INCAS participated with two representatives, Alex Vlad and Sorin Ghemuleț, in a training
session at TROPOS from November 25th to 28th. A key objective of the visit was to gain
hands-on experience in operating HERA, the filter sampler that will be delivered to INCAS
as part of this project. Training was provided separately for the sampling unit by Jonas
Schäfer and for the pump unit by Enviscope representatives Dieter Schell and Christoph
Hallbauer. Hands-on training was conducted using the INCAS pump unit, which was brought
from Enviscope, while the INCAS sampling unit, still undergoing final adjustments, was
demonstrated with a similar TROPOS HERA. Participants also practiced filter insertion and
extraction, as well as sample handling. Additionally, a session in the TROPOS ice-lab
covered analyzing filters for ice nucleating particles (INPs), with INCAS set to receive an
off-line INP analyzer from the University of Oslo. Beyond technical training, discussions
included experiences in research, proposal writing, team setup, and data presentation, making
this visit an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and future collaboration.