Seminars

An event to commemorate 47 years from what has been called the Carnation Revolution (Revolução dos Cravos). History narrates about how so many man including the military have change the fascist regime that lasted 48 years in Portugal and ended on 25th April 1974. Many women have been protagonists of different forms of resistance then  - for example, the iconic Catarina Eufemia - but many women have been advancing and nurturing new forms of democracy in Portugal since then. This webinar is a snapshot of creativity in advancing democracy in Portugal focusing on participatory and deliberative formats.

An interactive conversation with Lia Vasconcelos, Sofia Guedes Vaz, Monica Mendes and Raquel Gaspar, moderated by Ângela Guimarães Pereira

They are:

Mónica Mendes

Multimedia Arts professor at the University of Lisbon, Designer and Digital Media researcher. She is also founding member of the altLab hackerspace and of the ARTiVIS collective combining Art, Science and Technology for environmental sustainability.

@monicamendes

Monicamendes.wordpress.com

Raquel Gaspar

Marine biologist co-founder of Ocean Alive, a NGO dedicated to reforesting the ocean, engaging women from the fishing communities

Instagram: raquel_gaspar_ocean_alive

www.facebook.com/ocean.alive.org 

Lia Vasconcelos

Professor in NOVA University of Lisbon & researcher at MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre; she focuses her work on innovative decision-making processes, namely on participatory governance and collaborative public policy.

https://www.mare-centre.pt/

Sofia Guedes Vaz

Worked in several public and private organizations, both national and international in the environmental field. Environmental ethics and ways to better communicate environmental issues is one of her passions.

@sofiagvaz

https://sociedade-de-etica-ambiental.webnode.pt

(check the video of the event)

Interviewing the Cientistas-de-pé

....while having your Saturday aperitivo 

In a recent publication from Social Neurosciences I read that

"Human laughter is a powerful means of communicating social intention, ranging from welcoming and friendly to hostile and ridiculing."

Could  the creation of laugher be an advantageous relaxed form that would allow the absorption of relevant scientific information? Or simply to demystify the complexity of science and scientists?

These were the assumptions of the project of Cientistas-de-pé (standup scientists) created in April 2009*.

The group was recruited among stage-naive scientists that in only 5 months should get ready to perform to 1500 people and making laugh at least 1000 of them.

The texts should be about science and scientifically accurate. The show would end the 2009 edition of Lisbon's European Researcher's Night* that took place in the wonderful gardens of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.

Two more editions were prepared in the following years and all the texts collected in a book published in 2013 - Toda a Ciência (Menos as partes chatas) - All Science (except the boring parts).

The group combines people with background in Informatic, Biochemistry, Environment, Biology, Sociology and Archeology. All coordinated by a duet of an Actor and a Chemist specialized in humoristic writing.

For the occasion of the Portuguese Semester celebrated by the colleagues working at JRC, 12 years after its formation, the groups is reunited for an interview-chat about the power of science communication through humour.

Please join us! There will be NO performances, but by mistake we might make you laugh, or learn a bit of science!

Moderators:

Sofia Batista Leite & Sergio Freire

The Cientistas De Pé present:

Note:

Cientistas de pé started from the the European Researcher's Night portuguese edition in 2009. It was developed among SettingTheStage project, Coordinated by Instituto Gulbenkian da Ciencia. the Researcher's night is an intitiative funded by the European Commission that takes place in several cities in Europe at the same time. The idea is to make science available to all that want to know more about it.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning–.” (Albert Einstein)

Talking about the power of science communication (take 1)

Even though science belongs to everyone, the scientific language often places it well beyond our reach. In this session, a group of science communicators from the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, present a way to make it more attainable: an animated collection of discoveries in the making. Join us in this conversation with Catarina Ramos, science communicator, Liad Hollender, science writer, and Diogo Matias, illustrator and animator, about the creative process behind their project.

About the Project:

A major challenge in science communication is moving beyond the “one sentence” headline and into the nitty-gritty of scientific work. The Science Collection “Inside the Unknown” attempts to overcome this challenge by combining a storytelling approach with illustrated animations that accompany the text. 

The project explores the work of scientists at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, who pursue fundamental and translational research in neuroscience, physiology and cancer.

Inside the Unknown currently has five pieces, available in Portuguese and English.

About the Champalimaud Foundation:

The Champalimaud Foundation is a worldwide leader in scientific and technological innovation in Biomedical science, and is based in Lisbon, Portugal.
It is at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, that the Foundation develops its activity in the areas of neuroscience and cancer. This is done through both research programmes and the provision of clinical services of excellence. It also has an outreach programme to fight blindness. To pursue its objectives in achieving significant scientific advances, the Champalimaud Foundation adopts a translational methodology, which establishes a direct link and interdependency between basic research and clinical activity.

"Knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference."

Claire Fagin (American nurse, educator, academic, and consultant)

Science communication, a powerful tool to promote science education

CHECK OUR FUNDRAISING

When you were a child, who and what inspired you? Did you think that you could be what you are today? Do you think that all children can dream as far or even further?

On the 1st of June 1925, the International Children's Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child welfare. Later on, the UN recognized November 20 as World Children's Day, as it was the date on which the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child was approved in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

Nevertheless, in Portugal and several other countries including other Portuguese speaking countries such as Angola and Mozambique, 1st of June is still the day we celebrate it.

To celebrate this day, the Portuguese semester invites you to join a webinar with two groundbreaking projects working to give all children access to science and promote science education.

Core to this webinar will be topics such as: science education, science communication, multilingualism, educational equity, development cooperation.

All these topics are dear to the JRC community, come along an joining us.

Have a look below for a brief description of the projects and hear it from our speakers on the 1st of June!!

Cartas com Ciência

Spoken by over 250 million people in the world, the Portuguese language can open doors and create opportunities for social development and knowledge sharing. Designed to enhance the aspirations of Portuguese-speaking students across the world, Cartas com Ciência is an educational letter exchange programme that connects the Portuguese-speaking world through science. By enabling inspiring scientists to engage with students in Portuguese-speaking countries, Cartas com Ciência fosters individual and one-year long conversations that allow mitigating barriers and prejudices associated with university studies and scientific careers, while promoting scientific and language literacy. Cartas com Ciência is a spin-off of Native Scientist inspired by Letters to a Pre-Scientist. To know more, please visit the website https://en.cartascomciencia.org/

Native Scientist

Native Scientist (Native) believes children from all cultural backgrounds should feel empowered to follow a career in science. For this reason, Native brings together international science students and professionals to provide science outreach training and deliver educational programmes that help ethnic minority and migrant children develop high aspirations and positive attitudes to science and language. Created by international migrant scientists for international migrant children, Native is today a young and passionate multi-award-winning European-wide non-profit organisation that unites advocates for diversity and inclusion in science and education. In the classroom or beyond, Native actively engages with 200+ scientists every year, inspiring over 1,000 pupils to consider a science-related career and feel proud to use their heritage language. To know more, please visit the website https://www.nativescientist.com/

What is a tree? What is a forest? How important are forests, ecologically and economically?

Forests cover one third of the Earth's land, and have a vital role around the world.

Around 1.6 billion people - including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures - depend on forests for their livelihoods, medicines, fuel, food and shelter. They are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land, home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.

This day (21 March) celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forest and was proclaimed as the International Day of Forests in 2012, by the United Nations General Assembly. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests. The theme for 2021 is "Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being”

This talk will address the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. A special focus will be given to the Portuguese forests.

Speakers

João Neves Silva is an Assistant Professor at the School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, where he teaches Mathematical Analysis and Statistics. He is a researcher at the Forest Ecology research group of the Forest Research Centre. His research focuses on wildland fires and vegetation monitoring, including remote sensing of fire and vegetation, spatiotemporal patterns of burnt areas, pyrogenic emissions modelling, land use/land cover change mapping, long-term trends of forest productivity. He is a member of the editorial board of Remote Sensing journal.

Alexandra Correia is a researcher working for the last 20 years in climate change and carbon accounting in Mediterranean ecosystems. She is currently developing a project on mixed cork oak and stone pine forests bridging ecology, silviculture and the production of non-wood forest products like cork and pine nuts.

Ana Lourenço is a Forester since 2003, has a PhD in Forestry and Natural Resource Management (2012) from the School of Agriculture (ISA), University of Lisbon. Currently, her research work is in the field of chemistry of lignocellulosic materials using a multi-analytical approach. Her focus is on the valorization of different biomasses as feedstock for the development of bio-based products (e.g. bioactive compounds) under the concepts of biorefinery, circular economy and zero waste philosophy.

Contributions also from Joana Amaral Paulo & Catarina Tavares

All the speakers and contributors are integrated members of  the  Forest Research Centre (CEF) which is a research unit of the School of Agriculture (ISA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia), University of Lisbon (ULisboa, Universidade de Lisboa) and a FCT - funded member of the national R&D system 

The United Nations General assembly has proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. The day is observed each year to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of forests and trees to all life on earth. Please see this FAO video!

Let's celebrate water for a whole week!

During COVID times we all know that hand-washing saves lives.

But 40% of the world’s population do not have access to basic hand-washing facilities.

The World Water Day celebrates water and reminds us of several important water-related UN Sustainable Development Goals as for example the access to water and sanitation for all by 2030 (SDG 6).

From 22 to 26 March 2021, the scientific activities mainly from Portuguese institutions contributing to five UN SDGs related to water will be presented.

• Lunchtime webinars
• Movies
• Projects’ presentations
• Projects’ showcases

Read the message from the UN Secretariat General 

22 March 2021 | 12:30 – 14:00

SDG 6. CLEAN WATER & SANITATION

Science responses to ensuring water and sanitation needs

Webinar link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arh3WqCpXDI

12:30 Opening by the Portuguese Semester President - Ricardo Passos

12:35 Introduction to the water week in the Portuguese Semester - Ana Cristina Cardoso, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

12:45 An analytical framework to assess SDG targets within the context of WEFE nexus - Anna Malago, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

13:00 LIS-Water: public policy, regulation and management of water services towards SDG6, Jaime Melo Baptista, Portuguese National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC)

13:15 Leveraging  innovation to meet SDG6: LNEC's contribution, Helena Alegre, Portuguese National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC)

13:30 Panel discussion and Q&A - with the participation of Jann Martinsohn, HoU Water and Marine Resources Unit, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

23 March 2021

SDG 11. SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES

• Visit the showcase of Portuguese research projects connected to SDG11 (access will be granted on the day)

24 March 2021 | 12:30 – 13:30

SGD 12. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION

Webinar link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5x5iTTL_oQ

Aquastory (award winner short film of the 2019 United Nations SDGs in Action Film Festival, under the Protect Planet category) is an animated short-film that talks about the efficient use of water (around 7’).

There will be a panel discussion and Q&A on how to transform behaviours towards responsible consumption. You will be able to ask the film makers live questions and participate in discussion.

12:30 Introduction

12:35 Aquastory, animated short-film, presented by the film makers, Marina Lobo, A Toca - Animação Digital and Maria Rodrigues, Lisboa E-Nova

12:40 Watch the animated short-film Aquastory

12:50 Q&A live session with the film makers

13:10 Transforming Behaviours towards responsible consumption. Panel discussion and Q&A with the participation of:

Ana Cristina Cardoso, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Maria Rodrigues, Lisboa E-Nova
Marina Lobo, A Toca - Animação Digital
Eugenio Gervasini, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Celia Lopez-Canizares, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

25 March 2021

SGD 13. CLIMATE ACTION

• Showcase of projects from Portuguese  research institutions (LNEC, CCMAR-Algarve and IPMA) connected to SDG13

Learn about European marine observatories, tools to adapt the water cycle to climate change and the how marine acidification can affect fishes’ sense of smell (here).

26 March 2021

SGD 14. LIFE BELOW WATER

• Learn about why Marine Protected Areas are important and watch some  movies showing the use of very cool techniques to support marine conservation actions in the Portuguese coast (here). 

In May, the Portuguese Semester celebrates diversity in its different forms and formats. The 24th of May is the time to honour biological diversity (or biodiversity), which refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth.

Biodiversity is so rich that many species are yet to be discovered. However, pressures from human activities are threatening biodiversity to alarming levels, leading to urgent calls to putting forward conservation measures.

We want to invite you to listen about how science can support the biodiversity conservation in Europe and to share with us your insights on the topic.

The role of science in supporting the EU Biodiversity Strategy 

12.30h Welcome by moderators

• Alexandra Marques, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency & Rita Araujo, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

12.35h The EU Biodiversity Strategy

• Humberto Rosa, DG Environment

12.45h  Rebuilding marine life

• Carlos Duarte, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 

12.55h  EuropaBON: designing a biodiversity monitoring system for Europe

•  Henrique Pereira, iDiv – German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research & Cibio, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources

13.05h The project Biodiversity 2030 in the framework of the European Biodiversity Strategy

•  Miguel Araujo, National Museum of Natural Sciences (CSIC) & University of Evora

13.15h Cross-sectoral mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation as a critical tool to implement the Biodiversity Strategy

•  Catarina Ferreira, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

13.25h Discussion and Q & A

• with the participation of Patricia Lopes, Environment Attaché, Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Commission

13.50h The JRC Knowledge Center for Biodiversity: working at the science-policy interface

• Ana Cristina Cardoso, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

13.55h Introducing young minds to science and biodiversity

Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.

Mae Jamison, engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut; the first black woman to travel into space.

Agenda

12:30h  Welcome by Moderator​s

• Sofia Batista Leite, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

​12:35h Funding and performing science in Portugal: Is gender relevant?

• Prof. Helena Pereira, President Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal (FCT) & member of JRC Board of Governors​

​12:45h A Ciencia: Science is a feminine word​ (the experience of 2020 ERCs)

• ​How viruses shape societies: Maria Joao Amorim​, Instituto Gulbenkian Ciencia
• The dance of chromosomes (along with the XX challenges): Raquel Oliveira​, Instituto Gulbenkian Ciencia
• Reward and aversion: from neurons to circuits to behavior: Ana Joao Rodrigues, ICVS: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho

​13:15h Science for policy in the life sciences and roundtable discussion​

• ​Panelists and all participants – men's views wanted!

We will be joined by Sandra Caldeira, Monica Bettencourt-Dias, Sandra Coecke and Raquel Gaspar and will jointly answer your questions

​13:55h Keepers of the sea: women wisdom for science

• Raquel Gaspar, Ocean alive – Launch of online exhibition​

​14:00h Thank you and learnings from the session​

* This website and the “Portuguese Semester” celebrations are organised by a group of volunteers at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) to promote and disseminate Portuguese culture, on the occasion of the 2021 Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).

This is part of a tradition at the JRC, initiated back in 1992 with the first series of activities to mark the EU Council Portuguese Presidency at the time. Since then, cultural semesters have been organised, as a way to celebrate the culture and traditions of the EU member state that holds the rotating presidency of the Council and bring them closer to the JRC and local communities. *

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is an occasion to promote culture and highlight the significance of its diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change. The Portuguese semester wants to add to this reflection "on how cultural diversity contributes to dialogue, mutual understanding, and the social, environmental and economic vectors of sustainable development" by promoting a discussion on the current state of cultural diversity and inclusion of scientists from the Global South in Europe and the cooperation models in science with those countries. 

"Although COVID-19 has not succeeded in curbing dialogue among cultures, the long-term consequences of the crisis, especially in economic terms, might inflict severe damage on diversity, as periods of crisis are conducive to concentration and standardization. It is this insidious threat that looms."

— Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

Our debate wants to counter that threat! We want to identify the main strongholds and showcase strategies currently applied by several institutions to ensure diversity and inclusiveness in research. We want to invite you to listen and participate in a discussion that has occupied central stage worldwide and concerns many, and many areas of our society including the scientific world.

12.30h Welcome

​by Montezuma Dumangane & Sandra Caldeira

12:40h Integration and diversity in Science: focus on afro-descendants in Portugal

Keynote speaker: Cristina Roldão, CIES-IUL - Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology. 

Cristina is a sociologist, invited professor at ESE-IPS and a researcher at CIES-IUL. Social inequalities at school are her main field of research, with a particular focus on the processes of exclusion and institutional racism that affect Afro-descendants in Portuguese society. 

13:00h How to do better? Examples of integration, inclusion and diversity 

• How to do better in working environments? 

Office for Diversity and Inclusion, European Commission:  Arieta Voivod

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion has been recently set up to strengthen the European Commission’s diversity policy in the field of human resources

• How to improve scientific capacity building?

IGC International Collaboration projects: Leonor Ruivo

The Gulbenkian Collaborative Centre has a fundamental role in establishing a hub of Science and Innovation of international relevance. 

TReND in Africa: Lucia Prieto Godino and Samyra Salek

TReND supports scientific capacity building across Africa in biomedical research, namely by supporting and working with African researchers.

• How to reach out and empower?

Native Scientist: Joana Moscoso 

Native Scientist is a network of international scientists created to tackle educational disadvantage through science outreach.  

13:30h Discussion Panel and Q&A from the public

Our Speakers will not be alone in answering your questions! A big shout out to their guests Mahmoud Maina, Akinrinade (Fatunke) Ibukun  (TReND's guests), Fredilson Melo (IGC) and Rafael Galupa (Native Scientist and Cartas com Ciencia). We're so honoured that they'll join us to share their learnings and experiences too.

Connection details

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