The TRACE consortium gathered together in Porto for its first in-person meeting on 26–27 February, hosted by SHINE 2Europe. The meeting marked an important step forward in strengthening collaboration and aligning the consortium around the next phases of the project. Carina Dantas, Lucia Thielman, and Natália Machado represented SHINE during these two days of collaborative work.
Partners engaged in in-depth discussions, strategic planning sessions, and collaborative exchanges to refine the project’s trajectory. Key highlights included a dedicated session with the Transnational Stakeholder Group, whose valuable feedback is helping to ensure that TRACE remains closely aligned with stakeholder needs and broader developments in the field. Hugo Soares, Marius Geanta and Josep Maria, joined the consortium meeting to introduce themselves and their respective activities, and to explore how their expertise can support TRACE.
We were also pleased to welcome our Ethics Advisor, Lars Münter, who joined the meeting to introduce his role within the project and provide guidance on the ethical framework underpinning TRACE. His contribution supports the consortium in ensuring that all activities are conducted in line with high ethical standards.
SHINE presented the progress of Work Package 2, which focuses on the creation of regional ecosystems. A central component of this work is stakeholder mapping, a key task that was further advanced through an interactive workshop held during the meeting.
The in-person setting enabled partners to move beyond digital collaboration, strengthening trust, cohesion, and a shared sense of purpose. The meeting clearly demonstrated that while research may begin in the laboratory, its real impact is built through human connection and a shared vision for the future. Alongside the formal programme, participants also had the opportunity to experience the city of Porto, further reinforcing the connections that underpin the TRACE collaboration.