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The second season of ScienceCast, the podcast that puts science at the heart of the debate, premieres this Thursday (6 February) at 18:00. The first episode of this new season features Amadeu Soares, Full Professor at the University of Aveiro and Director of the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), one of Portugal’s leading research hubs in environmental and marine sciences.

In this conversation, hosted by Vasco Trigo—a science journalist with extensive experience in radio, television, and print media—key topics such as public policy, scientific research, and the relationship with the environment and the ocean are explored. Amadeu Soares discusses the crucial role of science in political and environmental decision-making, highlighting CESAM’s contribution, as a partner of this podcast, to research on sustainability, biodiversity, and the impact of human activities on ecosystems.

With an academic and professional career dedicated to ecotoxicology and environmental conservation, Amadeu Soares has been a vocal advocate for bridging the gap between science and society. His participation in ScienceCast provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges our planet faces and the role of scientific research in building a more sustainable future.

“Science must go beyond laboratories and academic publications to bring direct benefits to society. At CESAM, we believe that research only truly fulfils its purpose when it is translated into accessible and useful knowledge for decision-making by citizens, businesses, and policymakers. The environmental and societal challenges we face—ranging from the preservation of oceans, soils, and forests to tackling climate change and pollution—demand an open dialogue between science and society. This is why initiatives like ScienceCast are so important: they bring science closer to the public, simplify complex concepts, and encourage reflection on the urgent need to protect ecosystems and find sustainable solutions for the future. As a partner in this project, CESAM reaffirms its commitment to contributing to a more informed society, capable of addressing the major environmental and social challenges of our time,” says Amadeu Soares, Director of CESAM.

You can see the promo for the episode here.

ScienceCast  – Uma conversa com Ciência is a podcast by PlaySolutions Audiovisuais and, in this second season, is partnered with the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) at the University of Aveiro.

You can watch the first episode of the second season of ScienceCast here.

The podcast ScienceCast – Uma conversa com Ciencia, a project by the production company PlaySolutions Audiovisuais in partnership with the Associated Laboratories CESAM and CICECO, both from the University of Aveiro, has been nominated for the Best Podcast of the Year award in the Science, Technology, and Education category at the prestigious Podes Festival.

Launched in May last year, on National Scientist Day, ScienceCast – A Conversation with Science introduces scientists from various fields of knowledge through informal yet in-depth conversations. The main goal of the initiative is to promote scientific literacy by bringing the public closer to scientists and showcasing the excellent science produced in Portugal.

Joaquim Pedro Ferreira (CESAM/UA) and Pedro Miguel Ferreira (PlaySolutions Audiovisuais) are the creators of the project, with Mónica Ribau (CICECO/UA) as the host of the first season. Amadeu Lopes (PlaySolutions Audiovisuais) is the podcast producer and provides the voice for its opening theme.

The Podes Awards are the only awards dedicated to Portuguese podcasting, organized annually by the newspaper Público and Portcasts. The winners will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony, which will be broadcast online and on Canal Q. This year, the event will take place on February 1st.

Congratulations to the ScienceCast team on this nomination and for their contribution to science communication in Portugal!

The full list of nominees can be found [here].

A report titled Recommendations from the Scientific Committee of CBE-JU was recently published on the website of Circular Bio-Based Europe (CBE-JU). The report was prepared by the institution’s Scientific Committee (SC), coordinated by Helena Vieira (Coordinating Researcher and ERA Chair Holder at CESAM/DAO). This report presents proposals to strengthen the circular economy and industries based on the bioeconomy in Europe, reflecting the concerns of scientists from the social and natural sciences who are part of this advisory body.

The document highlights potential policy changes and stricter regulations that could hinder European innovation and competitiveness in the development of the circular bioeconomy and industries based on biological resources.

In December 2024, the report was submitted to the European Commission (DGRTD), the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). In January 2025, it was also delivered to the Directorate-General for the Environment (DG ENV) and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROWTH).

The report includes a link to the full composition of the Scientific Committee, available [here]. This initiative reflects the ongoing commitment of CESAM scientists to influencing public policies, including at the European level, and contributing to Europe’s sustainable development, promoting an effective transition towards a strong and competitive circular economy.

The document is available on the official CBE-JU website (https://www.cbe.europa.eu/scientific-committee).

Researchers Felisa Rey, Diana Lopes and Rosário Domingues from CESAM and the UA Department of Chemistry obtained funding from EuroMarine (European Marine Research Network) to organize a foresight workshop on marine lipidomics at the University of Aveiro.

OMALI | Omega MARine LIpids – Enhancing the exploration and analysis of marine-derived lipids for healthy and sustainable diets was one of three proposals funded by EuroMarine in the 2024 competition. This workshop aims to bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts in the field of marine lipids to promote the creation of a collaborative network.

OMALI will explore the various applications of marine lipids in nutrition, focusing on two main areas: human nutrition and animal nutrition. The workshop’s scientific program stands out for its excellence, covering a wide range of topics related to marine lipidomics, from analysis techniques to its technological applications.

The Workshop will take place at the University of Aveiro from the 16th to the 18th of June 2025 and will also involve researchers from other research centers, namely CSIC (Spain) and CIIMAR. Registration will soon be available for professionals in the field of marine lipids as well as young researchers and students.

For more information see the EuroMarine here.

On January 21st, a meeting took place at the University of Aveiro within the scope of the INSECTERA Mobilizing Agenda, where CESAM researchers presented the results of the first entomofertilizer application campaign in old Van Zeller & Co vineyards, located in Valença do Douro. Representatives from the company Ingredient Odyssey (IO), coordinator of the INSECTERA Agenda, Thunder Foods (TF) and Van Zeller & Co (VZ) were present. At this meeting, the results were discussed, and new sampling campaigns were planned that will take place in 2025 and 2026, and which will result in a temporal assessment of the application of entomofertilizer (from Mosca Soldado-Negro) in wine production and in the quality and functionality of soils and vines (90-year-old plants).

In the photo, from left to right: Francisca Van Zeller (VZ), Clarice Souza (IO), Diogo Correia (TF), Francisco Pinto (VZ), Rita Silva (UA), Luís Meneses (VZ), Diogo Cardoso, Susana Loureiro and Rui Morgado (UA).

Rosário Domingues, Associate Professor (CESAM/DQUA) and head of the Lipidomic Lab at University of Aveiro, has been appointed as the new  Division Chair of Lipidomics in the prestigious scientific association Euro Fed Lipid (EFL). (https://eurofedlipid.org/divisions/#division-and-division-chairs)

 EuroFed Lipid (www.eurofedlipid.org) is a leading European federation dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation in the fields of lipids, fats, and oils .EFL  host conferences, workshops, fostering research collaborations, and connecting academia and industry to develop cutting-edge solutions in health, food and nutrition, cosmetics, biofuels.

Euro Fed Lipid continues to shape the future of lipid science and address critical global challenges, while committed with sustainability and global health.

On January 10, 2025, at the ECOMARE Building, located in Gafanha da Nazaré, a workshop was promoted by the RESTORE4Cs project team in collaboration with the A-AAGORA, LIFE Seagrass RIAwild, and REWRITE projects to explore prospective scenarios and assess the direct and indirect benefits of different salt marsh and seagrass restoration strategies. The workshop brought together experts, researchers, and community members interested in the sustainability and environmental recovery of the region.

The workshop featured interactive sessions and collaborative discussions. Among the highlights, the multi-criteria decision analysis and cost-benefit assessment of restoration scenarios for the Baixo Vouga Lagunar captured the participants’ attention, promoting an active exchange of knowledge and ideas.

The event culminated in a mapping session of restoration scenarios for the Ria de Aveiro, providing a detailed view of the impacts and benefits of different restoration approaches. Concluding the day, the importance of cooperation in protecting local ecosystems was reinforced.

The review article “Marine Animal Co-Products—How Improving Their Use as Rich Sources of Health-Promoting Lipids Can Foster Sustainability”, authored by CESAM members João Monteiro, Rosário Domingues and Ricardo Calado, was highlighted by the international publisher MDPI as one of the 10 articles published in 2024 in Marine Drugs with the most views; the article has been viewed more than 5400 times since its publication, in a universe of more than 500 articles published by Marine Drugs in 2024. This publication is a deliverable of the Transversal Project “Co-Products Valorization Platform” within the scope of the Blue Bioeconomy Pact financed by funds from the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Citation: Monteiro, J.P.; Domingues, M.R.; Calado, R. Marine Animal Co-Products—How Improving Their Use as Rich Sources of Health-Promoting Lipids Can Foster Sustainability. Mar. Drugs 2024, 22, 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020073

On 28 December 2024, the DEMO PT team from the CESAM and University of Aveiro was at the Rio Novo do Príncipe school in Cacia to continue the ocean literacy activities of the A-AAGORA project. Researcher Daniel Crespo (CESAM / DBio) presented the profession of Marine Biologist and answered many pertinent questions from the students of the 2nd Cycle of Basic Education, who showed interest and curiosity in the area. After the discussion, the students were able to see some of the equipment used in fieldwork (such as diving equipment, mud walking boots, or sediment and biological material samplers) and the biological samples (invertebrate animals collected in the intertidal areas of estuarine systems – for example bivalves, gastropods, or polychaetes) and understand the day-to-day life in this field of research.

This initiative is part of the A-AAGORA project’s planned activities to raise awareness of the reduction of marine litter and follows on from the art workshop with marine litter and the visit to ECOMARE, organised by the same school previously. 

CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies at the University of Aveiro has been selected as the organisation responsible for executing a strategic project to promote the sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy in Portugal. This project, established through a partnership with the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) under the Action Plan for the Sustainable Bioeconomy (PABS), represents an investment of €150,000, funded by the Environmental Fund. It marks the beginning of a significant collaboration between APA and CESAM, reinforcing the commitment of both institutions to advancing sustainability in Portugal.

The project will be coordinated by Professor Amadeu Soares, Scientific Coordinator of CESAM, and Regina Vilão, Director of the Department of Strategies and Economic Analysis at APA.

The project’s objectives include:

• Consolidating a communication framework that highlights the benefits of the sustainable bioeconomy and circular economy;
• Promoting concrete examples of bio-based products, encouraging the substitution of fossil resources with renewable resources;
• Educating and raising awareness among young audiences through educational materials and specific activities;
• Producing infographics and scientific publications to strengthen the connection between science and society.

The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, emphasised that “this investment is crucial to mobilise all sectors of society, promoting the adoption of sustainable practices that address global challenges and contribute to national and European sustainability goals.”

CESAM reaffirms its commitment to being an active agent in building a sustainable future by researching the environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century. It continues to establish itself as a reference in promoting sustainability and environmental innovation, steadfast in its mission of Caring for the Future.