Breathing space – smart parking policies improve city dwellers’ lives

Sustainable, smart parking plans offer city dwellers cleaner air and greener spaces. © Patryk Kosmider, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers have put in place smart parking set-ups that offer residents across Europe cleaner air, more greenery and space to play. By Helen Massy-Beresford When the makeover of Piazza del Popol Giost is completed this December, residents of Reggio Emilia will find themselves strolling through a tree-lined, pedestrianised square that until recently was just … Read more

EU researchers tackle pushback against gender equality in politics and society

EU-funded researchers are investigating recent push-back against gender equality measures, seeking to understand its motives and impact, to provide practical solutions. By Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro For Zoe Lefkofridi, a professor of politics and gender at the University of Salzburg in Austria, there cannot be real democracy without gender equality.  But past progress cannot be taken … Read more

From nitrogen pollution to battery recycling, young scientists take action to help society

Tackling societal challenges was key for aspiring young scientists at this year’s EUCYS and EU TalentOn competitions. By Tom Cassauwers For Piotr Olbryś, a 19-year-old from Poland, it was his brother’s hearing aid that motivated him to look into how to make lithium-ion batteries more environmentally friendly. His work earned him one of the four … Read more