The Director of the IFMIF-DONES Implementation Office of the University of Granada, Antonio Peña, presented the opening session of the Red Ambiental de Universidades Sostenibles conference

Red Ambiental de Universidades Sostenibles (RAUS) celebrated last September 24 and 25 its third research forum devoted to the Agenda 2030 challenges. The south American conference was held via Facebook Live and it chose the IFMIF-DONES project and its importance for the energy future as the main focus of its opening session, presented by the Director of the IFMIF-DONES Implementation Office of the University of Granada, Antonio Peña.

Antonio Peña analysed the current energy situation and future challenges in his session ‘Presente y futuro energético en el escenario post COVID’ (Energy present and future in the post COVID scenario). The need to optimally combine renewable and nuclear energy sources was stressed in this session. Antonio Peña described the challenges posed by nuclear energy and the need to continue working in the IFMIF-DONES project to achieve the control and fully benefit from nuclear fusion, as a clean and sustainable nuclear energy paradigm.

The celebration of the third research forum coincided with the tenth anniversary of Red Ambiental de Universidades Sostenibles. A total of 32 speakers participated from Colombia and presented their research experiences to the network. In addition, there were other plenary sessions given by invited experts from Spain, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

RAUS is a network comprised of upper educational institutions in Colombia who gather to discuss and provide their experience on environmental issues with the aim to implement research projects that promote knowledge and address current challenges. This network was created in 2010 by Instituto de Estudios y Servicios Ambientales de la Universidad Sergio Arboleda.