Six new grants for the research under the scope of the University's Strategy 2025.
FotoManuelCastells/La Vice President Paloma Grau with three of the researchers awarded grants under the program: Blanca Gallostra, first from left; Silvia Estarriaga, second from left; and Alexander Blanco.
15 | 02 | 2024
doctorate students Alexander Blanco (School of Communication), Silvia Estarriaga (Faculty of Pharmacy), Aimee Valle (School of Science), Álvaro Sarasola (School of Engineering), Blanca Gallostra (School of Humanities and Social Sciences), and Teresa García de Santos (Faculty of Economics) are conducting their research one of the areas outlined in the University’s 2025 Strategy, supported by grants from the “E2025 research Sustainability Grant Program” promoted by the Office of the Vice President for Research Sustainability.
In the 2022-23 academic year, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Sustainability launched the " research and Sustainability E2025 Grants Program", promoted by the association de Amigos and which complements the ADA grants program with an additional budget for the next four years. It is an initiative that will finance around 20 doctoral thesis in total, in addition to those usually financed by the program.
"The contribution of the University to the challenges posed by the sustainable development , focused on caring for people and the environment, must come hand in hand with the research, science and multidisciplinarity. These grants aim to contribute to this reality," explains Paloma Grau, Vice President of research and Sustainability.
A new call for applications for the next courses is expected to be published within two months.
Variety of topics and areas of work
The topics of research are diverse and range from the study of trust in digital commerce, the valorization and use of vegetable waste, the corporate purpose of organizations, the traceability and management of waste and pollutants in the wastewater of the campus of the University of Navarra, the Philosophy of culture or the proliferation of bacteria in reservoirs in Navarra and Cuba.
"In my doctoral thesis I delve into the essential role of trust in the context of digital commerce versus traditional stores, a topic that is particularly relevant in the era of digitization, which has radically transformed our forms of Public Communication and private", explains Alexander Blanco, PhD student of the School Communication that performs its research framed in the line Media literacy. Society and communication of the E2025.
On the other hand, the research of Silvia Estarriaga, from the School of Pharmacy, is framed in the line of Environment. Biodiversity and ecosystems management and focuses on the valorization of domestic plant waste, such as potato peel or lemon peel, at area biosanitary, to develop bioactive and sustainable therapeutic solutions. "The applications currently given to these vegetable wastes are limited, even though we know that many of them contain significant amounts of compounds that can significantly expand their potential for valorization as antifungal, antibacterial and antitumor agents," he adds.
Aimee Valle, from the School of Science, research work the deterioration of water quality in reservoirs and its consequences, with the aim of contributing to management sustainable water management . The research under the Environment research line, research management Biodiversity and management . “The increase in water infrastructure, combined with inadequate ecological monitoring plans, has triggered problems with cyanobacterial blooms, which in many reservoirs exceed the limits set by the WHO (World Health Organization), posing a serious risk due to the toxicity they can present to human health and the ecosystem. My thesis contribute to management water management in a climate change scenario,” she explains.
The research of Teresa García de Santos, from the School of Economics, on the corporate purpose of organizations is included in the line of work of the E2025 work, Care and development. Rest, work and leisure: "My thesis aims to delve into the research on corporate purpose as a lever to develop more humane and sustainable organizations, particularly with regard to the flourishing staff and the generation of a culture of care. Can work be source of well-being and growth staff and social?", she questions.