Acad. Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, President of the European Research Council (ERC), visited InnoRenew CoE as part of a larger event dedicated to science and research within the framework of Slovenia’s presidency of the Council of the EU.

Dr Andreja Kutnar, InnoRenew CoE director, welcomed him at the institute’s construction site in Izola.

“I am very happy we had a chance to present to Prof. Bourguignon the InnoRenew CoE building, laboratories and research equipment, which enables us to perform excellent research in the fields of renewable materials and sustainable buildings,” Dr Kutnar said.

Prof. Bourguignon also attended a panel discussion about research in Europe in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was hosted by the University of Primorska’s (UP) leadership and attended by representatives of other Slovenian scientific research institutions, including Prof. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of the University of Maribor; Prof. Mladen Franko, Vice-Rector for Education at the University of Nova Gorica; Prof. Dr. Roman Jerala, National Institute of Chemistry; Dr. Tomaž Boh, Director General of the Directorate for Science at the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (MIZŠ); and Dr. Andreja Umek Venturini, ERC contact at MIZŠ, as well as other representatives from UP and InnoRenew CoE.

Acad. Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon and Dr Matthew Schwarzkopf in InnoRenew CoE laboratories. Image: Amy Simmons