25 Years of FCT in Science: Opportunities and Challenges

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) will kick off its 25th anniversary celebrations with a conference entitled"25 Years of FCT in Science: Opportunities and Challenges,"on January 14, at 2:30 p.m., at the Thalia Theater in Lisbon. This will be the first of 12 sessions organized by the FCT throughout the year to mark its first quarter century.

The program for this first session opens with a speech by FCT President Helena Pereira, entitled "25 Years of FCT in Science." The second speech will be given by Alexandre Quintanilha, Member of Parliament, with the presentation "Knowledge – The Pillar of Democracy." This will be followed by a panel discussion on the theme "A vision for the future of science," with the participation of science and technology researchers and former presidents of the FCT and the National Board for Scientific and Technological Research (JNICT). The final presentation will be given by the president of the National Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation, José Manuel Mendonça, entitled "Science with impact – social relevance and contribution to the economy." The session will be closed by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor.

The session will be broadcast online at this link.

The debates will continue throughout this year, taking place in different cities, stimulating discussion on topics that are important for the future of science in Portugal and Europe. The sessions will be attended by personalities and representatives from various areas of science and technology in Portugal, in which the FCT, as the national agency for funding scientific activity, has played a prominent role over the last 25 years.

Upcoming sessions:

Advanced Training and Doctorates
February, Aveiro

Scientific Employment and Scientific Careers
March, Porto

Scientific Institutions
April, Coimbra

Science 2022: Encounter with Science and Technology, celebrating 25 years of FCT
May, Lisbon

R&D Activities and Projects
June, Vila Real

Open Science, Repositories, and Online Library
July, Braga

Summer with Science
August: Bragança

Scientific Culture and Living Science
September, Faro

Advanced Computing
October, Guimarães

International Scientific Cooperation
November, Évora

The FCT and science in Portugal and Europe
December, Lisbon

(The dates and locations of the sessions will be announced shortly.)