This edition was marked by several new features, including the introduction of theoretical courses on hyperspectral imaging and deep learning, as well as visits to the dairy products laboratory and the Mobilab mobile laboratory.
The 19 participants, from 8 different countries, had the opportunity to discover or deepen their skills in vibrational spectroscopy and chemometric data analysis through a combination of theoretical and practical sessions, as well as laboratory visits. The diversity of their backgrounds and fields of interest, including cereals, fruits, milk, meat, aquaculture, fine chemistry and oncology, contributed to the richness of discussions throughout the week.
The courses were delivered by members of the unit, with contributions from Beatriz Carrasco (Mining4Quality), Wouter Saeys (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – KUL), Tom Fearn (University College London – UCL), and Pierre Dardenne, consultant and former director of the Department of Knowledge and Valorisation of Agricultural Products.
The evaluation conducted at the end of the training highlighted a high level of participant satisfaction, particularly regarding the quality of the teaching, the availability of the speakers, the clarity of the objectives, and the overall organization of the course.
This experience confirms the importance of this training in strengthening connections within the chemometrics and spectroscopy community, particularly with early-career researchers who represent its future. It also motivates us, with enthusiasm, to already start preparing the next edition.
