A new doctoral network kicks off

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This September has come with the launch of a new MSCA doctoral network on city-university collaboration to foster green and digital transition.

The SUNSET network, “Smart and Sustainable Host UniverCities: Leveraging City-University Interactions to Further the Twin Green and Digital Transition”, involves six universities, ten doctoral candidates and sixteen supervisors from five countries. It builds upon extensive collaboration between university partners and associate partners and provides excellent training opportunities for junior researchers in the network.

At the University of Tartu, we are most happy to announce the start of two PhD projects with Michele Donnini and Ahmed Atia Rezk as respective PhD candidates. The projects are linked to three research labs at our university – the Mobility Lab led by Associate Professor Age Poom, the Risk and Resilience Research Group led by Associate Professor Kati Orru, and the Landscape Biodiversity Group led by Professor Aveliina Helm.

Michele Donnini joined the Mobility Lab and is supervised by Age Poom, Marketta Kyttä (Aalto University), and Aveliina Helm. His research will focus on knowledge transfer between cities and universities regarding transport policy and active urban mobility. He will investigate the role of data and knowledge infrastructure in decision-making and governance to enhance sustainable mobility, urban biodiversity, and public health.

Here is what Michele writes about himself:

“I am originally from the town of Arezzo in Tuscany. I’ve got a BSc in Political Science and an MSc in Public and Business Communication—basically, I’m all about citizen engagement and collective well-being. My journey into active urban mobility began during my MSc thesis when I explored Bologna Città 30. It opened my eyes to how transforming cities from car-centric to people-friendly spaces can boost community life and make our daily commutes feel more like a stroll through a park than a mad dash. In my spare time, I’m all about staying active. I’m into endurance sports, with cycling and running being my top two favourites. I also love hiking, especially with others—it’s a wonderful way to connect with new people and nature. But when I’m not out breaking a sweat, I enjoy getting lost in a good book, whether a novel or an essay. And I’m always up for a game night, whether a card game or a board game—I love a little friendly competition!”

Check out for more: https://mobilitylab.ut.ee/blog/new-phd-candidate-joins-the-lab/

Ahmed Atia Rezk joined the Risk and Resilience Research Group and is supervised by Kati Orru, Niki Frantzeskaki (Utrecht University), and Aveliina Helm. His research will explore the intersectoral cooperation formats to better prepare for the challenges created by weather extremes and other hazards to the functioning of urban services and infrastructures.

Here is how Ahmed describes himself:

“I am a spatial planner from Egypt. I completed my master’s in urban and regional planning at TU Dortmund University in Germany and Ardhi University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I read a lot about cities and enjoy learning how they function and could be more sustainable, healthy, and enjoyable. I want to follow this passion in the coming few years at the University of Tartu and have fun in the process. I also love spending time in nature and outdoor activities, especially hiking and swimming.”

The supervisory team and all ten newly employed doctoral candidates of the SUNSET network will now gather in Leuven for the first training week. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know each other and set common goals for the upcoming academic journey!

Stay tuned for updates: