A project developed within the scope of the Students@DigiMedia initiative, promoted by the DigiMedia Research Unit of the University of Aveiro, and with strong involvement from CESAM and the Department of Biology (DBio), was distinguished with an Honourable Mention in the Science Communication in Microbiology Competition, organised by the Portuguese Society for Microbiology.
Supervised by Ana Cristina Esteves, researcher at CESAM and lecturer at the Department of Biology, and Pedro Beça, researcher at DigiMedia and lecturer at the Department of Communication and Art (DECA), the project involved students from different disciplinary backgrounds and study cycles at the University of Aveiro: Rui Sousa, Ana Beatriz Neves, Carlos Torres and Yeva Poberezhna, from the Bachelor’s degrees in Multimedia and Communication Technologies and Biology, and from the Doctoral Programme in Biology.
Entitled “Let Microorganisms Speak: from Scientific Art to Impact Measurement”, the project was part of the 4th edition of Students@DigiMedia and received an Honourable Mention in the general category of the 7th edition of the Science Communication Competition of the Portuguese Society for Microbiology. According to the competition regulations, the attribution of these distinctions lies solely with the jury, with up to two honourable mentions per category. In the current edition, only one honourable mention was awarded, highlighting the exceptional nature of this recognition.
The competition results were announced during the closing session of MicroBiotec’25 – the National Congress of Microbiology and Biotechnology, a leading event in the field, organised by the Portuguese Societies of Microbiology and Biotechnology, which brought together national and international researchers and professionals.
This distinction reflects the interdisciplinary work developed at the intersection of scientific research, communication and creative practices, as well as the active contribution of students to the production and dissemination of science communication content. The national recognition further reinforces the role of interdisciplinary collaboration between CESAM/DBio and DigiMedia/DECA in promoting initiatives that bring science closer to society, valuing innovative and collaborative approaches within the academic context.
Note: The featured image illustrates one of the project’s draft concepts.