveness and networking
The participants of the project:
·        IUNG (coordinator)
·        INRA – UMR ECOSYS (France)
·        Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands)
·        University of Thessaly (Greece)
 
Marie Curie Skłodowska Programme facilitating mobility of researchers- 2 proposals have been submitted:
·        Improving manure management chain in dairy and pig farming: moving towards a circular bioeconomy in Poland  by  Paria Sefeedpari (Ph.D. of Agricultural Mechanization (Energy), University of Tehran, Iran)
·        The Integration of Life Cycle Environment, Economic and Social Assessment Using Multi-Criteria Analysis: a Key Towards Sustainability Development of Main Agricultural Crops in Poland  by  Seyyed Hassan Pishgar-Komleh (Ph.D. of Agricultural Mechanization (Energy), University of Tehran, Iran)
IUNG asked to lead as a coordinator a BIOEAST  proposal (CSA project - call RUR-18-2019 action 9. Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy)
 
9.      WP7 presented by dr Magdalena Borzęcka
Discussed shortly creation of the bioeconomy platform - one of the main results of the project:
·        The target group is: Polish farmers, business, etc. hence the website will operate mainly in Polish
·        Building a knowledge base: legal regulations, strategic documents, glossary connected with bioeconomy available from the platform – useful for beginners in the field
·        Publications: an inventory of team’s publications as well as other connected with bioeconomy field (search engine)
·        Under construction: tools developed in the department of bioeconomy, BioReg geoportal will be included
·        Links to interesting films about bioeconomy and related topics will be available from the website

 

Presentations and agenda: