Through the support of the Young Researcher and Innovator (YRI) Conference Grant within COST Action CA22138, Recovery of Mining District Network (REMINDNET), Prof. Vancho Adjiski successfully participated in the 11th International Conference on Geotechnical Research and Engineering (ICGRE 2026), held as part of the CSEE Congress 2026 in Paris, France, from 16 to 18 April 2026.

The YRI Conference Grant provided important financial support for attending and presenting research at a high-level international conference. This opportunity enabled Prof. Adjiski to increase the visibility of his research, strengthen his international scientific network, and contribute to discussions with researchers and professionals in geotechnical engineering, tailings-dam risk, and environmental assessment.

During the conference, Prof. Adjiski presented the paper titled:

“Portfolio-Scale Screening of Conditional Life-Loss Consequences from Tailings-Dam Failure Using Open Global Data.”

A major highlight of this participation was that the paper received the Best Paper Award at ICGRE 2026, in competition with more than 100 presented scientific papers.

This recognition confirms the relevance and quality of the research, particularly in developing geospatial and data-driven approaches for tailings-dam failure consequence screening, risk assessment, and environmental decision support.

In addition to presenting his work, Prof. Adjiski also contributed to the conference as a Session Chair, receiving both a Certificate of Participation and a Session Chair Certificate. These activities further supported his professional visibility and engagement within the international research community.

This successful experience clearly demonstrates the value of the YRI Conference Grant as a tool for supporting young researchers and innovators in sharing their work, building strong international networks, and increasing their scientific impact. Prof. Adjiski strongly encourages other young researchers within the REMINDNET network to use this opportunity to present their research at high-level conferences, connect with international experts, and strengthen their role in the wider European research community.

This achievement also highlights the important role of COST Association, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, in supporting researchers, promoting collaboration, and creating opportunities for scientific excellence across Europe.