On 17 February, at the National Technical University of Athens, the first seminar lecture of the current academic semester was delivered within the framework of the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programme in Materials, Science & Technology of the School of Chemical Engineering by our colleagues Eleni Spyrakou, Vana Stavridi, Leonidas Ananinadis, and Dimitris Koulos. The lecture, entitled “Ethics and Integrity in Scientific Research: What They Are, How They Are Applied, and Why They Matter”, placed at its core the fundamental values that underpin responsible scientific practice and academic excellence.
The presentation offered an in-depth exploration of the concepts of research ethics and research integrity, with particular emphasis on how these principles are embedded in everyday research practice and on their crucial role in safeguarding the credibility, trustworthiness and standing of the scientific community. In parallel, the Horizon Europe project RE4GREEN EU was introduced, highlighting the importance of ethics and research integrity within the context of the green transition, as well as the contemporary challenges that arise in this domain.
Special attention was given to the project’s objectives and to the innovative Social Labs methodology implemented within RE4GREEN, presented as a dynamic approach to understanding and addressing challenges related to ethics and integrity in research. Furthermore, reference was made to the development of dedicated training materials aimed at educating a broad and diverse range of stakeholders.
The discussion that followed with the students was particularly engaging and constructive, reflecting their strong interest in issues of research ethics and their recognition of the need to incorporate ethical considerations into their own research activities.
Overall, the event marked a strong and promising start to the new academic year, laying solid foundations not only for scientific advancement but also for responsible and ethically grounded innovation.
