WELCOME TO TWINSUBDYN
PROJECT ID
Project title: Twinning excellence on organic soil amendments effect on nutrient and contaminant dynamics in the subsurface
Project acronym: TwinSubDyn
Project coordinator: Prof. dr Snežana Maletić
GA Number: 101059546
Call identifier: Twinning Western Balkans HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-02
Topic: HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-02-01
Start date of project: 01/08/2022
Duration: 36 months
Project partners:
N° | Short | Beneficiary | Role |
1 | UNSPMF | University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences | CO |
2 | UNIVIE | University of Vienna | BEN |
3 | FZJ | Forschungszentrum Jülich | BEN |
4 | MLU | Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg | BEN |
5 | CSIC | Spanish National Research Council | BEN |
Project concept
The Western Balkan is an integral part of Europe and a geostrategic priority for the European Union. In this area agriculture and food production is cited by government and stakeholder groups as one of the most prominent priority domains, and the most relevant for research and innovation. Globally, current agricultural practices result in harmful environmental effects, including three key problems: deterioration of soil as a key non-renewable resource in our lifetime, groundwater pollution, and increasing agricultural residues. In the northern part of Serbia, 82% of the area is used for agriculture. Therefore, it has been recognized the urgent need to shift towards environmentally sustainable food production. This may be achieved by focusing on integrated systems of crop and livestock production which enables optimum utilization of resources following concepts of circular economy. Thereby, a widespread use of organic soil amendments in agriculture is foreseeable. These amendments may include anaerobic digestate, manure, sewage sludge, compost, as well as biochar. The potential for the application of organic soil amendments is growing in the Western Balkan. This is mostly due to rapid increase of biogas energy production, installation of wastewater treatment plants, and to a smaller extent compost- and biochar production. These amendments will affect soil structure, element cycling, and nutrient composition in the soil. Organic soil amendments can be a source and/or a sink of nutrients as well as organic and inorganic pollutants (predominately pharmaceuticals, pesticides and microplastics). Thus, they are expected to affect soil and groundwater quality. Modulated organic matter dynamics caused by organic soil amendments are expected to affect contaminant and colloid fate, with additional implications for groundwater quality.
Objectives
Twinning excellence on organic soil amendments effect on nutrient and contaminant dynamics in the subsurface (TwinSubDyn) aims to boost research excellence of University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences and establish a knowledge hub based in Serbia to address unresolved challenges on the impact of organic soil amendments on the fate of contaminants (pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics), and nutrient dynamics in the soil subsurface and their implications for groundwater quality.
To significantly advance the roadmap of Research and Inovation and strengthen the research position in the defined field, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences will link with 4 cross-disciplinary leading partners University of Vienna, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Each scientific partner will be committed to transfer specific knowledge and expertise: (1) Bridge knowledge on soil organic matter dynamics and its effect on nutrient, contaminant mobility and transformation with hydrogeological modelling and state of the art analytical techniques. (2) Build-up the capacity to elucidate element cycling via isotopically labelled substances with a special focus on soil organic matter, which governs many processes in the subsurface. The overarching goal of the project to step up and stimulate both the scientific excellence and innovation capacity and institutional research support and administration will be reached through 4 specific objectives:
S01:
To network for excellence through knowledge transfer and exchange of best practice between University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences and renowned leading partners University of Vienna, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - through short-term scientific missions of qualified and early-stage researchers. Strengthening research management and administration capacities at University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences. Establish long-lasting strategic partnerships with leading European institutions in the field.
S02:
To significantly raise reputation, research profile and attractiveness of University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences and its staff - through delivering lectures by experts, organization of workshops and summer schools, establishment of a virtual knowledge platform at University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, development of Science and Innovation Strategy and action plan for University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences.
OUR ACHIVEMENT
5
INSTITUTION37
TEAM MEMBERS160
NUMBER OF TRAINEES6
EVENTSLATEST NEWS & EVENTS

Upcoming On-Site Training Sessions at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences
The University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, is set to host two exciting on-site training sessions this month.
1. On-Site Training in Meta-analysis (20-22 September):
Attendees can look forward to an enriching experience in the field of meta-analysis on September 20th and 22nd. This three-day workshop will delve into the intricacies of meta-analysis, equipping participants with valuable skills for synthesizing research findings effectively. Experts in the field will guide attendees through the process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data from multiple studies. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your research toolkit.
2. On-Site Training on Large-Scale Field Experiments (22 September):
September 22nd, the University of Novi Sad will host the second part of the "Large-Scale Field Experiments for Assessing Organic Amendment Impact on Soil Subsurface and Groundwater Quality." Building on the success of the first part, this training will provide hands-on experience in conducting large-scale field experiments. Participants will gain insights into the assessment of organic amendments' impact on soil subsurface and groundwater quality. It's a unique chance to develop practical skills.
Both training sessions promise valuable knowledge sharing and networking opportunities. Ensure you secure your spot and make the most of these enriching events at the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, this September. Agenda can be downloaded HERE.
TwinSubDyn Team

Dear Colleagues,
Horizon Europe project TwinSubDyn is delighted to invite you to WEBINAR 4 hosting an expert in Proposal Writing in collaboration with the TwinSubDyn partner University of Vienna.
Proposal writing workshop series - How to identify promising funding schemes?
Speaker: Sarah Hale, Senior Researcher
All information and key details can be found HERE.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions:
twinsubdyn@pmf.uns.ac.rs
We look forward to your participation!
TwinSubDyn Team

Celebrating one year of remarkable progress with #TwinSubDyn! It's been an incredible journey filled with growth, collaboration, and unforgettable experiences thanks to our project partners Forschungszentrum Jülich, University of Vienna, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg and Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville. Over the past year, we've embraced the power of innovation through our immersive 6-month secondments, where knowledge flowed freely, sparking creativity that knows no bounds.
Our 1-month visits were like windows to new worlds, enriching our perspectives and igniting fresh ideas that continue to drive us forward. And who could forget the engaging webinars that connected us across distances, fostering insightful discussions and connecting our minds?
The hands-on, on-site trainings were the cornerstone of our growth, where theory met practice, and skills transformed into expertise. As we reflect on this incredible year, we're not just celebrating milestones, but the lasting bonds we've formed and the indomitable spirit of Team TwinSubDyn. Here's to another year of innovation, collaboration, and unwavering determination!
#TwinSubDyn in numbers:
Twinsubdyn has achieved an impressive milestone in its inaugural year, comprising 3 insightful webinars, 5 enriching six-month secondments, 5 productive one-month visits, and 4 comprehensive onsite training sessions.
CAPACITY OF PARTICIPANTS AND CONSORTIUM AS A WHOLE
We have chosen our project partners from EU institutions we have previously collaborated with or with which we currently have on-going research collaborations. In addition, there is only one partnering organization with which we have established cooperation only recently, and we want to strengthen our links with that group. All partners were chosen carefully to help us unlock our research potential in the specific research areas we have identified as our specific scientific objectives.
UNIVERSITY OF NOVI SAD, FACULTY OF SCIENCES

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CONTACT PERSON
Snezana Maletic e-mail:snezana.maletic@dh.uns.ac.rs
UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

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CONTACT PERSON
Sigmund Gabriel e-mail: gabriel.sigmund@univie.ac.at
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JÜLICH

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CONTACT PERSON
Bol, Roland e-mail: r.bol@fz-juelich.de
MARTIN LUTHER UNIVERSITY HALLE-WITTENBERG

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CONTACT PERSON
Bruno Glaser e-mail: bruno.glaser@landw.uni-halle.de
CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTÍFICAS

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CONTACT PERSON
Heike Knicker e-mail: knicker@irnase.csic.es