20-07-2022
Photos: FranciscoLima/Ciência Viva
On the morning of the 19th of July, the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education visited the Cenimat laboratories, at NOVA School of Science and Tecnhology, exploring seven of the summer internships organized in the scope of the Ciência Viva no Laboratório-Criar Futuro 2022 program.
Elvira Fortunato thus returned to the University where she was vice-rector and to the Materials Research Centre of which she was director and developed award-winning projects such as the paper transistor. Presently as a minister, she had the opportunity to talk to several high school students who headed to Caparica to be scientists for a week.
The delegation was able to taste the results of the students' work in the internship "Kitchen with Science" and talked to the youngsters of the internship "A sheet of paper can be a sensor", perhaps future researchers in the area in which the former professor was a pioneer. The visit also included the internships "Printing smart inks", "Materials for CO2 capture", "Let's produce nanoparticles that can purify contaminated water", "Make the Sun your Energy Source" and "What if we apply magnetic webs in medicine?
"We want to stimulate careers in science and engineering, particularly for women, and so we promote initiatives like this to give the opportunity to know and be fascinated by the potentiality of these careers," explained the Minister in response to the student who questioned the reason for these initiatives.
During the visit, a plaque was also unveiled in honour of the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, intending to distinguishing the scientific and pedagogical contributions provided by Elvira Fortunado while at the head of CENIMAT.
In this 26th edition of the "Ciência Viva no Laboratório" programme, FCT NOVA had 30 activities developed in several research centres. The School has been one of the partners of the program since its origin, which reflects the effort of FCT NOVA to disseminate and spread the areas of science and engineering among the younger generation.
Accompanying the visit were the Secretary-General for Education and Science, Raúl Capaz Coelho, the President of Ciência Viva, Rosalia Vargas, the Vice-president of Almada City Hall, Teodolinda Silveira, the Scientific Coordinator of CENIMAT|i3N, Rodrigo Martins, the Organizer of Ciência no CENIMAT|i3N, Rui Igreja, the President of DCM FCT NOVA, João Paulo Borges, the President of the Faculty Council of FCT NOVA, Nélia Rodrigues da Câmara, the Sub-director for the Pedagogical Council, Carla Quintão, the Sub-director for Innovation and Research, Eurico Cabrita, and the General Coordinator of Research Centers of FCT NOVA, Luís Caires.
