IX Workshop APECS Portugal
The IX Workshop APECS Portugal took place at the University of Aveiro on October 26, 2018, as part of the 10th Portuguese Conference on Polar Sciences, with the theme Science Communication.
Communicating science is part of the scientist’s daily life, presenting itself in the form of scientific conferences, lectures in schools, social networks and communication with political bodies. The public interested in science is increasingly diverse, which requires adaptation of the discourse by the scientist.
Invited speakers
Natalie Carter
During her Master at the University of Guelph (UofG), Canada, Natalie Carter led a multi-disciplinary team doing participatory research to improve the health and well-being of destitute children in Kenya. Later, she was invited to participate in a project dedicated to enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and improve animal well-being in remote Ugandan villages. She then completed her PhD at UofG, coordinating government officer and farmer training about research results and exploring Ugandan smallholder farmers’ experiences, challenges, and opportunities, through a gender lens.
Wanting to conduct community-based research in Canada, Natalie started working in and with remote communities in Canada’s North. Since 2016, she has been the Community Research Lead of two projects: Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices (uOttawa) and Inuit Knowledge about the impact of light geese on land, wildlife, and people, and recommendations for management (Environment and Climate Change Canada). Through these projects, she actively engages Inuit and Northerners in the development of potential management strategies related to national marine policy initiatives, and wildlife co-management. Natalie spends about ¼ of her time in Canadian Arctic communities working closely with community organizations, youth, adults, and elders. This includes youth capacity enhancement, project co-construction, and documenting local/Indigenous knowledge.
Kirstin Werner
Since 2016, Kirstin Werner is working in the International Coordination Office for the Year of Polar Prediction, based at Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany. Before that, she completed her PhD about long-term changes of ocean heat transport in the Arctic Ocean. Kirstin has spent several years as a postdoctoral fellow in the United States and completed her ‘on-the-job’ master studies in Science Marketing in 2017 at the Technical University Berlin.
José Xavier
José Xavier (Cambridge University, PhD) is an Assistant Professor of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and at the British Antarctic Survey (UK), focusing his research on Southern Ocean ecology since 1997, with 10 polar expeditions. José is the Head of the Delegation of Portugal at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM) and is a coordinating member of various international research programs of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. José is the youngest scientist to be awarded the prestigious Tinker-Muse Prize for science and policy in Antarctica. In 2018, Jose was a proud recipient of the APECS international mentorship award.
Pedro Pombo
Pedro Pombo is the director of Fábrica Centro de Ciência Viva de Aveiro, professor at the Physics department, University of Aveiro and an expert in holography, science communication and physics education. In these fields, Pedro carries out research in holographic techniques, educational holography, as well as exhibitions and science centers, and investigates public understanding of science and technology, including strategies for experimental education in physics. Within these themes, Pedro authored a book chapter, three text books, and more than 50 publications in national and international scientific journals. Pedro coordinated three European projects, nine exhibitions, 29 national projects related to science and society and physics education. Besides this, Pedro has received nine European prizes in science communication.
Vítor Paiva
Vítor Paiva holds a PhD in Biology with expertise in Ecology through the Universities of Coimbra and Kiel. Currently, Vítor is a senior researcher at MARE- Marine and Environment Research Centre, University of Coimbra. Vítor studies the spatial, foraging and trophic ecology in estuarine and seabirds in different oceans and seas to understand the effects of climate change and overfishing on marine biodiversity. Vítor uses remote tracking technology to determine the spatial ecology of seabirds inhabiting the North Sea and Atlantic, Indian and Antarctic oceans. To understand the foraging ecology of these top predators, he uses, for example, stable isotopes to track the role of seabirds in the food web structure and function. Based on a long-term database of species movements, Vítor is also able to investigate broader ecological questions, such as how overfishing, climate change or marine pollution has affected how seabirds use their habitat. This work has contributed largely to delineate and implement marine protected areas (MPAs) for the conservation of marine biodiversity.
Paulo Sérgio Santos
Paulo Sérgio Santos is currently a scientific content developer for the Portuguese company Take The Wind, in the field of medical sciences. At the same time, he is a PhD student in Communication Sciences at the University of Coimbra (UC), where he teaches and investigates scientific journalism and science communication. Within science, he is mostly interested in animal behavior, especially in primates. Previous to his PhD studies, Paulo obtained his Bachelor in Biology and two Masters, one in Applied Ecology and one in Education of Biology and Geology, also through UC. Paulo has also worked as the STEM editor and director for the UC newspaper A Cabra, the director of the magazine Via Latina, as the editor of news content for the UC radio station, and the communications advisor for the Medical School at UC.
Natalie Carter
During her Master at the University of Guelph (UofG), Canada, Natalie Carter led a multi-disciplinary team doing participatory research to improve the health and well-being of destitute children in Kenya. Later, she was invited to participate in a project dedicated to enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and improve animal well-being in remote Ugandan villages. She then completed her PhD at UofG, coordinating government officer and farmer training about research results and exploring Ugandan smallholder farmers’ experiences, challenges, and opportunities, through a gender lens.
Wanting to conduct community-based research in Canada, Natalie started working in and with remote communities in Canada’s North. Since 2016, she has been the Community Research Lead of two projects: Arctic Corridors and Northern Voices (uOttawa) and Inuit Knowledge about the impact of light geese on land, wildlife, and people, and recommendations for management (Environment and Climate Change Canada). Through these projects, she actively engages Inuit and Northerners in the development of potential management strategies related to national marine policy initiatives, and wildlife co-management. Natalie spends about ¼ of her time in Canadian Arctic communities working closely with community organizations, youth, adults, and elders. This includes youth capacity enhancement, project co-construction, and documenting local/Indigenous knowledge.
Kirstin Werner
Since 2016, Kirstin Werner is working in the International Coordination Office for the Year of Polar Prediction, based at Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany. Before that, she completed her PhD about long-term changes of ocean heat transport in the Arctic Ocean. Kirstin has spent several years as a postdoctoral fellow in the United States and completed her ‘on-the-job’ master studies in Science Marketing in 2017 at the Technical University Berlin.
José Xavier
José Xavier (Cambridge University, PhD) is an Assistant Professor of the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and at the British Antarctic Survey (UK), focusing his research on Southern Ocean ecology since 1997, with 10 polar expeditions. José is the Head of the Delegation of Portugal at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM) and is a coordinating member of various international research programs of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. José is the youngest scientist to be awarded the prestigious Tinker-Muse Prize for science and policy in Antarctica. In 2018, Jose was a proud recipient of the APECS international mentorship award.
Pedro Pombo
Pedro Pombo is the director of Fábrica Centro de Ciência Viva de Aveiro, professor at the Physics department, University of Aveiro and an expert in holography, science communication and physics education. In these fields, Pedro carries out research in holographic techniques, educational holography, as well as exhibitions and science centers, and investigates public understanding of science and technology, including strategies for experimental education in physics. Within these themes, Pedro authored a book chapter, three text books, and more than 50 publications in national and international scientific journals. Pedro coordinated three European projects, nine exhibitions, 29 national projects related to science and society and physics education. Besides this, Pedro has received nine European prizes in science communication.
Vítor Paiva
Vítor Paiva holds a PhD in Biology with expertise in Ecology through the Universities of Coimbra and Kiel. Currently, Vítor is a senior researcher at MARE- Marine and Environment Research Centre, University of Coimbra. Vítor studies the spatial, foraging and trophic ecology in estuarine and seabirds in different oceans and seas to understand the effects of climate change and overfishing on marine biodiversity. Vítor uses remote tracking technology to determine the spatial ecology of seabirds inhabiting the North Sea and Atlantic, Indian and Antarctic oceans. To understand the foraging ecology of these top predators, he uses, for example, stable isotopes to track the role of seabirds in the food web structure and function. Based on a long-term database of species movements, Vítor is also able to investigate broader ecological questions, such as how overfishing, climate change or marine pollution has affected how seabirds use their habitat. This work has contributed largely to delineate and implement marine protected areas (MPAs) for the conservation of marine biodiversity.
Paulo Sérgio Santos
Paulo Sérgio Santos is currently a scientific content developer for the Portuguese company Take The Wind, in the field of medical sciences. At the same time, he is a PhD student in Communication Sciences at the University of Coimbra (UC), where he teaches and investigates scientific journalism and science communication. Within science, he is mostly interested in animal behavior, especially in primates. Previous to his PhD studies, Paulo obtained his Bachelor in Biology and two Masters, one in Applied Ecology and one in Education of Biology and Geology, also through UC. Paulo has also worked as the STEM editor and director for the UC newspaper A Cabra, the director of the magazine Via Latina, as the editor of news content for the UC radio station, and the communications advisor for the Medical School at UC.