Water | Interview with Kosmas Lalas—Best Poster Award Winner of the 9th International Electronic Conference on Water Sciences (ECWS-9)
1. Could you please briefly introduce yourself?
My name is Kosmas Lalas, and I am currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Western Macedonia. I hold a degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Patras, where I first began specializing in environmental engineering. In general, my research focuses on advanced oxidation processes for the removal of micropollutants. I conducted my core research at the University of Patras under the supervision of Prof. Frontistis. Additionally, I gained valuable international experience as a visiting researcher at the Solar Platform of Almería under the supervision of Prof. Malato and at the Gdansk University of Technology under the supervision of Professor Boćkaj. I am currently finalizing the writing of my dissertation and looking for my next professional chapter.
2. What is your impression of Water?
I consider Water to be a high-level platform for environmental engineering, particularly due to its comprehensive focus on water and wastewater management and its significant contributions to the field of advanced oxidation processes, which is my concern. Furthermore, its commitment to open access is of great importance, as it ensures that high-quality research on micropollutant degradation reaches a global audience rapidly and without barriers. Finally, I have been consistently impressed by the journal’s efficient peer-review process, a sentiment shared by many of my colleagues in the scientific community.
3. What do you think will be the research hotspots in the field of water in the next few years, and can you describe them to us?
I expect the future research to focus on increasing sustainability and intensifying efforts to apply new technologies for water management under real-world conditions. A key trend that I address in my own research is the coupling of treatment processes with renewable energy sources, which significantly enhances their application potential. Furthermore, I anticipate a major shift toward the circular economy, which I think has already begun, specifically through the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts from industrial waste or biomass. Finally, the integration of technologies like AOPs into hybrid systems, perhaps by combining them with membrane filtration or biological treatments. These approaches will be essential to achieve full mineralization and facilitate safe, large-scale water reuse.
4. Why did you choose to participate in the ECWS-9, and what was the most appealing aspect for you?
Participation in the ECWS-9 was motivated by our team's ongoing research on water management. We sought to examine current methodologies and leverage the contributions of distinguished researchers from the international community. Having collaborated with institutions abroad, I can appreciate the electronic format as particularly attractive, as it removes geographical barriers and allows for a free, diverse exchange of ideas. Additionally, we wanted to present our recent work on a leading platform that facilitates the spread of innovative water research to a wide audience, while also benefiting from the high visibility that this conference provides for our findings.
5. Reflecting on the conference, what aspects do you think were particularly well organized or valuable?
In my experience, the conference was extremely well organized, successfully overcoming the challenges often associated with remote events. The user-friendly digital platform allowed me to navigate thematic sessions and participate in presentations at my own pace, while the program remained timely and well-paced. One of the most valuable aspects was the quality of the discussion platform. The written format facilitated detailed exchanges of views that often led to more precise and thoughtful comments than a live Q&A discussion. This allowed us to delve into the technical details and highlights of the research presented. Finally, I found it very important that the broad subject areas covered the full range of research interests, ensuring that the information provided was relevant to all stakeholders, from academia to industry.
6. If you were to recommend the ECWS to others for the next edition, what key strengths or features would you highlight?
I would definitely recommend the ECWS to my colleagues, highlighting its accessibility and global reach as its main strengths. The conference provides an excellent platform for researchers to present their work to an international audience without the various travel constraints. I would particularly highlight the strong link with Water, which ensures that the research presented receives high visibility and a clear path to effective publication.
Coming up next：
The 10th International Electronic Conference on Water Sciences (https://sciforum.net/event/ECWS-10)
Conference date: 24–27 November 2026
Abstract Submission Deadline: 3 July 2026
Early Bird Registration Deadline: 31 August 2026
Covering Author Registration Deadline: 31 August 2026
Registration Deadline: 18 November 2026
ECWS conference series: https://sciforum.net/event-series/ECWS
See you there!