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Located in the Central of Portugal, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Aveiro is a popular tourist destination, famed for its canals, Nouveau architecture and colorfully Moliceiro boats. Famous for its unique lagoon and canals, Aveiro is known as “The Portuguese Venice”.

Aveiro is located 1 h from Porto Airport and approximately 2 h from Lisbon Airport. 

 

From Porto Airport

 

Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (Porto Airport) is located 80 km north of the city of Aveiro. The train is the best and cheapest way to get to Aveiro, as it takes you close to the city center. To get to the train, you can either take the metro from the airport or a taxi to the main train station in Porto (Porto – Campanhã): 

- A taxi costs about 25 € and the journey from Porto airport to Porto – Campanhã train station takes about 25 min. 

-The Metro (title Z4 Andante ticket) costs about 2.60 € and takes about 40 min from Porto airport to Porto – Campanhã train station (Line E: Aeroporto – Estádio do Dragão).

 

When you are at Porto – Campanhã train station, you can take the train to Aveiro. You have several options: 

- High-speed Intercidades and Alfa Pendular trains take about 50 min to reach Aveiro but are a bit more expensive (Intercidades costs about 13 € and Alfa Pendular between 15-21 €).

- Local suburban trains offer a regular service throughout the day. The trip takes about 70 min and costs 3.55 €. 

You can find the timetable of the different trains here: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times

The Aveiro train station is within walking distance (15 minutes) from the city center. From the Aveiro train station you can also take the Bus or Taxi to move around the city.

 

Alternatively, you can also rent a car at Porto airport and drive south to Aveiro. This is a 75 km trip, mostly on the highway, and should take about 1 h. 

 

 

From Lisbon Airport

 

Portela / Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon Airport) is located about 250 km south of the city of Aveiro. As this is a long trip, the best is to take a train from Lisbon to Aveiro using an Intercidades or an Alfa Pendular train.

 

To go from the Lisbon Airport to the main train station (Lisboa – Oriente), you can: 

- Take the Metro, using the red line to Oriente train station. The ticket costs just 1.50 €.

- Take a taxi, which costs about 10 € and takes around 15 min. 

- Take the bus (705 and 744 ) to the bus station Oriente, which costs about 1.80 €. You can buy your ticket inside the bus.

 

When you get to Lisbon – Oriente train station, you can take the high-speed Intercidades or Alfa Pendular train to Aveiro. The Intercidades and Alfa Pendular trains take about 2 h and 2h30 min, respectively, to reach Aveiro Intercidades costs between 21-31 € and Alfa Pendular between 28-40 €).

- Local suburban trains offer a regular service throughout the day. The trip takes about 70 min and costs 3.55 €. 

You can find the timetable of the different trains here: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times

The Aveiro train station is within walking distance (15 minutes) from the city center. From the Aveiro train station you can also take the Bus or Taxi to move around the city.

 

Alternatively, you can also rent a car at Lisbon airport and drive north to Aveiro. This is a 255 km trip, mostly on the highway, and should take about 2h45 min. 

Hotel Imperial *** 

Address: Rua Dr. Nascimento Leitão, 1, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234380150 

Email: reservas@hotelimperial.pt  

Website: www.hotelimperial.pt  

 

Hotel Afonso V *** 

Address: Rua de Dr. Manuel das Neves, 3810-101, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 425 191 

Email: info@hotelafonsov.pt  

Website: https://www.hotelafonsov.pt/  

 

Veneza Hotel *** 

Address: Rua Luís Gomes de Carvalho 23, 3800-211 Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 404 400 

Email: reservas@venezahotel.pt  

Website: https://www.venezahotel.pt/  

 

Hotel das Salinas *** 

Address: Rua da Liberdade 10, 3810-126, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 404 190 

Email: reservas@hoteldassalinas.com  

Website: https://www.hoteldassalinas.com/  

 

Hotel Jardim *** 

Address: Praceta D. Afonso V, 3810-094, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 426 514 

Email: info@hoteljardim.pt  

Website: https://www.hoteljardim.pt  

 

Hotel Aveiro Center *** 

Address: Rua da Arrochela 6, 3810-052, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 380 390 

Email: reservas@hotelaveirocenter.com  

Website: https://www.hotelaveirocenter.com/  

 

Meliã Ria Hotel & Spa **** 

Address: Cais da Fonte Nova, Lote 5, 3810-200, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 401 000 

Email: melia.ria@meliaportugal.com  

Website: https://www.meliaria.com  

 

Hotel Aveiro Palace **** 

Address: Rua de Viana do Castelo 4, 3800-275, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 421 885 

Email: geral@hotelaveiropalace.com  

Website: https://www.hotelaveiropalace.com/  

 

Hotel As Américas **** 

Address: Rua Eng. Von Haff 20, 3800-176, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 346 010 

Email: info@hotelasamericas.com  

Website: https://www.hotelasamericas.com/  

 

Hotel Moliceiro **** 

Address: Rua Dr. Barbosa de Magalhães 15/17, 3800-154, Aveiro 

Phone: +351 234 377 400 

Email: hotelmoliceiro@hotelmoliceiro.pt  

Website: https://www.hotelmoliceiro.pt/   

Mark Tibbitt is an Associate Professor in the Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory and Deputy Head of the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zurich. Between 2017-2023, he was an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) of Macromolecular Engineering at ETH Zurich. From 2013-2017, he was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Robert Langer in the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his B.A. in Integrated Science and Mathematics from Northwestern University, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder under the supervision of Prof. Kristi S. Anseth. His research integrates concepts from chemical engineering, synthetic chemistry, materials science, and biology to rationally design and assemble soft matter for biomedical applications. A major recent focus of his research has been on fundamental understanding and applications of dynamic polymer networks.

Matthew Baker is an Assistant Professor at Maastricht University, and the group leader of the BioMatt group. He is a chemist by training, and the group takes a molecular view of materials design. Moving from South Carolina, to Florida, to the Netherlands, international research is ingrained in his approach. As a result, our group aims to keep a mix of nationalities, backgrounds, and expertise.
Dr. Matthew (Matt) Baker received his B.S. in chemistry (2006) at Clemson University and worked shortly for Tetramer Technologies, LLC. Afterwards, he obtained his PhD in 2012 in Physical Organic Chemistry under the guidance of Ronald K. Castellano at the University of Florida. Jumping across the pond, he then moved to Eindhoven University of Technology to design and characterize water soluble supramolecular polymers under guidance of Prof. E. W. Meijer. During his time at TU/e, he starting thinking of cells by creating supramolecular hydrogelators for extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics.
In May 2015, Matthew Baker joined the MERLN institute as a researcher, while also starting a group to explore the utility of dynamic interactions in biomaterials. In 2017, he was promoted to Assistant Professor, founding a group to rationally design, synthesize, and characterize biomaterials based around stimuli-responsive and dynamic interactions. Currently, he serves as the group’s biggest fan, and aims to train scientists at the interface of Chemistry and Bioengineering. He loves NMR, maybe a bit too much for the group’s liking.

J. Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello (born 1963) initially earned a degree in Chemistry, specializing in Biochemistry, and later, a second degree in Physics with a focus on Condensed Matter. Both degrees were obtained from the University of Valladolid in Spain, where he also earned his doctoral degree. Currently, he serves as a full professor in the Condensed Matter Physics department at that University and leads the BIOFORGE Lab. Established in 1996, this research group has been at the forefront of developing recombinamers, showcasing the innovative use of genetic engineering and biotechnologies to create advanced materials. Prof. Rodríguez-Cabello's research interests range from understanding fundamental aspects of self-organization and the interplay between order and disorder in complex, protein-like systems, to exploring the practical applications of these materials in regenerative medicine, nanomedicine, and nanotechnology. The materials and systems his group develops are characterized by their complexity and multifunctionality. With about 250 papers published in indexed journals (H=46 in Scopus, 55 in google scholar), he is a prolific author and an inventive researcher with 15 patent applications to his name, five of which have been transferred and are currently under exploitation. Prof. Rodríguez-Cabello is also the co-founder of two startups: Technical Proteins Nanobiotechnology SL, where he serves as CEO, and CellDrive 3D S.L., where he is the Chief Scientific Adviser.

Elisabeth Garanger was recruited as tenured junior researcher at CNRS in 2012 and promoted as research director in 2024. She received a PhD in Chemistry & Biology in 2005 from the University of Grenoble, France, achieving a comprehensive study on peptide-based nanocarriers targeting tumors and their associated neo-angiogenesis. She pursed her career at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA, as a post-doctoral researcher working on the design of contrast agents for multimodal molecular imaging. She joined the Organic Polymer Chemistry Laboratory (LCPO) in 2009 as a post-doctoral researcher and the European Institute of Chemistry and Biology (IECB) from 2010 to 2015 as project leader to develop bioactive amphiphilic peptide-based block copolymers. Her current research activities in the team "Polymer Self-assembly and Life Sciences" at LCPO focus on the engineering and post-modifications of recombinant elastin-like polypeptides for the design of smart biomaterials and drug delivery systems.

Prof. Dr. Aránzazu del Campo is Scientific Director, CEO and head of the Dynamic Biomaterials research group at the INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials and Professor of Materials Synthesis at the Faculty of Chemistry at Saarland University, Germany. She studied chemistry at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and obtained her PhD at the Instituto de CyT de Polímeros in Madrid in 2000. After working as a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz (MPIP, Germany) and at the University of Urbino (Italy), she founded her research group at the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart in 2004. From 2007 to 2008, she led the Functional Surfaces program at the INM, and between 2009-2015 she was a Minerva research group leader at the MPIP, where she led the Dynamic Biointerfaces research group. Her research group focuses on dynamic and instructive biomaterials designed to encapsulate and instruct living cells aiming to bioengineer tissues and living therapeutic devices for biomedical applications. Del Campo has been recognized with several honors and awards, including a Marie Curie Fellowship, the Minerva Fellowship of the Max Planck Society, and she was the award-winner of the medical technology innovation competition of the BMBF – the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Anna Rising is professor in veterinary medical biochemistry at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Group Leader at Karolinska Institutet. Dr Rising has pioneered the field of artificial spider silk spinning and is Principle Investigator on ongoing ERC consolidator and Proof of Concept grants. She is the inventor of 13 patent families and is co-founder of a biotech start-up company.
The Rising lab is focused different aspects of spider silk biomimicry. We have studied the physiology of the gland in detailed and revealed the molecular mechanisms that are associated with silk spinning. This knowledge made it possible to develop the first biomimetic spinning procedure of artificial spider silk fibers. Recent years work has involved protein engineering to improve the fibers’ mechanical properties and scale-up of the production process using 200L fermenters and a multifilament wet spinning machine. Furthermore, we have developed a method for making hydrogels from spider silk protein solutions, simply by incubating the solution at 37C. Prior to gelation, the solution can be mixed with human mesenchymal stem cells that become encapsulated and maintain viability for weeks in the gels. The stiffness of the gels can be tuned to match that of muscle or cartilage. Furthermore, by making fusion proteins we can easily functionalize the protein gels with bioactive molecules, which means that the system can be used as a platform for immobilization of different biomolecules.

Sandra Camarero-Espinosa is an Ikerbasque Fellow and PI at the POLYMAT institute where she stablished the BioSmarTE group in 2021. The group activities focus on the regeneration of complex tissues through the design of smart implantable scaffolds. This passes through the design of stimuli responsive systems, the exploitation of techniques such as 3D (bio)printing and the understanding of stem cell processes and their interactions with biomaterials.
Sandra obtained her PhD degree in 2015 in Polymer Chemistry and Bioengineering from the Adolphe Merkle Institute (Fribourg, Switzerland) and was recognized with an award for an outstanding PhD thesis by the Swiss Chemical Society. After gaining an early post-doctoral fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation, in 2015 she moved to Brisbane (Australia) to work at the AIBN Institute (Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland) where she continued her research in instructive biomaterial scaffolds and their interaction with stem cells. She then joined in 2017 the MERLN institute at Maastricht University (The Netherlands) where she focused her studies on the fabrication of 3D printed scaffolds for the regeneration of complex tissues.

Sander Wezenberg studied Chemistry at the University of Nijmegen where he carried out his Master's research in the group of Prof. Roeland Nolte. He pursued his PhD studies in the field of supramolecular chemistry and catalysis with Prof. Arjan Kleij at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia. During this period, he spent time as a visiting researcher in the group of Prof. Joseph Hupp at Northwestern University. After receiving his PhD degree in 2011, he joined the group of Prof. François Diederich at ETH Zurich as a postdoctoral fellow. Two years later, he moved to the University of Groningen to work with Prof. Ben Feringa, where he was appointed Assistant Professor in 2017. He established his independent research group at Leiden University in 2019 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. His main research interests are in the areas of molecular switches, ion recognition and transport, and dynamic supramolecular systems. Sander is recipient of several prestigious grants, including a Starting Grant (2018) from the European Research Council (ERC), and young investigator grants (Veni-2014, Vidi-2018) from the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Sandra Van Vlierberghe holds a Ph.D. in Sciences – Chemistry and is focused on developing photo-crosslinkable (bio)polymers for advanced light- and deposition-based 3D printing serving biomedical applications including tissue engineering and drug delivery. She holds a full-time research professorship at Ghent University (Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group) and a guest professorship at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) (Belgium). She is actively involved in several societies, serving as treasurer of the Belgian Polymer Group, secretary of the Belgian Society for Tissue Engineering, and council member of both TERMIS-EU and European Society for Biomaterials. She received the 2017 Jean Leray Award from the European Society for Biomaterials. She also contributes as a founding board member of Ghent Advanced Therapies and Tissue Engineering (GATE) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Fernand Lazard Foundation. She is also actively pursuing research valorization as co-founder and scientific advisor of spin-offs BIO INX and 4Tissue.

Laura De Laporte combines engineering, chemistry and biology to design synthetic biomaterials that control and direct the interaction with cells, or can be used for drug delivery. She is a Chemical Engineer from Ghent, where she got the tissue engineering microbe. To follow her dream, she did her PhD with Lonnie Shea at Northwestern University and engineered guiding implants for nerve regeneration. At EPFL, she learned about hydrogels in Jeffrey Hubbell’s group during her post-doctoral research. Currently, she is a Leibniz Professor at the RWTH University in Aachen, Germany, where she works on Advanced Biomedical Systems at the DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials. Her team designs injectable polymeric hydrogel precursors, consisting of nano –and micron-scale building blocks made using a variety of production methods.

Cristina Barrias is a Principal Investigator and Group Leader at i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica (INEB), and is an invited Associate Professor at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) and at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). Additionally, Cristina is the Vice-President and Journal Liaison Officer of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB), and serves as the Managing Editor of Materials Today Bio. Her research group at i3S explores bottom-up tissue engineering approaches, utilizing molecularly-designed hydrogels, biofabrication techniques, microfluidic devices, and "living (micro)materials" such as organoids, spheroids, and cell-laden microgels. Currently, the group is focusing efforts on engineering perfusable microvascular networks for therapeutic tissue (re)vascularization and for developing microphysiological model systems. For more information, visit the Bioengineered 3D Microenvironments group's website at: www.i3s.up.pt.

E.W. “Bert” Meijer is Distinguished University Professor in the Molecular Sciences, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Eindhoven University of Technology and founder of the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems. After receiving his PhD degree at the University of Groningen with Hans Wynberg, he worked for 10 years in industry (Philips and DSM). In 1991 he was appointed in Eindhoven, while in the meantime he holds part-time positions in Nijmegen, Santa Barbara, and Sydney. Bert Meijer is a member of many editorial advisory boards and editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Bert Meijer has received a number of awards, including the Spinoza Award (2001), the ACS Award for Polymer Chemistry (2006), the ACS Cope Scholar Award (2012), the Prelog medal (2014), the Nagoya Gold Medal (2017) and the GDCh Staudinger Preis (2022). He is a member of several academies and societies, including the US National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Science, where he is appointed to Academy Professor in 2014.

Jan van Hest obtained his PhD from Eindhoven University of Technology in 1996 in macro-organic chemistry with prof E.W. Meijer. He worked as a postdoc with prof D.A. Tirrell on protein engineering. In 1997 he joined the chemical company DSM in the Netherlands. In 2000 he was appointed full professor in Bio-organic chemistry at Radboud University Nijmegen. As of September 2016, he holds the chair of Bio-organic Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology. Since May 2017 he is the scientific director of the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS). The group’s focus is to develop well-defined compartments for nanomedicine and artificial cell research. Using a combination of techniques from polymer science to protein engineering, well-defined carriers are developed for application in e.g. cancer treatment and immunology.

Van Hest is one of the main applicants of two 10-year gravitation programs on Functional Molecular Systems (2012) and Interactive Polymer Materials (Eindhoven, 2022). In 2016 he was awarded an ERC Advanced grant. Van Hest is associate editor of Bioconjugate Chemistry. He has been elected member of the Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2019), and was awarded the Spinoza premium (2020), the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands.

Brigitte Städler is Professor at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center at Aarhus University, Denmark. Prior to this, she obtained her PhD from ETH Zurich, Switzerland followed by post doc time at the University of Melbourne, Australia and an Assistant and Associate Professor positions at Aarhus University. Currently, she is the head of the ‘Laboratory for Cell Mimicry’, an interdisciplinary group working in the area of bottom-up synthetic biology focusing on nature inspired solutions to address medical challenges. Her research efforts combine organic and polymer chemistry with colloidal science and cell biology to assemble life-like units that can interact and support mammalian cells and tissues. Highlights include the reports on i) intracellularly active nanoreactors, ii) the integration of microreactors/artificial cells with mammalian cells and cell aggregates, and iii) directional self-propelled nanobots. Brigitte has over 110 peer-reviewed publications (google scholar h-index 43) and 5 book chapters. She obtained multiple fellowships including the L’Oreal/UNESCO - For Women in Science Fellowship, Denmark, the Carlsberg Foundation – Distinguished Associate Professor Fellowship, and an ERC Consolidator Grant.

Jeroen Leijten is an Associate Professor at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. He earned his MSc in Biomedical Sciences at Leiden University in 2007, and his PhD in Tissue Engineering with Prof. Blitterswijk at the University of Twente in 2012, where he continued to work as a postdoc for an additional year with Prof. Karperien. Then, he conducted postdoctoral research work in KU Leuven (Belgium) and Harvard-MIT (USA), before accepting a tenure track position at the University of Twente. His lab focuses on developing novel microtechnologies with a particular interest in microfluidics, micromaterials, and on-demand tunable biomaterials, which he leverages to create 3D spatiotemporal microenvironments to control (stem) cell behavior. Prof. Leijten is author of numerous papers in high-ranked journals including Cell Stem Cell, Nature Communications, Small, Advanced Functional Materials, and PNAS. He received numerous recognitions, including an ERC Starting Grant, and the Veni and Vidi awards from the Dutch Research Council, as well as multiple early-career and presentation awards/honors. Those include the Jean Leray Award by the European Society for Biomaterials (2020), the Robert Brown Early Career Principal Investigator Award by TERMIS-EU (2020), the ‘Best engineering idea of 2018’ by the Dutch Academy of Engineers and was twice selected as a ‘top 10 North European Young Scientific Talent’ (2017, 2018) by the popular science magazine New Scientist.

Pedro Arcanjo, a 34-year-old native of Coimbra with a Master degree in Developmental and Education Psychology at the University of Coimbra, started his career in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at 10.digital, a Digital Marketing company, with the main objective of creating the Human Resources department of a growing company, given its success in the market. He began his career at Bluepharma in 2018, and since then has helped the Human Resources department in a wide variety of areas.

Andreia Cruz holds a degree in Biology and a master’s in Molecular Microbiology from the University of Aveiro. In 2012, she earned her PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Aveiro and Ehime University in Japan.

During her academic journey, she also spent time at the University of Helsinki in Finland and worked as a researcher on various projects at CESAM, University of Aveiro.

She is the co-author of several publications in international scientific journals and has coordinated and participated in several national and international industrial innovation projects.

Since 2015, she has been working at Oceano Fresco. Currently, she is Senior Innovation Manager, being responsible for the Innovation Department at Oceano Fresco.

She greatly enjoys spending time with family and friends, actively participating in volunteer activities, traveling, reading, practicing yoga, and playing the piano. Apart from Biology, she is passionate about the Psychology field.

Simão Soares is the CEO and co-founder of SilicoLife, a company combining AI and biology for the design of cell factories and novel pathways for the sustainable production of ingredients through precision fermentation. MSc Bioinformatics (UMinho), postgraduate in management from NOVA School of Business and Economics and trained in Blue Ocean Strategy at INSEAD. He is also President of P-BIO, Portuguese Bioindustry Association, a Global Shaper Alumni (an initiative of the World Economic Forum), and a Climate Reality Leader. Simão was elected at the end of 2020 as The Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO by the readers of Il Bioeconomista. 14+ years of experience in industrial biotech.

Catarina Custódio holds a BSc in Applied Chemistry from the School of Science and Technology at the New University of Lisbon and a Doctorate in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cells from the University of Minho, in partnership with the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany (2013). She is currently an Assistant Researcher in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aveiro.

In addition to her academic role, Catarina is the co-founder and CEO of METATISSUE, established in 2018. Under her leadership, this pioneering startup specializes in the design and development of advanced soft materials specifically engineered for 3D cell culture applications.

Catarina's research focuses on creating optimal microenvironments to enhance and control cellular interactions. Her principal aim is to facilitate cell assembly and construct functional tissues for applications in in vitro models, drug discovery, and therapeutic interventions. She has been a leader in developing human-based biomaterials with finely tuned mechanical properties, significantly impacting tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and disease modeling. Her translational research has resulted in two patent families, registered in Portugal, the European Union, and the United States. In addition to her innovative research, Catarina actively engages in product development and innovation, particularly in engineering advanced 3D platforms for cell culture.

In 2022, she was recognized as one of the 50 recipients of the Women TechEU grant, which granted her direct access to the Women Leadership Program. Catarina showcased her expertise in a TEDx talk delivered in Aveiro in May 2022, where she discussed the future of in vitro testing.

Catarina is also a founding board member of the EU Female Founders Forum, a collaborative network launched in Sofia in May 2022, dedicated to fostering cooperation and sharing best practices to create an inclusive innovation landscape for women entrepreneurs, further solidifying her leadership in the innovation ecosystem.

Helena Vieira is Coordinator Researcher and ERA CHAIR Holder in Environmental Economics and Natural Resources Management at University of Aveiro, Portugal.

Responsible for launching and coordinating a new team at CESAM R&D unit, joining natural and socio-economics sciences to develop sustainable solutions. Also Chair of the Scientific Committee of Circular BioBased Europe (CBE-JU), an EU based public private partnership to promote bioeconomy and circularity models and a Board Member of EU Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters. Previously acted as Director General of Maritime Policy under the Minister of the Sea, XXII Government of Portugal. PhD in Biomedicine from Imperial College of London, and Executive Post-graduated from Harvard Business School, speaks 5 languages and loves to dive in the ocean.

Ana Moniz has been a practicing psychotherapist for adults and adolescents since 2001. She brings extensive experience in executive coaching, offering individualized training aimed at developing skills in public speaking, emotional regulation, conflict management, and assertiveness. Ana is also a team coach and an organizational trainer specializing in behavioral competencies. In academia, she serves as the Scientific Coordinator and Lecturer for the Advanced Specialization in Psychological Coaching at INSPSIC (Portuguese Institute of Psychology and Other Sciences), where she contributes to the professional development of future practitioners. Ana is also a sought-after speaker, delivering presentations for corporate, educational, and public sector audiences. Ana holds a pre-Bologna degree in Psychology with a specialization in Psychotherapy and Counseling from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Lisbon. She completed postgraduate studies in Psychotherapy and Counseling for adults through APTCCI (Portuguese Association for Cognitive, Behavioral, and Integrative Therapies). Additionally, she is certified in “Coaching for Individuals, Teams, and Organizations” by ACTIVISION, an ICF-accredited program, and holds certification from the Center for Creative Leadership in Brussels, enabling her to apply a variety of assessment tools. Ana is also a certified trainer with the IEFP (Institute for Employment and Professional Training) and has completed a course in mindfulness through the Portuguese Association for Mindfulness. Her qualifications further include EMDR-I certification, and she is a licensed psychologist with the Portuguese Psychologists’ Association, license number 7744. Please check Ana Moniz website here.

Joana believes in science and innovation for the benefit of humankind. This is what led her to become a scientist and a social business innovator. Joana is the co-founder and director of Native Scientists, an award-winning European-wide grassroots non-profit organisation that connects children and scientists to promote science literacy and reduce inequalities. She is also the co-founder and co-director of Chaperone, the world’s first online marketplace for scientists to access high-quality and personalised career support. She has experience in working in the public, private, and third sectors. For 10 years she studied how bacteria cause infections, holding a PhD from Imperial College London (UK, 2013) and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (Portugal, 2016-2018). She is the author of multiple international peer-reviewed publications and founded Native Scientists while doing her PhD. As a volunteer, she was part of the executive boards of two professional associations, the i3S Postdoctoral Association (Portugal, 2017) and the Association of Portuguese Researchers and Students in the UK (UK, 2012-2014). Joana’s entrepreneurial and science outreach work has been distinguished multiple times and she holds the titles of Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise (2021) and MIT Innovator Under 35 (2017). Joana loves spending time with her family, friends and food. She dreams of having her own restaurant one day. More information here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanamoscoso/.

Jana Asselman obtained her PhD in Applied Biological Sciences in 2014 at UGent. With the support of Francqui Foundation BAEF fellowship, she spent 1 year at Notre Dame University (USA). In 2019, she was appointed as the first professor at UGent Campus Ostend at Ostend Science Park and vice-chair of Marine@UGent. She is the director of the Marine@UGent core facilities and in charge of further developing research and development activities with a particular focus on valorisation. She regularly interacts with relevant stakeholders, industries and government agencies to develop paths for societal and economical valorisation of research. She specializes in marine biotechnology, with a focus on the blue economy and environmental health challenges. Her research interests encompass marine biotechnology, biodiscovery of marine natural products, nano- and microplastics, sustainable aquaculture, and molecular and in vitro toxicology She has (co)authored 65 papers in peer-reviewed journals, a total citation score of 1583 and an h-index of 22. She is a partner in the European Research Infrastructure pipeline for Marine Biodiscovery (EUREMAP) and the European Partnership for the Risk Assessment of Chemicals (PARC). She has been a member of the Executive Board of Ghent University from 2016 to 2018. She is currently a member of the scientific committee of the Flanders Marine Institute and a director of the NPO Hydro which is in charge of the appointment of the Delcroix prize for Oceans and Human Health.

Joana Luísa Pereira (PhD in 2008) is a Researcher since 2009 at the Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, and her expertise development has been fundamentally anchored in freshwater ecology, ecotoxicology and ecological risk assessment (ERA). She has been leading teams of very talented and diverse students and researchers towards collaborative research within these fields and its boundaries, successfully supervising and/or mentoring many BSc, MSc and PhD students, from different institutions, several research technicians and several post-doctoral researchers. Together, the team has been able to respond to unfunded and funded, national and international projects, developing impactful fundamental and applied research. She has been also involved in lecturing and coordinating BSc, MSc and Advanced courses, evaluating international projects and work plans, reviewing and editing for international Journals and serving in international specialized Boards.

Victor Lopes Mascarenhas is an award-winning designer and innovator with more than 15 years of experience leading teams across Latin America and Europe. He currently serves as a Strategic Foresight & Sustainable Innovation Consultant.

As the creator of the Regenerative Organization Canvas, Victor drives transformative change in how organizations approach circularity and innovation. He connects the dots between tomorrow's challenges and today's business opportunities, pushing beyond sustainability toward a Regenerative Future.

Master in Strategic Design from the Politecnico di Milano, he has a background in Industrial Design and began his journey in the Circular Economy as the founder of Bolei Sustainable Innovation 12 years ago.

Victor frequently shares his expertise as a mentor, lecturer, and facilitator at prestigious institutions and events. Like the Politecnico di Milano, the IADE, the Seeds & Chips Global Food Summit, and the Ethical Assembly, where he helps shape the next generation of Regenerative leaders.

Fernando Gomollón-Bel is a chemist and science communicator based in Cambridge, UK. In 2022, he co-founded Agata, a start-up focused on delivering science and innovation to the right audiences. Currently, the company is a full partner in two Horizon Europe grants funded with €12 million in total. Specialized in science writing and storytelling, he's also collaborated with popular science magazines such as Chemistry World, Principia, and C&EN, as well as several radio and TV programmes in Spain. Before Agata, he worked in science communications and public relations, first as a Press Coordinator at ICIQ, one of the most prestigious chemistry research centres in Europe, and then as deputy Communications Leader at the Graphene Flagship, one of the largest research projects ever funded by the European Commission.

Rute Pereira is a Portuguese science communicator with a strong background in science and over 8 years of experience in research. She received her PhD in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, in May 2024, after joining EJR-Quartz in February 2023 as a Social Media Editor for the European Space Agency. As a Social Media Editor, Rute is responsible for making scientific publications understandable to the general public by transforming them into short texts or educational videos. Learn more about Rute by visiting her website: www.amazingchemist.com.

Miguel C. Leal graduated in Biology in 2007 (University of Lisbon, Portugal), completed the Master of Science in Marine Ecology in 2009 in the same university, and obtained the PhD degree in Biology in 2014 (University of Aveiro, Portugal, in collaboration with the University of Georgia, U.S.A.). Before becoming an entrepreneur and founding Science Crunchers® (in 2017), Miguel participated in 10+ international research projects. Thus far, Miguel has authored over 70 international peer-reviewed publications, 6 book chapters, 2 reports for international agencies, and 2 science dissemination books. He is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) and serves in several strategic and communication committees of the WAS. Science Crunchers® is the communication partner of seven Horizon Europe projects associated with ocean sciences.

Carla Lourenço holds the full package of Marine Biology degrees: a bachelor’s and master’s in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve and a PhD from Rhodes University in South Africa. After rediscovering a mussel species once thought extinct from the Portuguese coast, Carla explored southern Iberia, Morocco, and Western Sahara to understand how marine species respond to climate change. Unexpectedly, after finishing her PhD, she made a U-turn from the traditional science career path and specialized in science communication. As a storyteller, Carla is hyped about bridging science and society—with a bit of salt and humor. She’s reached over 45,000 people through talks and scientific events. An ocean advocate, award-winning conservationist and self-proclaimed part-time mermaid, Carla was born at 354 ppm and has been fascinated by the seashore since she was 2. Carla joined the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP) in 2023 as the Communications Specialist, proudly working to help save corals from functional extinction.

Mónica Ribau is the communication manager at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, with a career at the crossroads of communication, science, and media.

Before specializing in science communication, she worked as a journalist at SIC and as a script editor for television dramas and series at SP Televisão. During her academic journey, she studied at the University of São Paulo and the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Driven by a passion for connecting science with society, Mónica served as a communication manager at the Faculty of Science and Technology of NOVA University Lisbon. Her PhD focused on communicating uncertainty in climate change, a critical topic for raising environmental awareness.

Beyond her institutional roles, Mónica has actively participated in science outreach initiatives such as FameLab and the organization of the first Pint of Science in Aveiro, fostering public engagement with science. With extensive expertise in storytelling and a strategic approach to communication, Mónica has excelled in promoting research projects and enhancing the dialogue between science and society.

Ole John Nielsen (OJ) is a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. Besides being an expert on air pollution and climate change he is interested in leadership, coaching, training (basketball), networking, sustainability, gender equality. He has more than 40 years of experience in natural science research and education. OJ has previously been employed at Risø National Laboratory and Ford Motor Company. He has experience as a board member of foundations and as a member of numerous evaluation committees, advisory boards and funding panels.

Alexandra Monteiro is an Assistant Researcher with Habilitation at the University of Aveiro, belonging to the CESAM - Centre for Environment and Marine Studies - associated laboratory, where she is the coordinator of the research group APM (Atmospheric Process and Modelling) composed by more than 20 researchers. She participated in several EU and national funded projects, as both coordinator and participant member. She is also chair of one of the working groups of the FAIRMODE European network that supports EU legislation. With more than 120 SCI papers, her main research interests include are related to atmospheric emission pollutants, air quality modelling and its impacts on climate and human health.

Margarida Sardo is a Senior Research Fellow and Associate Lecturer in the Science Communication Unit at the University of the West of England Bristol, in the UK. She develops engagement and communication projects while working in collaborative projects with academic and research staff and teaches on several modules, including the MSc in Science Communication.
Margarida is a trained scientist with over 15 years’ experience in evaluating and delivering science communication projects. She has worked as an external evaluator for several projects and public engagement activities including the prestigious Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, Horizon 2020 projects, EU Researchers’ Night, Wellcome Trust at the Latitude Festival and the Science for Environment Policy service.
Her research interests include citizen science and participatory research, evaluation methodologies, innovative strategies for public engagement and informal learning.

Always driven by a passion for nature, she graduated in Biology and did a PhD in Conservation Biology at the University of Aveiro, complemented with specialized training in forest management and wildlife monitoring at several European universities. Realizing the mission of protecting biodiversity is plural, she engaged in Science Communication during her postdoctoral research, complemented by a Master in Marketing and Digital Communication at the IMF Business School of Madrid.

Milene has 20 years’ experience in field work and research on terrestrial vertebrate ecology. As a communicator and conservationist, she has a soft spot for the typically reviled groups, and has led many Portuguese and European projects liaising science with practitioners, to bring biodiversity to people’s hearts and territories. She has also participated in reference projects and publications for biodiversity conservation in Portugal, and founded the environmental NGO BioLiving as a way to provide “nature and education to all”.

She lectured at the University of Aveiro and is a consultant for biodiversity conservation projects.

Tiago Brandão Rodrigues was born in Braga in 1977. He grew up in Paredes de Coura and later returned to Braga to complete his secondary education before heading to Coimbra to study Biochemistry. He served as Minister of Education—with responsibility for Youth and Sport—from 2015 to 2022 and as a Member of Parliament and Chair of the Environment and Energy Commission from 2022 to 2024. From 2010 to 2015, he worked as a cancer researcher at the University of Cambridge. He also conducted scientific research in Dallas, Madrid, and Coimbra, developing novel approaches for brain studies and the early detection of tumours. He completed his PhD in 2007 at the University of Coimbra. In addition, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues served as Portugal’s Olympic Attaché during the London 2012 Games. While in the UK, he was part of the leadership of PARSUK—the Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK—where he contributed to initiatives in science communication.

Márcio Colunas Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), Sword Health

Márcio Colunas studied Computer and Telematics Engineering at the University of Aveiro. Motivated by a desire to improve lives through technology, he co-founded Sword Health, where he helped develop an AI-powered digital therapist designed to revolutionize musculoskeletal care and provide accessible, world-class treatment anytime, anywhere. Initially focused on physical pain, Sword Health has expanded into a comprehensive platform of solutions. With over 35 patents filed, more than $300 million raised and a valuation of over $3 billion, Sword was recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. by Inc. magazine.

Originally from Chaves, Portugal, Márcio serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Sword, leading the Research & Systems, Information Security, and Operations teams. Eager for knowledge, passionate about innovation, and a strong advocate for teamwork, he is known for his ability to simplify complex engineering challenges and think outside the box. As Márcio often says, "Without curiosity, there is no innovation."

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João Borges is a Senior Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Porto. His research focuses on the molecular design, synthesis and development of bioinspired supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials to be used as bioinstructive matrices to control cell functions and as platforms for controlled drug/therapeutics delivery. He is an Editorial Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Medical Technology. He is the recipient of several honors and awards, including Chemistry Europe Fellow (Class of 2022/2023), Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), Journal of Materials Chemistry B Emerging Investigator (2023), and received the IUPAC Periodic Table of Younger Chemists Award (2019). Beyond his academic activity and scientific impact, João has been strongly committed to connecting, mentoring, and empowering early-career scientists in advancing their professional development, as well as to delivering a positive social impact by being invested in science communication, outreach, policy and diplomacy as a member of the Global Young Academy, Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, International Younger Chemists Network, European Young Chemists’ Network, and Young Chemists Group of the Portuguese Chemical Society.

João Borges is a Senior Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Porto. His research focuses on the molecular design, synthesis and development of bioinspired supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials to be used as bioinstructive matrices to control cell functions and as platforms for controlled drug/therapeutics delivery. He is an Editorial Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Medical Technology. He is the recipient of several honors and awards, including Chemistry Europe Fellow (Class of 2022/2023), Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), Journal of Materials Chemistry B Emerging Investigator (2023), and received the IUPAC Periodic Table of Younger Chemists Award (2019). Beyond his academic activity and scientific impact, João has been strongly committed to connecting, mentoring, and empowering early-career scientists in advancing their professional development, as well as to delivering a positive social impact by being invested in science communication, outreach, policy and diplomacy as a member of the Global Young Academy, Young Academy of Portugal of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, International Younger Chemists Network, European Young Chemists’ Network, and Young Chemists Group of the Portuguese Chemical Society.

Rita Sobreiro-Almeida is a dedicated junior researcher at CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, with a background in biotechnology and biophysics. She earned her PhD in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Stem Cells from the University of Minho in 2021. Her research focuses on protein-based biomaterials for regenerative purposes and in vitro models of human tissues, employing advanced biofabrication techniques such as 3D printing. Rita has gained valuable experience working in seven different academic laboratories, including three international placements, exposing her to diverse working practices and environments. As an active science communicator, she has participated in numerous 3D printing workshops, symposiums, and conferences, sharing her knowledge with both the scientific community and the public. Her commitment to raising awareness and interest in her field is demonstrated through successful fundraising efforts, which have enabled her to engage with various audiences and secure several grants and awards. Among them is the Young Investigator Award from CICECO, received in October 2024 and the Scientific Employment Stimulus Grant from FCT, in April 2023.

Rui Munhá has been a Science Officer in the Department of International Relations of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) since 2014. In 2020, he was appointed Coordinator of the National Contact Points in the Pillar of Scientific Excellence and in the Widening & ERA Part of Horizon Europe. Rui Munhá is also a National Delegate/National Contact Point for the European Research Council and for Widening & ERA, and he is a member of the Governing Board and Executive Board of the COST Association (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). He is also a contact point for the dialogue between FCT and the Associations of the Diaspora. Rui Munhá obtained a PhD in Chemistry in 2011, and he developed his scientific activity at the University of Lisbon, University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada), University of California (Irvine, USA) and the University of Aveiro, co-authoring 20 articles in international journals with over 500 citations, in addition to several invited oral communications. Rui was born in Lisbon, in 1979.

Ana Santiago (AS) obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Aveiro (UAveiro). Since 2010, AS is a research manager at the Centre of Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the UAveiro. AS plays a pivotal role in leveraging CESAM's national and international scientific reputation by bridging management and communication gaps among the CESAM board, its research community and relevant stakeholders. For example, she has played a crucial role in three evaluation cycles of R&D Units conducted by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, contributing to CESAM's consistent achievement of the highest "excellent" classification. Her responsibilities encompass organizing info sessions on funding opportunities and providing technical consultancy for project submissions across diverse funding mechanisms. Currently, AS is also managing the Horizon Europe Twinning project EPIBOOST, aiming to enhance science management and administrative capacities at UAveiro. Her multifaceted expertise is further evidenced by her co-authorship of a bilingual publication (2020) on regional cultural and natural heritage, demonstrating also her commitment to research dissemination and community engagement.

Eugénia Barroca is the Regional Representative for Lusofonia and Europe of Sustainable Ocean Alliance. She is also a Blue School Program Ambassador since 2020. Recently, she became the representative of the environmental organizations at the Youth Advisory Council (CCJ) of Portugal. In 2022, she was considered “Hero of the Sea” by Portugal’s President, Dr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and in 2023 she became a member of the Reflection Group “The Future has already Begun” where national and international topics are discussed with the President. In 2021, Eugénia provided scientific consultancy to the documentary series "Rios Urbanos" about 12 Portuguese estuaries. Over the last fourteen years, she has played an active role in several environmental projects in national and international organizations. Eugénia has a degree in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve and is currently studying for a master's degree in Applied Marine Biology at the University of Aveiro.

Pedro Sá graduated in Biology - University of Aveiro, Master’s in Science Communication -FCSH - NOVA Lisboa and PhD student in Climate Change and Sustainable Development Policies at the Universidade Lisboa, NOVA Lisboa & East Anglia. Biologist, Environmental Educator and Science Communicator. Higher Biology Technician, Coordinator in the Nature Conservation and Environmental Education Sector of the Municipality of Lousada. Areas of activity: environmental literacy, science communication and nature conservation. Certified trainer. Social page manager and content creator. Science journalist and radio host. Founding member and secretary of Environmental NGO – Associação BioLiving. Former Vice-president of public relations of the Aveiro Toastmasters Club, former member of the General Council of the University of Aveiro and former research assistant for Operation Wallacea. Secretary on the Alumni of the Biology Department - University of Aveiro. Deputy-citizen at the 230 Movement at Environment and Energy Commission. Author in dozens of communications and articles.

Nuno Negrões is a biologist with more than 20 years' professional experience developing projects in Portugal, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Mozambique. He has worked on topics around ecology and conservation of biodiversity (particularly mammals), human-wildlife conflicts, monitoring protected areas, community participation, science communication and environmental education.

João Carvalho, CESAM & DBio, UA: I am a wildlife biologist mainly focused on the management and conservation of natural resources. Over my research career, I have expanded my interests to wildlife infectious diseases, citizen science, human perceptions of natural assets, statistics and geographic information systems. All my research interests are driven by a common goal and converge on an overarching question “How can scientific knowledge and advancements be used to meet the conservation issues and the socioeconomic needs that come along?”. I am the editor of Lucanus – Revista de Ambiente e Sociedade (Lucanus – Journal of Environment and Society; http://www.lucanus.cm-lousada.pt/), which aims to foster the research and dissemination of natural values. Over the years I have promoted and participated in several voluntary initiatives and I am also a member of non-profit associations related to the conservation of wild species and ecosystems.

Mara G. Freire graduated in Chemistry and completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering. Freire is co-founder and CEO of RYA-Purification Technologies, and Coordinating Researcher at CICECO, University of Aveiro. She is member of the European Academy of Sciences and of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences. Freire is a Chair of the Content Selection Advisory Board (CSAB) from Scopus. Freire published +350 papers (+20,000 citations; h-index 79). She coordinated/participated +25 R&D projects, including European Research Council (ERC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) grants. She filled +15 international patents. Freire was awarded with the “Vicente de Seabra Medal” (2018), received Best Researcher Award from the University of Aveiro (2021), and the “Professor Almiro e Castro” award (2023). Related to technology transfer, she received the Born from Knowledge award by Agência Nacional de Inovação (2018), was awarded (2021) by the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre (MYECI), and was a Women TechEU awardee (2024).

Hugo’s career started in science. He holds a PhD in Biomedicine, spent 20 years in an oncology hospital and published over 30 papers. Hugo then turned into an entrepreneur. He is a co-invetor in 2 patents, holds an MBA and since 2007 launched 3 other startups, Infogene, Uromonitor and Beat Therapeutics. Through his support in management, the first two companies are now profitable business, employing over 10 people, and have undergone all stages of the innovation cycle, with CE marked products approved and manufacturing under ISO13485, which are backed by new medical guidelines ultimately supporting new medical practices. Infogene and Uromonitor products are now reaching reimbursement by either public system or private insurance. Hugo pivoted investment raising efforts by Beat Therapeutics, which resulted in a pre-seed round from Portugal Ventures. On the basis of this experience Hugo was invited to act as a technology manager @ Ipatimup and i3S, in the last 5 years Hugo managed 24 active patents, operated two-rounds of an innovation acceleration program (in which 16 projects were supported) and organized 3 editions of a health innovation award. He supported teams in highly competitive international-scope-acceleration programs such as the CaixaImpulse (11 teams) as well as other innovation training and proof-of-concept programs (HiSeed-Tech; BIP-proof; EIT Jumpstarter and UP/EIT Hub). As a result, in the same period 23 licensing agreements were acheived (with 5 products already in the market), and 9 spin- offs were launched. Hugo has acted as interim manager, supported applications to acceleration programs, regulatory assessments in case of medical devices and assists operation of spin-offs development programs.Hugo is now putting all this gathered experience to act as business development officer at Fetaldisc supporting management and fundraising actions and helping build the architecture of partnerships and resources required to advance a lead regenerative material to clinical stage in the veterinary and human indications.

Natacha Fontes is R&D Manager, at Sogrape, with 15 years’ experience in both Academy and Wine Industry, with a business oriented scientific background. Natacha is a Biologist with a European PhD (University of Minho and University of Bordeaux) and has been working on a wide range of R&D projects across the entire value chain and supports company’s innovation, transformation, and business sustainable development. Natacha holds a position of board member at PORVID, the Portuguese Association for the Diversity of the Vine, and she is a member of an International Jury of Wine experts at Mundus Vini. Recently Natacha joined University of Aveiro as Invited Professor.

Marta Marques coordinator of UACOOPERA, the Transversal Unit for Cooperation with Society at UA, acting as the knowledge transfer office (KT) of this institution. She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering. Between 2005 and 2019, she conducted research at UA, in the GOVCOPP Research Unit (Governance, Competitiveness, and Public Policies). Since February 2019, she has been coordinating UACOOPERA, a unit whose areas of focus include entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and, broadly, supporting the establishment of various types of partnerships with society, transferring and enhancing the results of R&D at UA.

António Pedro Costa is a co-author and researcher for the qualitative analysis support software webQDA (webqda.net), in which he has co-authored numerous articles published in national and international conferences, journals, and book chapters. He serves as the Coordinator of the Ibero-American Congress on Qualitative Research (ciaiq.ludomedia.org) and the World Conference on Qualitative Research (wcqr.ludomedia.org). His research interests include Qualitative Research and Mixed Methods, as well as Artificial Intelligence, particularly Generative AI applied to research project stages. He is a lead researcher at the Research Center on Didactics and Technology in the Training of Trainers (CIDTFF) within the Department of Education and Psychology at the University of Aveiro.

Eduardo Amadeu Dutra Moresi graduated in Electronic Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering (1989) and holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of Brasília (2001). Since 2012, he has served as a Technical Advisor at the Center for Management and Strategic Studies, where he coordinates projects in Science, Technology, and Innovation Intelligence. Since 2014, he has coordinated the Apple Developer Academy Program at the Catholic University of Brasília. His expertise in Information Science focuses primarily on bibliometrics, scientometrics, patentometrics, and Generative AI to support scientific research.

This seminar aims to explore how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can be integrated into all stages of a research project, from the initial design to the dissemination of results. Strategies will be discussed for identifying and selecting the GenAI tools best suited to each specific phase of the research project, such as literature review, data analysis, and results presentation/discussion. Practical examples will be demonstrated to show how these tools can optimize workflows and enhance creativity in formulating research questions. Participants will receive a practical guide on implementing GenAI tools in their own projects, gaining insight into their potential and limitations, and learning how to leverage these technologies to drive innovation and rigor in the research process.

These sessions are designed to help participants effectively organize their CV to align with academic and non-academic career goals. Through expert guidance, attendees will learn: How to structure and tailor a CV to stand out and increase their chances of landing an interview. Key differences between academic CVs and those tailored for industry roles. Insights into narrative CVs, motivation letters, and their strategic use in job applications. The guest speakers will share valuable tips and strategies for making your CV shine in competitive application processes.

 

Guest speakers:

- Pedro Arcanjo – Bluepharma, Portugal

- Andreia Cruz – Oceano Fresco, Portugal

- Simão Soares – SilicoLife, Portugal

- Catarina Custódio – Metatissue, Portugal

 

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with these four companies/mentors in individual 15-minute slots over a two-hour period, receiving personalized feedback and advice.

Seats are limited (only one 15-minute slot for each participant), and selected participants will receive confirmation via email.

Registrations will be open until the 24th of February. Please ensure you submit your application before this date to be considered.

You will receive an email informing you whether you have been selected to participate in these sessions, by the 28th of February.

Please select "SIGN UP" and complete the registration form to express your interest in participating.

 

This session will encourage participants to reflect on the purposes, benefits and constraints of evaluation of activities/projects in science communication and public engagement. In addition, it will explore the process of devising an evaluation strategy that participants can use in their project applications or communication plan. It includes an overview of the quantitative and qualitative opportunities when evaluating activities/projects, as well as traditional and non-traditional evaluation methods.

Duration: 2 hours

It has a maximum capacity of 20 participants.

Speaker: Margarida Sardo

Margarida Sardo is a Senior Research Fellow and Associate Lecturer in the Science Communication Unit at the University of the West of England Bristol, in the UK. She develops engagement and communication projects while working in collaborative projects with academic and research staff and teaches on several modules, including the MSc in Science Communication.

Margarida is a trained scientist with over 15 years’ experience in evaluating and delivering science communication projects. She has worked as an external evaluator for several projects and public engagement activities including the prestigious Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, Horizon 2020 projects, EU Researchers’ Night, Wellcome Trust at the Latitude Festival and the Science for Environment Policy service.

Her research interests include citizen science and participatory research, evaluation methodologies, innovative strategies for public engagement and informal learning.

Registrations will be open until the 24th of February. Please ensure you submit your application before this date to be considered.

You will receive an email informing you whether you have been selected to participate in this workshop, by the 28th of February.

Please select "SIGN UP" and complete the registration form to express your interest in participating.

 

The “Roads to Success” session was designed to give participants a broad view of the varied paths to success through the experiences and insights of distinguished speakers from Academia, Politics, Private Companies, and Science Communication. We will hear from each speaker shared their personal motivations and the key challenges they encountered in their careers, emphasizing the pivotal role of soft skills in navigating and excelling across different sectors. They will also highlight their strategies to maintain a healthy work-life balance, essential for sustaining long-term success in demanding careers. Emerging trends and opportunities within their respective fields, offering valuable foresight into the future challenges of a rapidly evolving world, will be also explored and discussed. With session, we hope to equip attendees with actionable insights and inspiration to carve their unique paths and roads to success.

Job Hunting in Science” session will help you be a great candidate for future job applications in scientific industry!

It features a roundtable discussion where Human Resources leaders and Co-founders from prominent Portuguese SMEs and startups—Pedro Arcanjo (BluePharma), Andreia Cruz (Oceano Fresco), Simão Soares (SilicoLife), and Catarina Custódio (Metatissue)—will share valuable insights on effective job application strategies in the scientific industry.

Moderated by Helena Vieira from the University of Aveiro, the discussion will cover essential tips, dos and don’ts in job applications and interviews, and will be followed by personalized CV clinics and coaching session (registration needed!) to enhance participants' employability in the scientific sector.

In this session, personal skills will be discussed. Does it sound counteracting talking about personal skills when leadership is the focus? Well… It is not! Emotional skills and emotional management, empathy, influence, bravery, communication in difficult contexts are personal skills that can be developed, which may be the ground for a successful path towards leadership. Join us to understand how these personal skills can be developed, trained and promoted to empower researchers in this path. You will also have the opportunity to hear from two young leaders in Science, in a revealing environment where their motivations, personal context and personal skills will be shown as important drivers of success.

Science communication in social media plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between researchers and the public, making complex topics more accessible, engaging, and relevant. In this session, we will explore how scientists and communicators can effectively use platforms like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to share their work, counter misinformation, and foster meaningful discussions. We will discuss best practices for crafting compelling narratives, leveraging visuals and multimedia, and adapting content for different audiences.

Whether you are new to science communication or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide actionable insights to enhance your impact online.

In addition to content creation strategies, we will examine the challenges and ethical considerations of science communication in digital spaces. The rapid spread of information—both accurate and misleading—requires communicators to develop critical skills in fact-checking, audience engagement, and crisis management. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, we will address how to build credibility, handle controversy, and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of social media. By the end of the session, participants will have a toolkit of strategies to confidently communicate science in a way that is clear, engaging, and impactful.

Victor Lopes Mascarenhas is a renowned designer, innovator and regenerative futures leader. With over 15 years of experience leading innovation initiatives in Europe and Latin America, he has helped positively impact millions of people in over 10 countries. Some clients he helped are Google, Boston Scientific, Takeda, Fujitsu, MetLife, Faerch, DSM, and Oi Telecom.

In this interactive session, he'll demonstrate how we can transform our linear economy into a regenerative ecosystem by systematically bridging the gap between our dysfunctional society and nature, fostering resilience and balance.

Victor will introduce his latest innovation: the [ROC] Regenerative Organization Canvas—a practical tool anyone can implement to embed regenerative principles into their organization's DNA. The [ROC] uniquely integrates Futures Studies, Business Model Innovation, Lifecycle Thinking, and Systems Thinking into a single comprehensive framework.

Join us to understand why circularity isn’t enough and how adopting an ecosystemic perspective can reveal untapped business opportunities—whether in products, materials, or partnerships—that generate net-positive impact while making your organization more resilient. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how you can create meaningful change!

This session was designed to empower researchers at all career stages by highlighting networking strategies for career advancement. It consists of three talks covering building a professional network from scratch, the benefits of academic and professional networks, and European formal networking opportunities. Participants will gain insights into effective networking strategies to enhance their professional connections. .

Join us for an insightful exploration of personal career journeys in both industry and academia at our upcoming talks on "Career Routes". Our speakers, experienced professionals and scholars, will share the highs, lows, and important moments that have shaped their paths. From navigating critical career decisions to overcoming sector-specific challenges, attendees will gain valuable insights for charting their own course to success. Don't miss this enriching opportunity to hear personal experiences, learn important lessons, and connect with peers facing similar professional challenges.

Antónia Correia:

Open Science as a pillar of Responsible Research

Over the last years, Open Science, the movement to make scientific research more transparent, collaborative and accessible to society, and Responsible Research and Innovation - RRI, which alongside Open Science incorporates concepts such as Governance, Science Education, Public Engagement, Gender, and Ethics – have been gaining importance in the European Commission’s research agenda. Following an initial Open Access (OA) pilot in FP7, mandates for OA to publications and data were applied in all thematic areas of Horizon 2020, and reinforced in Horizon Europe.

This session will highlight the key concepts and benefits of Open Science, the pillars and dimensions of RRI, as well as the main the policies and requirements of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe regarding open access to publications and how to apply them in the context of funded projects.

Diana Silva:

UA Open Science tools & services: FCT transformative agreements, Institutional Repository & Data Repository

Open Science is an approach to the scientific process that focuses on spreading scientific knowledge as soon as it is available using digital and collaborative technology and a set of practices in which the process, content, and outcomes of research are openly accessible by default. When scientific and technological activities are funded by public resources, the adoption of Open Science practices becomes even more crucial. Open Access (OA) and Research Data Management are some of the mandatory practices of funders, as European Commission and FCT, that have been reinforced by the Plan S. In this session we will briefly present the University of Aveiro (UA) platforms and services that enable and facilitate researchers to apply Open Science practices: OA institutional repository RIA, trusted and interoperable, DUnAs, the institutional research data repository and the related research support services, provided by UA Library Services. The FCT/B-on transformative agreements for OA publishing also will be presented, focusing on the conditions for UA authors to publish articles.

Bart Jansen:

Within this presentation the following topics will be discussed:

What is project management in general? Let’s talk about the project triangle, planning, creating a team, managing stakeholders and risks. What makes magaging a research project different? Outcome of research is not certain, while the project outcome is determined. How does this influence the work of a project manager? How do you manage the content if the content is complexer than your own knowledge?

It is April 1879 when a group of 35 chemists of the American Chemical Society in New York City decided to start publishing their novel chemistry in a new journal. It is called the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS)and since then it is the flagship journal of the ACS. According to Charles F. Chandler, one of the co-founders, the new society would “prove a powerful and healthy stimulus to original research …, would awaken and develop much talent now wasting in isolation …, [bring] members of the association into closer union, and ensure a better appreciation of our science and its students on the part of the general public.”

Since that original time, ACS Publications, a nonprofit society publisher, supports the global chemistry community through 90+ journals known for rigorous peer review and high editorial standards.

The Editor-in-Chief of JACS, Professor Erick Carreira, together with the Board of Editors and the Editorial Advisory Board, whose members are leading academic and industrial chemists representing all the chemical disciplines, are ultimately responsible for the excellence of the Journal. The Editors are aided in their task by an able, dedicated staff. JACS publishes roughly 2,500 articles each year, across all areas of chemistry. This includes 1,700 full articles, 700 Communications, and a small number of Perspectives — key insights from top researchers into where their field is headed.

Biomacromolecules is one of the “more specialized” journals from ACS Publications portfolio that is the leading forum for the dissemination of cutting-edge research at the interface of polymer science and biology. As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of Biomacromolecules this year, it is timely to recognize that our journal has provided a platform for researchers to share their innovations and shape the trajectory of the field at the broad interface between polymer science and biology. Biomacromolecules publishes about 500 articles each year, mostly as full articles with a small number of Reviews and Perspectives usually on invitation and from top researchers in the field.

In the lecture, we will share our experiences as authors of the journals, starting with our first papers in JACS and Biomacromolecules until our last submissions of the groups. Moreover, being editors of the journal provides us with some insights that we like to share.

The individual career journey is a dynamic process marked by choices, opportunities, and challenges. From the earliest stages of research to master's, PhDs, and postdocs, understanding the essence of career development is noteworthy. In this session, we will delve into the intricate interplay between individual aspirations, contextual factors, and broader trends, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in career decision-making and progression.

Our exploration will extend to the distinctive landscapes of academia and industry, spotlighting the divergent pathways and essential competencies for each domain. We will discuss practical strategies for career exploration and planning, including crafting CVs and cover letters tailored to specific professional contexts. Ultimately, this session serves as an encouragement of guidance, offering some theoretical frameworks and practical tools to navigate the complexities of career development with some more confidence and clarity.

In today's research landscape, the volume and complexity of data generated across diverse disciplines continue to surge, underscoring the critical importance of robust data management practices. This lecture provides a comprehensive overview of strategies and best practice principles for handling research data.

Participants will learn about key aspects of the different stages of the data lifecycle, from data management planning and organisation to data preservation and sharing.

Attendees will gain an understanding of the following core topics:

• Best practices for data management according to the FAIR data principles;

• Strategies for data documentation and metadata creation;

• Open Science aspects of data handling and principles of data publishing;

• Advise on identifying suitable data repositories for publishing research data;

• Importance of data preservation for ensuring the longevity and accessibility of research outputs;

• Compliance with institutional and funder requirements for data archiving;

• Adoption of standards for long-term data preservation;

• Ethical and legal boundary conditions of research data handling and sharing.

The lecture equips students and researchers with the knowledge necessary to navigate the terrain of research data management. Embracing effective data management practices supports participants to enhance the quality and impact of their research and equips them with valuable knowledge to contribute to the advancement of Open Science and scholarly collaboration.

The main goals of this lunch gathering are to facilitate the exchange of career paths, research expertise and scientific experiences by Professors / Mentors, leading them to their current and successful roles, with students and early-career scientists in an open and informal manner. These aims will be achieved through engaging and fruitful conversations over lunch, aimed at inspiring, mentoring, and guiding the next generation of talents in the fields of chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and biomaterials science.

 

 Nine plenary speakers will join the lunch meeting:

 

- Prof. Dr. Matthew Baker – Maastricht University, Netherlands 

- Prof. Dr. José Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello – University of Valladolid, Spain;

- Dr. Elisabeth Garanger – University of Bordeaux, France;

- Prof. Dr. Anna Rising – Karolinska Institutet, Sweden;

- Prof. Dr. Sandra Camarero-Espinosa – POLYMAT, Spain;

- Prof. Dr. Sander Wezenberg – University of Leiden, Netherlands;

- Prof. Dr. Sandra Van Vlierberghe – Ghent University, Belgium;

- Dr. Cristina Barrias – i3S - University of Porto, Portugal;

- Prof. Dr. E.W. "Bert" Meijer – Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands.

 

Enthusiastic and forward-thinking BSc, MSc and PhD students, and early-career scientists are invited to sign up below. Each table will gather 1 Professor / Mentor and 8 young students / early-career scientists. This activity offers the opportunity to (i) participate in a lunch meeting alongside an identified Professor / Mentor, (ii) exchange and learn from accomplished scholars, (iii) engage in enriching discussions, and (iv) raise relevant questions to aid in their career development.

Please complete your registration promptly! The earliest registrations will secure the table with the Professor / Mentor of their choice.

Those registering for this activity will be informed on the table and Professor / Mentor prior to the conference.