PhD Circle Member Gjylije Hoti Part of First-Prize Team at EU TalentOn 2026
PhD Circle member Dr. Gjylije Hoti was part of the team awarded first prize in the “Restore our Ocean and Waters” category at EU TalentOn 2026, an international competition bringing together early-career researchers to develop solutions to major societal and environmental challenges.
Held from 7 to 11 September 2026 in Brest, France, the third edition of EU TalentOn brought together 100 early-career researchers from 43 nationalities, selected from 1,317 applications. Participants worked in interdisciplinary teams to develop solutions connected to the five EU Missions under Horizon Europe.
Mission PFASSible: Tackling PFAS Pollution
Dr. Gjylije Hoti, a researcher at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Turin, joined Gabriel Tejero, Siddhanth Shishodia, and Dominika Czekanowska to develop Mission PFASSible, a project focused on addressing the growing challenge of PFAS contamination in water.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of chemicals widely used in industrial products and processes. Their high persistence in the environment makes their removal and the assessment of their impact on water safety particularly challenging.
Mission PFASSible proposes an integrated approach that combines the detection, capture, and concentration of PFAS contaminants with the verification of water safety.
Rather than focusing solely on pollutant removal, the project aims to connect removal efforts with measurable and verifiable reductions in environmental risk. This approach is designed to help determine not only whether contaminants have been removed, but also whether the intervention has resulted in a meaningful reduction of risks to water quality.
From Research to Practical Solutions
EU TalentOn challenges researchers to move beyond identifying scientific problems and develop solutions with potential real-world applications.
During five intensive days, participants attended workshops, developed ideas and prototypes, collaborated across disciplines and presented their projects to a jury of experts from academia, business and government.
Projects were assessed based on both their scientific merit and market potential, including their potential to develop into practical innovations addressing major societal challenges. For Mission PFASSible, this resulted in a €8,000 first prize in the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission category.
An International Research Challenge
EU TalentOn is organised by the European Commission for early-career researchers aged 21–35. The 2026 edition focused on the five EU Missions under Horizon Europe: • Adaptation to Climate Change • Cancer • Restore our Ocean and Waters • Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities • Soil Health
The competition forms part of Science Comes to Town 2026, a European initiative aimed at bringing research and innovation closer to citizens and strengthening connections between science and society.
The 2026 edition highlighted the contribution of young researchers working across disciplines and countries to address complex challenges in health, climate, environmental protection and sustainability.
Celebrating Our Member
Dr. Gjylije Hoti’s achievement highlights the impact of interdisciplinary research and international scientific collaboration in addressing urgent environmental challenges.
As a member of the PhD Circle community, we are proud to celebrate her contribution to the Mission PFASSible team and this recognition at EU TalentOn 2026.
Congratulations to Dr. Gjylije Hoti and the entire Mission PFASSible team on this achievement!
