RESPITE Final In-Person Meeting!
On 2 September 2026, the RESPITE consortium came together in Groningen, Netherlands, for its final in-person consortium meeting. The meeting was kindly hosted and organised by our collaborator Professor Bart Kooi at the University of Groningen, bringing partners from across the consortium together to reflect on the progress made so far and look ahead to the final stages of the project.
Celebrating progress and collaboration
The meeting provided an important opportunity for the leaders of each RESPITE work package to present updates on their activities and achievements. Across the different work packages, substantial progress has been made towards the project's objectives, reflecting the expertise and sustained efforts of teams across the consortium.
Beyond the individual research achievements, the meeting highlighted the strength of the collaboration that has developed throughout RESPITE. Bringing together researchers from different institutions and areas of expertise has enabled teams to share knowledge, address challenges collectively and develop new connections across the project.
Looking ahead to the final stages of RESPITE
With the project entering its final stages, a key focus of the meeting was the future direction and scope of the individual work packages.
Partners discussed the research still to be undertaken and considered how to balance ambitious scientific goals with realistic deliverables within the remaining project timeframe. These discussions will help ensure that the final stages of RESPITE continue to produce innovative and meaningful outcomes while building on the substantial progress already achieved.
The meeting therefore represented not only a moment to reflect on what the consortium has accomplished, but also an important opportunity to align priorities and strengthen the path towards the project's final outcomes.
Exploring the Feringa Building
Following the consortium meeting, partners had the opportunity to visit the Feringa Building at the University of Groningen, a newly built facility designed to support cutting-edge research across a wide range of scientific disciplines.
The consortium toured several of the building's impressive research facilities, including advanced characterisation equipment, a carefully managed cleanroom and a range of deposition systems. The visit provided a valuable insight into the facilities and technologies available to support the type of interdisciplinary research that underpins RESPITE.
Seeing these facilities first-hand also provided an opportunity for consortium members to exchange ideas about research infrastructure, experimental approaches and potential opportunities for collaboration.
A fitting conclusion to our final meeting
The scientific programme was complemented by some excellent opportunities for informal discussion and networking. Professor Kooi very kindly hosted the consortium for two wonderful meals, providing an enjoyable opportunity for partners to continue conversations outside the formal meeting programme.
These informal moments are an important part of consortium life, helping to strengthen relationships and build the connections that underpin successful international research collaborations.
We would like to thank Professor Bart Kooi and our colleagues at the University of Groningen for their warm hospitality and for organising such a productive and enjoyable meeting.
As RESPITE moves into the final stages of the project, the Groningen meeting marked an important milestone for the consortium. With strong progress across the work packages and continued collaboration between partners, the consortium now looks forward to building on this momentum and delivering the project's remaining research outcomes!
