From 28th September to 2nd October 2026, we will hold our final workshop at La Cristalera in Miraflores de la Sierra (Madrid) bringing the consortium together to celebrate the achievements of the project and discuss future research directions.
The workshop will be divided into two parts.
The first two days (28th to 29th September 2026) will be dedicated to our junior researchers. The programme will include tutorial sessions, in which early-career researchers will introduce the experimental and computational techniques used by them, as well as presentations of their research results and a poster session. These activities will provide an opportunity to exchange knowledge, showcase scientific achievements, strengthen professional networks, and foster the development of both scientific and transferable skills.
The second part of the workshop (30th September – 2nd October 2026) will focus on the scientific achievements of OPERA, with particular emphasis on interface research, operando techniques, and knowledge exchange. In addition to presenting the project’s main outcomes, we aim to engage leading external researchers working in related areas. By creating an open forum for discussion, we hope to exchange ideas, learn about the latest advances in the field, and broaden the impact of OPERA. This interaction will also help identify complementary expertise and potential opportunities for future collaborations and synergies.
The final workshop will therefore serve not only as the closing event of the project, but also as a starting point for future research initiatives. How can the results be further exploited? What are the next scientific challenges? Which open questions deserve further investigation? By bringing together the OPERA consortium and invited experts, we aim to stimulate new collaborations and research directions that will continue to advance the field beyond the lifetime of the project.
All participants will be accommodated at La Cristalera Residence to be close to the event location.
For Thursday evening we plan a visit to Segovia, a historic UNESCO World Heritage city renowned for its Roman aqueduct, medieval architecture, and beautiful old town. If you don’t want to join this activity, please let us know.
Date and Location
28.09.2026 – 02.10.2026
La Cristalera
Carretera M-611, km 10, 28792 Miraflores de la Sierra, Madrid, Spain
Organizers
Conference Chair: Celia Polop (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC))
Scientific Committee: Qiong Cai (University of Surrey), Peter Siffalovic (Slovak Academy of Sciences), Carmen Morant (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), François Lienard (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility), Natalia Kwiatek-Maroszek (ALBA Synchrotron)
Organizing Committee: Stephan Junker (Eurogrant)
Agenda
Young Researcher’s Days
General Days
Book of abstracts
The book of abstracts for the young researchers workshop can be found here and for the general workshop days it can be found here.
Traveling to the Workshop
Flight to Barajas Airport.
From the airport (Terminal 4) there will be two OPERA taxis to pick up the registered persons at 6 PM on Sunday, 27th September 2026 to La Cristalera. The meeting point is the large yellow-painted column marking the meeting point at Terminal 4.
For people arriving Tuesday’s (29th September 2026), there will be an OPERA bus going from the airport (Terminal 4) to La Cristalera at 6 PM. The bus will wait at the bus station with a sign stating La Cristalera/OPERA. Stephan Junker will be present to assist.
On Friday (2nd October 2026), there will be a shuttle back to the airport (Terminal 4) at 1 PM.
If the bus does not work with your travel plans, please contact us.
Kayaking on Monday
Location of the kayaking in Buitrago:
Restaurant in Segovia “Mesón de Cándido”
Where to find Mesón de Cándido in Segovia.
