GeoAlliance Presentation at the H2020 DOORS Project Event in Bucharest: Engaging Experts and Youth in Coastal Sustainability

On Monday, 24 February 2025, took place in Bucharest, at Seneca Anticafe, the “Love the Ocean – Love the Black Sea” Workshop, aiming to promote Ocean Literacy and to advance the young generation’s awareness on the environmental issues of the Black Sea. The event, organised by GeoEcoMar and Mare Nostrum NGO in the frame of the H2020 DOORS Project, addressed to youth aged 16-21 from Bucharest schools and universities, as well as their teachers.

The workshop was designed to facilitate meaningful engagement between scientists and young participants. Through interactive discussions and surveys, high school students in Bucharest shared their thoughts on ocean science, climate change, and career aspirations.

An invited presentation was delivered by Dr. Florina Țuluca, representative of the GeoAlliance Project implemented by the University of Bucharest and PSS-GEO as part of the grant “Driving Sustainable Urban Futures: A Romanian-Norwegian Innovation Geophysical Alliance for Green Transition and SMART City Development” financed through the EEA Grants Romania 2014-2021, in the frame of the SME Growth Programme Romania.

Dr. Florina Țuluca introduced to the audience the concept of using geophysics for achieving Smart Coastal Cities. She highlighted the use of geophysical methods to address environmental challenges, focusing on groundwater salinity issues along the Black Sea shoreline. By showcasing legacy data on electrical resistivity from the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, she provided insights into the impact of salinity on coastal freshwater resources and how information from the underground can support the management of the resources for sustainable usage. A short training session engaged the audience in learning and analysing geophysical maps and cross-sections. Participants explored a real-world case study on saltwater intrusion from the Black Sea shoreline, learning how monitoring datasets can help assess and mitigate phreatic water contamination. Further discussions centred on the Black Sea coastal areas environmental challenges.

Irina Stanciu, GeoEcoMar researcher and DOORS Communication Lead, explained that “the DOORS Love the Ocean Workshop is a special opportunity for youth – not only to learn from experts but to truly engage with the science that helps understand our changing planet.

The Black Sea is a unique and precious marine ecosystem, shared by multiple countries, cultures, and communities. It connects us, sustains us, and provides for us. Yet, it is also under pressure from human activities (including pollution) and climate change. The work we do as scientists is crucial in uncovering the causes and consequences of these changes, but just as important is how we communicate our findings and inspire action. That is why this workshop is so valuable. It allows us to connect science with society, research with reality, and facts with future generations. We are here to find better ways to reach young people, engage them in ocean literacy, and empower them to become the next guardians of our marine environment. And this isn’t just a conversation happening here in Romania – it’s a collaborative effort across the Black Sea, including also Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine. Together, we built a strong Ocean Literacy Network for Black Sea.

I encourage you all to Love the Ocean. Because when we love something, we fight for it, protect it, and ensure its future for generations to come”

DOORS – ‘Developing Optimal and Open Research Support’ for the Black Sea, is an EU H2020 research project linking science, policy, industry and citizens to: (1) address human and climate change impacts on its fragile and damaged ecosystems and (2) support real behavioural change across its complex geopolitical and governance landscape for Blue Economy development. With 35 partner institutions from the Black Sea region and across Europe, the project aims to drive sustainable solutions for the region’s environmental challenges.

The project “Driving Sustainable Urban Futures: A Romanian-Norwegian Innovation Geophysical Alliance for Green Transition and SMART City Development” is co-financed by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants Romania 2014-2021, in the frame of the SME Growth Programme Romania. Grant number: 2024/395080. The project is a collaborative initiative between the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Geology and Geophysics and Pre Stack Solutions – Geo AS (PSS-GEO AS) (www.pss-geo.com).