Integrating Advanced Research Infrastructures for Environmental Challenges: Insights from EXCITE²’s Transnational Access Program

The EXCITE² Network integrates 19 cutting-edge research facilities across 12 European and associated countries, offering transnational access to advanced imaging and analytical technologies, including electron and X-ray microscopy, spectroscopy, and data processing. This infrastructure enables researchers to address key environmental challenges, such as sustainable resource extraction, environmental toxicity, and climate change mitigation. 

EXCITE²’s Transnational Access (TA) program follows a structured, transparent process that includes multiple phases: preparatory, proposal submission, review, operational, and reporting. The TA process ensures that researchers from diverse backgrounds, including early-career scientists and those from underrepresented regions, can access world-class facilities. Proposals undergo rigorous peer review, with priority given to scientific excellence, technical feasibility, and inclusivity. The Facility Access System (FAST) manages all aspects of the workflow, from call advertisement to proposal evaluation and execution, ensuring efficiency and equal opportunity. 

This contribution will showcase EXCITE²’s progress in fostering international collaboration, its adoption of innovative services such as remote access and AI-driven imaging, and its commitment to open science and FAIR data principles. Additionally, key case studies and lessons learned from implementing the TA program will be presented, offering insights into how structured transnational access can drive innovation and tackle complex environmental challenges.