Science and Nature

ended

'Science & Nature’ motto, under the International Year of Plant Health and related to the fact that Lisbon is the European Green Capital for 2020, aims to involve the public with research activities and scientific knowledge that are underway to help answering societal concerns about how to face global changes by preserving natural and cultural heritage, ecosystems and resources and to improve quality of life for the next decades. By adopting this vision for the European Researchers' Night, this proposal intends to respond to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and societal goals of the EU framework program. It aims therefore to raise public awareness on the relevance of science to assure quality of life in the future, in the attempt to reach sustainability by preserving natural heritage and to bridge the gap between scientists and society, giving researchers the opportunity to perceive the main concerns of society and how they see and understand their work, while engaging young people with science. The consortium of this project, coordinated by the University of Lisbon through the National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC-ULisboa), combines efforts between researchers of major universities in Portugal – University of Minho, University of Lisbon, Nova University in Lisbon, University of Évora and the Lisbon University Institute. The Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies in Estoril will contribute to the natural heritage preservation approach while disseminating sustainable tourism and food security practices and the Lisbon municipality will be a central partner for the engagement of diverse audiences and civil society stakeholders while promoting the European Green Capital activities. The project will cover urban areas in Portugal from north to south, bridging the gap between researchers and society and contributing to bring societal actors together for the research and innovation process.