Science, Innovation and Society: INL attends the Science 2025 Meeting
July 22, 2025
Between the 9th and 11th of July, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory was represented at Encontro Ciência 2025, Portugal’s largest science and technology meeting. This year, the event took place at the NOVA SBE Campus in Carcavelos, Lisbon, and centred around the theme “Science, Innovation and Society”.
Part of the “Science, Technology, Innovation” exhibition, INL was present throughout the three-day event, fostering engagement with policymakers, researchers, students, and the broader public, in a clear celebration of the importance of science in the public sphere.
Professor Ado Jório, INL’s Deputy Director-General, participated in the opening session, where several key figures opened the event by addressing priorities in science and innovation. First, Nuno Piteira Lopes, Vice-President of the Cascais City Council, and Dr Isabel Rocha, Vice-Rector of Nova University, welcomed participants, stressing the contemporary nature of societal concerns and how science and innovation contribute to their resolution, while Dr Vera Aldeias, Commissioner of Encontro Ciência 2025, highlighted the increasing need to reduce bureaucracy. Rosalia Vargas reinforced the role of the Ciência Viva network and Professor Madalena Alves, President of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), emphasised the impact of digital tools, the agency’s support for research careers, gender equality, and its ongoing restructuring. Finally, Dr Helena Canhão, Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, outlined goals to reform the fragmented science system, boost industrial innovation, continue U.S. partnerships, and enhance funding opportunities in Portugal, with future efforts focused on talent attraction and infrastructure improvement.
On the 11th of July, Professor Clivia Sotomayor Torres, INL Director-General, participated as a speaker in the session “Emerging Technologies: Strategic Priorities for Portugal – Advanced Materials”, where the ongoing initiative to develop the National Strategy for Emerging Technologies (ETE) was presented. The session, moderated by José Antão (Coordinator of the Public Innovation Policy Unit at ANI) and José Cardoso (ANI), was promoted by ANI, FCT, and the Portuguese Centre for Planning and Evaluation of Public Policies(PLANAPP).
At the INL stand, visitors explored demonstrators from the Martins and Alpuim Research Groups and received information about the laboratory’s facilities and services. The booth encouraged conversations and connections while reinforcing INL’s presence in the scientific community. There, the institution was represented by Dr Pedro Alpuim (Research Scientist Group Leader), Dr Jérôme Borme (Principal Investigator in the Alpuim Research Group), Francisco Guimarães (Intellectual Property Officer), Dr Carolina Baptista (International Relations and Internal Affairs Communication Officer), and Cristina Padilha (Special Projects Officer).
This year, Encontro Ciência continued to serve as an important platform for promoting dialogue, collaboration, and coordination within Portugal’s science and innovation sectors. INL’s participation necessarily reflected its ongoing work in research and international cooperation, as well as its engagement with national and European science policy goals, highlighting the continued importance of making the institution’s long-term contributions visible.
