The Grand Challenges Scholars Program brought together universities and professionals to discuss renewable energy, innovation and social impact, with a focus on decentralised systems and emerging technologies.
Universities and professionals discuss renewable energy and innovation
The Grand Challenges Scholars Program is a global educational initiative involving students, professors and professionals from more than 70 universities worldwide. The programme was hosted by Sapienza University of Rome at its Department of Engineering and featured four days of workshops, exchanges and in-depth discussions on sustainable solutions.
The central theme of this edition was the role of energy as a driver of social and economic development. The opening session on 13 February focused on decentralised systems and mini-grids, renewable solutions for healthcare infrastructure and innovations applicable in emergency contexts, from pilot hydrogen projects to digital and data-driven tools.
Particular attention was given to participatory and community-led energy models capable of strengthening resilience and autonomy in different international contexts, including regions where decentralised renewable systems can improve access and reliability.
Dialogue with students from around the world
“More than 600 participants registered for this edition. We never imagined such numbers, which reflect the need to go beyond formulas and beyond the mechanics of technology, to give it meaning and purpose,” explained Professor Andrea Micangeli, organiser of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program at Sapienza.
“Students from universities around the world are present, because technology without reflection on social impact and economic effects on communities and territories makes no sense. All of us want to study, apply, carry out research and innovate to improve our territories. At this moment, we are not reasoning in terms of profit, but in terms of impact on people.”
The sessions included keynote speeches, round tables, in which Matteo Spagnolo, CEO of Rinnovabili, also took part, and open discussions designed to promote participatory dialogue. The event allowed participants to share practical experiences and replicable models, confirming that renewable energy can become a concrete tool for inclusive and sustainable development.
Artificial intelligence and scientific research
Among the speakers at the Grand Challenges Scholars Program was Yannis Yortsos of the University of Southern California, co-founder of the programme. A chemist and internationally recognised academic, Yortsos has contributed to training engineers capable of addressing complex global challenges by combining technical expertise, multidisciplinarity and social commitment.
Speaking about the role of artificial intelligence as an enabling technology for scientific research, Yortsos said: “AI accelerates scientific discovery because it allows us to speed up research cycles. This helps solve problems more quickly and potentially at a much larger scale than in the past. There is no doubt that AI can be fundamental. At the same time, however, it is necessary to have deep knowledge of the specific field. One must be able to understand whether AI is producing hallucinations or other errors that could lead us in the wrong direction. Therefore, it is essential to maintain the same level of technical expertise we had before, while using AI to move faster.”
Green hydrogen and steel industry innovation
Among the workshops held during the first day of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program was a session on the role of green hydrogen in the steel industry. Steel production remains a key industrial sector in Europe and globally, including for supply chains that are also relevant to African infrastructure and automotive development.
Filippo Cirilli, chemist at RINA, Decarbonization and Energy Transition division, presented a project financed by Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy under the European Next Generation EU plan.
“Our direct reduction plant is currently the first in Italy and the third in Europe. The facilities are located in Castel Romano, where we carried out the first ignition of the electric furnace. In two or three months we will reach full operation and begin producing initial results with our pilot plant. If used to its full potential, with the availability of green hydrogen, emissions reduction compared to a conventional blast furnace cycle is around 95%. Ours is naturally an experimental station, but the technology has enormous decarbonisation potential for the sector.”
The discussions highlighted how research, innovation and sustainable energy solutions can intersect across continents, reinforcing the importance of collaborative platforms such as the Grand Challenges Scholars Program in shaping future leaders capable of addressing global energy challenges.
