In September 2026, the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) was selected to participate in the ESA Science Hub Challenges 2026, held at the facilities of the European Space Agency (ESA/ESRIN) in Frascati, Italy. The AUTH team comprised five postgraduate students from the MSc programme Physics of the Atmospheric Environment and Global Change, together with MariLiza Koukouli, Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics.

As part of the workshop “Urban Environments and Atmospheric Extremes”, the students worked in mixed teams alongside students from the Politecnico di Milano, making use of satellite observations, Earth observation data and modern analytical tools. Their work focused on the interactions between heat stress, air quality and urban green spaces, and on their combined impacts on the populations of European cities, including Milan, Madrid and Turin.

The week-long programme included scientific training, the development and presentation of collaborative projects, familiarisation with open and reproducible science practices, visits to the ESA Phi-Experience and ESA Phi-Lab, as well as direct interaction and networking with ESA scientists. Participation was made possible with the support of Neuralio A.I. and the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics.