The project was highlighted during the 11th PhD Open Days at Instituto Superior Técnico, one of the project partners, as part of an Alumni Session dedicated to career pathways, research impact, and collaboration between academia and industry.

During the session, Melissa Bacatelo, researcher at C5LAB – CoLAB for Sustainable Cement, delivered a talk titled “Bridging Worlds”, where she shared insights on how a career in engineering can evolve from research and PhD projects to innovation, European collaboration, and project management.

The discussion also underlined the importance of connecting scientific knowledge with real-world applications. Drawing on her professional experience across academia, industry, and collaborative research environments, Melissa highlighted how interdisciplinary cooperation can help transform ideas into practical solutions for the construction sector.

As part of this perspective, the DISCOVER project was presented as an example of how AI, digital technologies, and circular design can support the decarbonisation of the construction sector. Through its focus on sustainable deconstruction, material recovery, and reuse, DISCOVER contributes to more circular and resource-efficient construction practices.