Applying some advanced technologies in teaching and research, in relation to air pollution

<< Background >>This project aimed to develop STEM students' and academics' competencies in using advanced technologies (like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) in processing the information provided by Big Data (open source ) and facilitated an exchange of experience and good practices to the academics regarding new methods of teaching and learning that will be used during post-pandemic period.The academics from the target group improved their skills in AI, ML and in teaching methods and technologies during intensive courses from TR, SK and BG. Academics from project team worked together and achieved all project results.During summer school activities, students had meetings with experts in making sensors, programming and connecting them to a network, with an entrepreneur who told them his start up experience, with an expert in career orientation who helped them to identify their pluses and minuses and gave some advices regarding how to use wisely their money A climatologist showed how are used databases. Another academics showed how to download data and how to process their datasets. These skills should make a difference at students' graduation for those who participated in summer school helping them to find easier a good job.<< Objectives >>For O1: The course for academics organised in BG, the summer school activities for students from RO, and the discussions (TPM from BG) about different technologies helpful for education and how to approach students with different health and mental issues helped academics to adapt their teaching and learning methods for the post-pandemics.For O2: Digital competencies using big data related to air pollution and green energy were developed for 10 academics in the framework of the courses from TR and SK. A photovoltaic system (achieved in another EU project) was presented by the TR team to the guests (RO, BG, SK). STEM competencies were developed for 44 students during summer school activities (8 students with economic issues). Also, the discussions with a climatologist during summer school activities contributed to a better comprehension of the climate change effects.For O3: Four graduates who participated in the first summer school proved at interviews that they have skills in microcontrollers, programming, and working with big data and found jobs in their fields. The students from the second summer school have not graduated yet.<< Implementation >>1 Project preparation (m1-m3)- we organised a launching online conference and the team had meetings to know each other; 2 Information, promotion and dissemination of the project activities at each partner university (m1-m24)-a methodology for recruitment and selection was developed to avoid any type of discrimination and for total transparency; press releases were written for each TPM, LTT and ME, a poster and an agenda or a schedule were made; all these materials were uploaded on the project site, Facebook page or were sent to the departments responsible with academic image.3 Target group's recruitment, selection and involvement in the project activities (m1-m4, m12-m16); Two recruitment periods were estachished (for students) and a reserve of 10% was made.4 We had 3 trainings for academic staff (from the target group and project implementation team): 1. Innovative teaching and learning methods for post-pandemic time, 2. Artificial Intelligence and Statistics, 3. Machine Learning and Big Data (m1-m13); 5 Intensive training for students/summer school (students from the target group, 2 groups) (m5-m19); The first group had 40 students, the second one 44.6. Writing the content of a scientific paper about advanced technologies in working with big data (m1-m17); Two scientific papers were published open-source, 1 paper in RO language was presented and published in the Conference Proceedings of the conference from Moldova, 1 paper in EN was presented and published in the proceedings of a conference in INformatics from SK, 2 papers were presented in TIM22 Physics Conference but have not published until the end of the project. Another paper is in review, so it has not published yet.7. Multiplier events preparation (m12-m24)8 Project management (m1-m24) Monthly online meetings were organised, the intermediate and final reports were made, and the deadlines were respected.All tasks and associated deliverables and milestones were touched.<< Results >>The project had 4 tangible results: R1. A curriculum for an optional course in Advanced technologies (AI, ML, BD) that are used in processing data (designed and implemented in all partner universities) and a handbook (170 pages). The curriculum is included in the content of the handbook. The handbook was translated into RO, BG, TR and SK languages.R2. An innovative tool kit of sensors for students (to learn how to build, program, use them in laboratories and process aquired data). A lab activities book was made. The description of each sensor (kits of sensors) is included in the lab activity based on that sensor. The lab actvities book has 150 pages and was translated in RO, BG, TR and SK.R3. Two scientific papers were published in well-known international journals (Sustainability, Sensors). 4 papers were presented in three international conferences (in Moldova, Romania and Slovakia) but only two were published until the end of this project. In one of them, the authors used the data given by an open BD, using AI. It was presented to an international conference (TIM22 Physics Conference, invited talk).R4. a book (138 pages) about innovative methods of teaching and learning usefull for the postpandemic time was written in collaboration between partners and translated in BG, RO, TR and SK.Intangible results: 1.increasing the degree of satisfaction of the graduates from the target group (who improved their digital, green and STEM competencies and choose as bachelor or master thesis a subject connected with the topics of this project) - it was checked with questionnaires after each summer schools. The most important part of the students wrote positive testimonials, others had higher expectations.2. positive effect at partner universities in recruiting new students from High schools (the best advertisement of a university is made by the satisfied graduates). All partners recruited students from highschools and did not have issues with the admission.3. positive effect on the business environment that found highly skilled graduates in their region to employ: 4 students from the first summer school found a job just after graduation in their field.