International and Intersectoral (Industrial) Innovative PhD Program
ACCESS (Advanced Catalytic Processes for using Renewable Energy Sources)
Academic Year:
- 2020–2021 – Cycle: XXXVI
- 2021–2022 – Cycle: XXXVII
- 2022–2023 – Cycle: XXXVIII
- 2023–2024 – Cycle: XXXIX
- 2024–2025 – Cycle: XL
- 2025–2026 – Cycle: XLI
From the 42nd (XLII) cycle onwards, the title will change to Sustainability Sciences (SUS_SCI).
- 2026–2027 – Cycle: XLII
Coordinator: Prof. Gabriele Centi, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences
Duration: 3 years
Program Overview
The SUS_SCI PhD Programme, entirely delivered in English, originates from the transformation of the ACCESS PhD Programme at the University of Messina, which was developed within the framework of the ERC Synergy SCOPE project, concluded in March 2026.
Following the completion of this project, the ACCESS PhD Programme has been redefined within a broader perspective, while maintaining its key themes related to innovation in chemical production, including process electrification, resource circularity, green hydrogen, CO₂ utilization, solar fuels and sustainable chemicals. These topics are now extended towards a more integrated vision of environmental, energy and biological sustainability.
The new PhD Programme aims to broaden these areas through an interdisciplinary approach. Its core is based on chemical sciences (Area 03) and biological sciences (Area 05), while also extending to other areas, including Earth sciences (Area 04), agricultural and veterinary sciences (Area 07), industrial engineering (Area 09, limited to the scientific-disciplinary sector of Industrial and Technological Chemistry) and economics (Area 13). This interdisciplinary framework is intended to address, through a systemic approach, the major societal challenges related to sustainability, resilience, circularity, waste reduction, the management of complex ecosystems, and the energy and ecological transition. Participation in the PhD Programme is evaluated on the basis of coherence with its objectives and functional organization.
The chemical and environmental systems addressed by the PhD Programme integrate the principles of green chemistry and renewable energy with the ecological management of resources, with the aim of minimizing risks, reducing waste and promoting the efficient use of resources throughout the entire life cycle of products. In this context, green and circular processes are developed based on renewable energy and characterized by advanced catalysis, environmental monitoring, product quality control, and the valorization of waste and by-products, in line with environmental sustainability objectives.
The PhD Programme focuses on the circularity of carbon and raw materials, the use of renewable energy sources, sustainability assessment and the resilient development of systems. It integrates science, technology and application within a unified approach that characterizes the entire training and research pathway. This perspective is aimed at addressing complex systems and ecosystems that require a highly interdisciplinary approach, combining fundamental and applied aspects to support development for both industry and society.
Within this framework, the PhD Programme is aligned with the main European and global strategic priorities.
In this context, the development of processes, materials and technologies is closely linked not only to life-cycle assessment and environmental impact evaluation, but also to risk assessment, biodiversity protection and the resilience of natural and productive systems.
In continuity with the experience gained through the ACCESS PhD Programme, SUS_SCI is embedded in a solid network of relationships with industrial, institutional and research partners at national and international levels. It is therefore already strongly connected with the needs of stakeholders in the fields of energy, chemical and ecological transition.
The PhD faculty is actively involved in numerous Italian, European and international research projects, as well as in structured collaborations with institutions and companies operating in the fields of chemistry, biology, environment, energy and materials. These include national projects, such as HEASY, TEC-SOS, GADOTOX, EDIPO, MELA, EMBRC-UP and REPROD, and international projects, such as SCOPE, MECCA, EPOCH, EreTech, GreenSwap, DANTE, SCOOP, TESLA, COSTA and BIO-BLU. The Programme is also connected to training and collaboration networks, including Marie Curie actions, ITN, EMBRC and USERN, as well as networking initiatives such as SUNER-C and European programmes for excellence and widening participation, including WIDERA.
The training model is research-driven and structured into three main phases:
i) an initial phase aimed at consolidating advanced and interdisciplinary skills;
ii) a phase dedicated to the development of the research project within national and international collaborative contexts;
iii) a final phase focused on full scientific autonomy and the valorization of research results.
The key thematic areas include:
i) sustainable chemistry and the design of low-impact, sustainable and circular processes and materials;
ii) assessment of biological and environmental impacts and risks;
iii) energy systems, integration of renewable energy sources and solar fuels;
iv) environmental management and ecosystem monitoring;
v) advanced materials, circularity strategies, and technologies for the valorization of waste and CO₂;
vi) sustainability assessment and life-cycle analysis;
vii) modelling, digitalization and AI for sustainability.