CONNECTS-UK Closing Event

 

After two exciting and highly productive years, the EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK is reaching its completion. This final event will highlight the project’s key achievements, outcomes, and long-term impact, while bringing together EU researchers based in the UK and the many stakeholders who have engaged with the initiative—scientific attachés, universities, students, journalists, and policy-makers.

Beyond reflecting on what CONNECTS-UK has achieved, the event will also look ahead—fostering continuity, shared purpose, and a vision for future collaboration and sustainability beyond the lifetime of the project.

The afternoon will include opportunities to meet and engage with CONNECTS-UK partners and sponsors, followed by a networking reception after the formal programme.

 

REGISTER HERE by 9 February 2026 for either in-person or online attendance.

In-person places at Queen Mary University of London are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For participants travelling from outside London, we will consider contributing to travel costs (bus, train, etc.), subject to availability and on a first-come, first-served basis. Further details will be provided upon registration.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to this celebratory and forward-looking event.

Warm regards,
The CONNECTS-UK Team

 

AGENDA

15:00 – 16:00 DOORS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS

16:00 – 16:10 WELCOME REMARKS

• Javier Sajuria, Dean for Education at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Queen Mary University of London 
• Sara Alvira de Celis, Co-chair CONNECTS-UK, Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU)

16:10 – 16:25 WELCOME REMARKS FROM CO-FUNDERS

• Isabell Poppelbaum, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to the United Kingdom
• Izaskun Lacunza (recorded message), Director of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

16:25 – 16:35 PRESENTATION OF CONNECTS-UK 

• Anna Fumarola, Project Manager of CONNECTS-UK 

16:35 – 17:20 CONNECTS-UK: OVERVIEW OF KEY INITIATIVES 

“Building a platform of EU researchers in the UK” – Ola Krzywanska and Anna Sobocińska, Polonium Foundation

“Research and network analysis” – Carla Molteni , Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK) 

“Policy and advocacy” – Catarina Liberato and Elisa Clemente, Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK) 

“Outreach and science communication” – Nathalie van Meurs and Niek Buurma, Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA in UK) Rita Trindade and Maria Dias, Native Scientists 

Q&A (5 min)

17:20 – 17:45 PANEL DISCUSSION 1: HOW DID PARTICIPATION IN THE CONNECTS-UK ACTIVITIES BENEFIT YOU?

• Moderator: Carlos Soler Montes, University of Edinburgh
• Madeline R. Young-Touré, University of Exeter 
• Oktay Cetinkaya, Lecturer, Newcastle University  
• Haydn Osborne-Brookes, Young European Movement UK
• Nataliia Nikitan, Ukrainian-British Academic Society (UBAS) 

Q&A (5 min)

17:45 – 18:10 REFRESHMENTS

18:10 – 18:40 PANEL DISCUSSION 2: SCIENCE DIPLOMACY AND POLICY 

• Moderator: Virginia A. Amigo Dotras, Policy and Research Analyst of CONNECTS-UK 
• Asli Kaymak-van Loo, Education and Science Counsellor  at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom 
• Poppy Joyce, Policy Adviser, Royal Society
• Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo, Senior Lecturer at Alliance Manchester Business School
• José María Robles Fraga, Minister Counsellor for Culture and Science, Embassy of Spain in the UK 

Q&A (5 min)

18:40 – 18:50 FUTURE OF CONNECTS-UK: PRESENTATION OF CONNECTS-UK NETWORK OF EUROPEAN DIASPORAS IN THE UK 

• Javier Pardo Diaz, Co-chair of CONNECTS-UK, Spanish Researchers in the UK(SRUK/CERU) 

18:50 – 19:00 AWARDS FOR BEST VIDEO AND BEST BLOG

19:00 – 20:30 NETWORKING RECEPTION

 

The agenda is subject to change.

 

 

BIOS:

 

Javier Sajuria, Dean for Education at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Queen Mary University of London

Javier obtained his MSc and PhD from the Department of Political Science, University College London. He also holds a law degree (J.D.) from PUC Chile. Prior to joining Queen Mary, Javier was a Lecturer in Politics at Newcastle University (2016-2017), and an ESRC postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Strathclyde, working as part of the team behind the Representative Audit of Britain project.

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Sara Alvira de Celis, Co-chair CONNECTS-UK, Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU)

Sara Alvira de Celis graduated as a pharmacist from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Spain), followed by an MSc in Biotechnological Engineering (2006-2008). In 2008, she moved to the National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC) in Madrid to complete her doctoral studies in biochemistry and structural biology. She accepted a Research Associate position at the University of Bristol in 2014 and was awarded several prizes and fellowships for her scientific achievements (the José Tormo Prize, an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship, and an Elizabeth Blackwell Fellowship). In 2023, she transitioned from academia to research management, working on large-scale EU and UKRI projects in Neuroscience and Engineering. Currently, she manages partnerships and innovative projects in the Science Partnership Office, still at the University of Bristol. She has been deeply involved in the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK since 2015 in several executive roles.  Currently represent SRUK as a co-chair in the EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK.

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Isabell Poppelbaum, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to the United Kingdom

Isabell Poppelbaum currently serves as the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the United Kingdom. Prior to her appointment, Ms Poppelbaum served for four years as Political Advisor to the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs/Political Director of the European External Action Service in Brussels, covering EU relations with the Asia-Pacific, Global Issues and EU-UK relations. From 2018-2020, she worked on Syria and the Middle East at EEAS Headquarters. Prior to this, Ms Poppelbaum served as Political Advisor in Myanmar and Thailand.

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Izaskun Lacunza (recorded message), Director of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

She holds a degree in Food Science and Technology and a PhD in Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Madrid, and has also studied on ESADE’s Executive Programme in Public Sector Governance.

Izaskun Lacunza is an expert in scientific advisory projects, mobility and attraction of scientific talent, open science and gender equality in research. Until her appointment, she was director of the Public Policy Department at FECYT and coordinator of the Congress Science and Technology Office, Office C, a pioneering initiative providing scientific advice to the legislative branch.

She has participated in the management and promotion of flagship FECYT projects, such as the EURAXESS initiative for attracting and retaining talent; in the promotion of European policies for human resource management in research with a gender perspective; and has launched mentoring programmes for scientific career diversification and gender equality (REBECA and FELISE).

She has also coordinated FECYT’s promotion and support of associations of Spanish scientists abroad and other European projects of interest to FECYT, in areas such as scientific diplomacy and science for public policy.

She was appointed Director General of FECYT on 23 April 2024.

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Anna Fumarola, Project Manager of CONNECTS-UK

As Director of Communication of HISPASAT (Madrid) an aero-space operator, Anna Fumarola was in charge, among others, of the coordination of the different scientific cooperation programs of the R&I department with other national and international research centres within EU policy framework. 

Later on, as External Relations Advisor and Program Officer for UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) and UN Women in Pakistan, she was specially involved with policy and advocacy for the UN women, peace, and security (WPS) agenda. 

Once back in Spain, Anna Fumarola joined the Woman for Africa Foundation as Senior Project Manager, where she passed from policy to practice and implementation with several activities of capacity-building in conflict-resolution in Mali for local women.  

She set-up and led two major post-doctoral programmes targeting African women researchers while implementing science diplomacy with a strong gender lens with the embassies of Spain in Senegal, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria  and Morocco. 

Anna Fumarola has consulted in gender policy for several projects and programs of both private, public and international organizations, such as Casa Asia and Council Foundation Spain-India, about design and implementation of gender programs consistent with the objectives of state actors (such as the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the social corporate responsibility policies of the trustees.

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Ola Krzywanska, Polonium Foundation

Ola has been working with the Polonium Foundation since 2023, joining the organization while living in the United States. During that time, she organized the Science: Polish Perspective event, supporting and connecting Polish scientists working across the U.S. After relocating to the United Kingdom, she became actively involved in the Foundation’s CONNECT-UK project, serving on the Action Coordination Board and contributing to the initiative’s strategic development. Beyond her volunteer engagement, Ola is pursuing a PhD at University College London, where she investigates retinal ageing in the African turquoise killifish – an exceptionally short-lived vertebrate model that offers valuable insights into the biology of ageing.

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Anna Sobocińska, Polonium Foundation

Anna Sobocinska is serving as the Chief Administrative Officer at the Polonium Foundation. With a career rooted in the medical and health sector, and the NGO sector, she manages the core functions of the foundation, driving its vision and strategy to leverage the Polish scientific diaspora and turn brain drain into brain circulation.

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Carla Molteni , Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK)

Carla Molteni is Professor of Physics at King’s College London and co-Director of the Thomas Young Centre for the Theory and Simulation of Materials and Molecules. She is an expert in atomistic simulations applied to materials and biological systems, working at the interface of physics with chemistry, materials science and biology. Prior to joining King’s, she worked at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge and at the Max Plank Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart. She earned a PhD in Physics from the University of Milan. She is currently President of the Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK) and a member of the Scientific Council of the Embassy of Italy in London.

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Catarina Liberato, Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK)

Catarina M. Liberato is a Political Scientist and International Relations researcher with over eight years of experience in analytical research, international teaching, and project-based work, with a strong background in project management, team leadership, and science diplomacy. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Kent, where her research examined the origins of UK foreign policy and the development of the concept of Global Britain. She is currently a researcher at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre (CARC), University of Kent.

Alongside her academic profile, she has experience in policy analysis, consultancy, and strategic advisory work. She has led and contributed to ad hoc consultancy projects, providing evidence-based advice to government bodies, diplomatic missions, and Members of Parliament in both Portugal and the United Kingdom, translating complex political, institutional, and societal dynamics into actionable insights.

Catarina has taught internationally at the University of Kent, University College London, and the University of Marburg (Germany), led multidisciplinary teams, and served on executive and advisory boards within research, diplomacy, and innovation networks. She was responsible for leading Working Package 3 (Policy and Advocacy) of the EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK, coordinating policy engagement and advocacy activities across the consortium. In addition, she has two years of hands-on experience working in diplomatic and start-up environments, with a focus on EU-UK science diplomacy, stakeholder engagement, and cross-border collaboration.

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Elisa Clemente, Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK)

She currently works as Finance and Operations Manager at Imperial College London’s Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials. Previously, she was a Research Officer (Environment) at Imperial College London, supporting a positive research environment grounded in integrity, good governance and best practice. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from UCL, completed within the London Interdisciplinary Biosciences Consortium, a programme that emphasises the holistic development of doctoral researchers, cross‑faculty collaboration, and training in both technical (programming, statistics) and transferable skills (presentation, critical thinking, networking).

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Nathalie van Meurs, Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA in UK)

Cross Cultural Psychologist (Ph.D.) | Coach (EMCC qualified) | Senior Fellow HEA | Author (fiction) | Chair DNA UK | Research: cultural values, fairness & people’s relationship with their environment | Impact. Knowledge diplomacy, personal wealth & sustainability. “What is normal for the spider, is crazy for the fly”

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Niek Buurma, Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA in UK)

Niek is a senior lecturer in physical organic chemistry at Cardiff University but grew up in the Netherlands, surrounded by water. It is therefore not surprising that his research is aimed at understanding reactions and interactions in aqueous solutions. Research themes in Niek’s team include studies of chemical reaction mechanisms, development of biosensors, and development of cost-effective equipment for automation of chemistry. These research themes have logically resulted in complementary development of data analysis approaches for complex systems of reactions and interactions – and thus an interest in machine learning.

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Rita Trindade, Native Scientists

Rita has a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and moved to the United Kingdom more than ten years ago to undertake a doctorate at University College London. Throughout her career, she has worked across a range of sectors, including research, the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and a scientific publishing house, before focusing on science communication and the promotion of access to opportunities in science, with particular attention to disadvantaged communities.

She currently works at the Royal Society, where she manages a new career development programme focused on underrepresented research communities within universities across the United Kingdom and a mentoring scheme for early career researchers. She is also involved with Native Scientists, concentrating on promoting scientific literacy among marginalised school groups, and acts as liaison for the pan European programme CONNECTS UK, which aims to strengthen collaboration between scientific communities in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Rita shares the conviction that, through science, it is possible to foster the development of a more equal society that values and celebrates diversity.

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Maria Dias, Native Scientists

Maria is a Programme Lead and Communications Manager at Native Scientists, driven by a lifelong passion for science and education. She holds a background in Nursing and a Master’s in Science Communication, combining these disciplines to bridge the gap between researchers and the public. With ten years of experience in the NHS working in paediatric care, Maria possesses a deep understanding of how to engage and inspire young audiences. After a decade in the UK, Maria returned to Portugal, where she transitioned into project management and communication, honing her ability to lead impactful initiatives. Beyond her professional life, she is a qualified yoga teacher and coaching facilitator. Maria is a cultural enthusiast and traveller who thrives on meaningful connections with family and friends.

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Carlos Soler Montes, University of Edinburgh

Dr Carlos Soler Montes is a Senior Lecturer in Spanish Linguistics and the Head of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at the University of Edinburgh. As a researcher, Carlos is particularly interested in the area of language variation from a pluricentric perspective and how this variation can be dealt with by native speakers, as well as learners of Spanish and new speakers of the language. This is reflected in his research trajectory as he has examined the ways in which Spanish grammar varies across different Hispanic regions, its particularities, cultural connections and social contacts with other languages. Carlos has obtained a thorough training in language pedagogy and has worked as a language teacher throughout his career, teaching Spanish at various North American universities (Connecticut, Calgary and New Mexico) and the Instituto Cervantes. In 2017, he won the Edinburgh University Students’ Association Teaching Award for Best Feedback. He is currently the President of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

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Madeline R. Young-Touré, University of Exeter

Madeline R. Young-Touré is an award-winning ESG specialist and University of Exeter lecturer at the Sustainable Futures Business School, currently pursuing doctoral research at Camborne School of Mines. Interdisciplinary civil society advocate with expertise in international economics, natural resources conflict, social inequalities, and government relations. Previously held senior lecturer positions at Anglia Ruskin University London, UCL, and University of Surrey. Multilingual keynote speaker and government adviser with extensive private sector experience in stakeholder engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, charity director, and regular contributor to international press and academic conferences.

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Oktay Cetinkaya, Lecturer, Newcastle University 

Dr Oktay Cetinkaya (Senior Member, IEEE) is a Lecturer in Sensor Systems at Newcastle University. Before joining Newcastle, he was a Senior Research Associate and PETRAS Synthesis Fellow at the University of Oxford and held postdoctoral positions at the Universities of Sheffield and Southampton. He received his PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Koc University and graduated with first-class honours in both Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering (double major) from Yildiz Technical University, Turkey.
Dr Cetinkaya’s research advances the next generation of intelligent sensor systems that sense, learn, and communicate autonomously, powered by harvested energy and embedded intelligence to transform how we monitor, manage, and sustain the physical world. His work spans low-power IoT and mobile systems, including UAV-assisted data acquisition, focusing on intermittent operation, multi-modal data fusion, and optimisation-based design for real-world deployment. He bridges theory and practice through collaborations with industry, local authorities, and public-sector stakeholders, with applications across smart infrastructure, utilities, and the built environment.

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Kateřina Apolínová, Research Fellow at University of Southampton

Kateřina Apolínová is a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the team of Dr Angus Wann at the University of Southampton, where she investigates how primary cilia integrate mechanical and chemical cues during skeletal development. Her work focuses on mechanobiology of the growth plate, combining 3D tuneable hydrogel systems, human stem cells, and CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing to study endochondral ossification.

She obtained her PhD in Biomedicine (cum laude) from ZeClinics and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona through an MSCA-funded industrial doctoral programme, where she developed ZebraReg, a semi-automated platform for longitudinal analysis of heart regeneration in zebrafish larvae. Her doctoral research contributed to the characterization of a first-in-class cardioregenerative drug candidate in collaboration with industry and international academic partners.

Kateřina holds an MSc in Molecular Developmental Biology from Sorbonne Université and a BSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Charles University. Passionate about science communication and patient outreach, she finds joy in disseminating research to both scientific and lay audiences.

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Nataliia Nikitan, Ukrainian-British Academic Society (UBAS)

Nataliia Nikitan is an Associate Professor of Accounting and Taxation and a Visiting Research Associate at the University of Bristol. She has over 15 years of professional experience in accounting, finance, and public sector financial management, as well as more than a decade of academic teaching and research experience.

Her academic expertise includes management accounting, taxation, and accounting practices during periods of economic reconstruction. She has taught at leading Ukrainian universities and has contributed to the development of innovative online and virtual learning methodologies in collaboration with international academic partners.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Nataliia Nikitan has been based in the United Kingdom, where she has been supported by the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) and the University of Bristol. Alongside her academic work, she is a mother of two children, aged 16 and 9. She is also a Coordinator of the Ukrainian British Academic Society (UBAS). Her research interests focus on accounting in post-conflict contexts, financial governance, and sustainable economic recovery.

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Virginia A. Amigo Dotras, Policy and Research Analyst of CONNECTS-UK

Virginia A. Amigo Dotras is the Policy and Research Analyst for CONNECTS-UK, the first pan-EU platform in the UK aimed at fostering scientific collaborations between the EU and the UK. In this role, she contributes to research and policy development in science and research policy and science diplomacy, engages with a wide range of institutional and community stakeholders, and supports initiatives promoting a diverse, sustainable, and equitable research environment. Virginia’s academic foundation spans a Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Political Science from Charles III University of Madrid and a Master of Science in Social Psychology from The University of Edinburgh.

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Asli Kaymak-van Loo, Education and Science Counsellor  at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom 

Asli Kaymak-van Loo is based in London as the Education and Science Counsellor at the Embassy of the Netherlands in the UK since September 2025. After graduating from Utrecht University, she began her career as a business consultant and project manager at a major consultancy firm working on international projects involving digitalisation, process optimisation and change management. Following her transition to the higher education sector, Asli held several senior roles, including Deputy Director of a Dutch higher education

institute in Turkey, Head of Department at the Student and Educational Affairs of Leiden University, and Senior Policy Advisor for the higher education and research sector at the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Across these positions, Asli was responsible for providing leadership, shaping policy, and delivering strategic advice in the areas of internationalization, digitalisation, cyber and research security, and crisis management.

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Poppy Joyce, Policy Adviser, Royal Society

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Mabel Sanchez Barrioluengo, Senior Lecturer at Alliance Manchester Business School

Mabel Sánchez Barrioluengo is Senior Lecturer in Science Policy and Innovation at the Alliance Manchester Business School and Deputy Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research. Previously she worked as Research Fellow at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in the area of Human Capital and Employment. She has a degree in Statistics and holds a PhD from the Technical University of Valencia and INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) in Spain with a particular focus on the economics of higher education. Her main research interests are in the involvement of universities in economic development, university-society collaborations, and the relationship between digital technologies, skills, employment and human capital. Her research has been published in several international journals like Research Policy, Scientometrics, Science and Public Policy, Regional Studies, etc.

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José María Robles Fraga, Minister Counsellor for Culture and Science, Embassy of Spain in the UK

Born in Bogota in 1956 to a diplomatic family, José María Robles Fraga is a renowned Spanish diplomat, who currently holds the post of Minister Counsellor for Cultural & Scientific affairs at the Embassy of Spain in London.

After joining the diplomatic service in 1982, Mr Robles held a number of positions in countries such as Honduras and France, and in the Spanish Foreign Office’s central services.

In 1992 he went into politics becoming a diplomatic advisor for José María Aznar, then president of Spain’s People’s Party who was elected Prime Minister in 1996. From 1993 to 2001 he was International Relations Secretary for the People’s Party (PP), becoming a member of its National Executive Committee.

MP for Córdoba in Spain’s Congreso de los Diputados from 1993 until 2001, during his tenure he was chosen as Spokesman for PP in the Spanish Foreign Affairs Commission and elected as chairman of the Spanish delegation to NATO’s parliamentary assembly between 2000 and 2001.

Moving back into the Diplomatic service, he was appointed Ambassador of Spain in Moscow in 2001, also accredited to Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Armenia. In 2005, he became Ambassador of Spain in Pakistan, a role he held until 2009, when he moved back to Spain as director of Institutional Relations of the Santander Group.

Ambassador of Spain in Lithuania from 2018 to 2022, he was then posted as Minister Counsellor for Cultural and Scientific Affairs at the Embassy of Spain in London, a position he holds today.

He has been, amongst others, member of the advisory board of the ‘Política Exterior’ magazine, the European Council on Foreign Relations, the Fundación Popular Iberoamericana and the Spain-US Foundation.

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Javier Pardo Diaz, Co-chair of CONNECTS-UK, Spanish Researchers in the UK(SRUK/CERU)

Javier Pardo Díaz represents Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) within CONNECTS-UK and co-chairs the project. He has held different roles at SRUK/CERU, including President and Vice-President, and at the Network of Associations of Spanish Researchers Abroad (RAICEX). He is interested in science policy and diplomacy, as well as contributing to evidence-based policies. He holds a PhD in Statistics (University of Oxford) and a BSc in Biotechnology (Technical University of Madrid). He currently works as Parliamentary Affairs Manager at UK Research and Innovation.