During the EUTOPIA Summer School, organised by the EUTOPIA network and hosted this year by NOVA University Lisbon, 33 international participants came together to develop interdisciplinary research proposals in collaborative teams.
Throughout an intensive week, participants worked on a range of societal challenges, combining perspectives from different disciplines and research methodologies. They were supported by professors from various European and international universities and took part in workshops focusing on research design, methodology, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The team of Femke Joosten was selected as the winner during the final presentations and received an award of €750 for their research proposal. The winning project focused on tackling criminal networks operating in the Brazilian Amazon region. More specifically, the team examined the links between deforestation, illegal gold mining, and the subsequent laundering of illicit proceeds through international financial systems, including in Europe.
The proposal aimed to develop an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to better understand and disrupt these criminal financial flows. Participation in the EUTOPIA Summer School provided a valuable opportunity for international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and networking among early-career researchers from European and international universities.