SciComPt 2026: MARE/ARNET Brings Contributions to Science Communication

Between May 27 and 29, the University of Évora was the meeting point for those working in science communication in Portugal. At SciComPt 2026, researchers and communicators from MARE/ARNET joined more than 300 participants to reflect on how to communicate "Science, a Heritage for the Future."

This year, the conference was built around three pillars: memory, identity, and sustainability. The Alentejo region, as a backdrop, provided a fertile environment for discussion among researchers, communicators, and journalists, with a focus on social responsibilities, identity, and territory. Évora, with nearly 20 centuries of history and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, served as the inspiration to revisit the history of science communication, embrace Culture as an integral part, and promote communication practices that respond to contemporary environmental and social challenges.

Pre-congress Workshops

On May 26, the workshops kicked off with the aim of equipping participants with more engaging, innovative, and current communication approaches. The four training sessions: gamification, co-creation of archives, stakeholder engagement, and stop-motion, challenged participants to experiment with new formats and rethink how they can bring audiences closer to science. The theoretical-practical structure allowed for the sharing of experiences among professionals from different scientific fields and regions of the country.

Plenary Sessions for Reflection

In the plenary sessions, José Sotero, from iNOVA Media Lab and OBI, challenged the audience to reflect on what we want to preserve in the age of artificial intelligence, highlighting the value of the people behind the camera or keyboard. Juri Castelfranchi, Professor of Sociology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), proposed a vision of science communication as an ecosystem, inviting us to think about the role we want to play and the motivations that drive us. He further emphasized that the Right to Science, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, implies participation: going beyond literacy to encompass identity, belonging, and power. Clara Florensa, a researcher at the Institució Milà i Fontanals of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IMF-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain), highlighted how historical episodes of nuclear contamination reveal tensions between secrecy and transparency and demonstrate the decisive role of science communication in crisis management and the shaping of public debate.

MARE/ARNET Contributions

MARE/ARNET was represented in three presentations. Zara Teixeira, a MARE researcher at the University of Évora, presented the "Salina Criativa" (Creative Saltpan) activity cycle (2023–2024), developed as part of the Quinta Ciência Viva do Sal project, which brought researchers, cultural agents, and the local community closer to the traditional saltpans of the Mondego estuary through science, art, and heritage. The goal was to invite the science communication community to reflect on new approaches that broaden audiences and reinforce the value of science. Vera Sequeira, communications officer for the ARNET Associate Laboratory, shared the strategies used to build a shared identity among the laboratory's various centres and units, highlighting the "Researcher Profile" feature as an example of fostering a sense of belonging and visibility for scientific work. Irene Bermudez, a MARE researcher at the University of Coimbra, presented the European project SPLASH EU, coordinated by Zara Teixeira and developed in 2025, which explored strategies to promote active citizenship for marine sustainability, through digital and in-person activities in Portugal and Greece aimed at young people, culminating in a guide and an online community-sharing platform.

ARNET also featured a presentation by CIMA within the framework of the SYREN Project (which includes MARE from the University of Lisbon as a partner), focused on the challenges faced by coastal communities associated with climate change, extreme events, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures. The presentation centred on the seventh principle of coastal literacy: the shared responsibility of protecting coastal areas for present and future generations.

A Congress That Strengthens Community

Across scientific sessions dedicated to History, Memory and Heritage, Education and Scientific Literacy, Art, Culture and Creativity, Society and Public Space, Citizen Science, Social Media, and more, SciComPt 2026 once again affirmed itself as the reference space for those working in science communication in Portugal.

The congress closed on an optimistic note: the community continues to grow, and SciComPt is recognized as the go-to space for sharing successes, facing challenges, and contributing to the building of a living heritage of jointly crafted ideas.

SciComPt 2027
SciComPt 2027 will take place at the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) of the University of Algarve in May next year, under the theme "The Sea That Unites Us, the Science That Guides Us."

Text: Patrícia Chaves