Thanks to the Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grant provided by WATSON (COST ACTION CA19120), I had the opportunity to visit Marina Gillon and her wonderful colleagues at UMR 1114 AU-INRA EMMAH, University of Avignon.
Throughout my STSM, I met many colleagues and had constructive discussions about their work and their research activities, particularly those focused on using isotopes to understand water flow pathways and the origins of wellfield groundwater. During the field visit to the Barthelasse Island aquifer area, surrounded by the Rhone River (near Avignon), I had the chance to discuss its water flow pathways, its relationship with the river, and the potential sources of contaminants in this aquifer.
Furthermore, we discussed our prospects for future collaboration and the possibility of writing a paper within the WATSON project framework.
Overall, the STSM was insightful and paved the way for future teamwork. It was a wonderful experience.
Iris Bakiri, from the Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics University of Tirana (Albania), visited Marina Gillon at the Université d´Avignon et des Pays du Vaucluse the 3-9 September 2023.