IMD in Portugal
We invite you to our International Microorganism Day events in Portugal, the birthplace of IMD! These are going to take place in different cities in Portugal so keep reading to find the one closest to you.
science Fair AT Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto
On 15 September 2023, we had our science fair at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto aimed to show that science – particularly the microbial one – can be fun!
Visitors participated in over 25 activities, including games, quizzes, demonstrations, hands-on stands, and even artistic installations. We focused on food safety and production, soil and water microbiomes, antibiotic resistance, probiotics, human health, and the role of microorganisms in industrial processes, among others.
We were honored to have the participation of the Porto City Hall Education representative who highlighted the importance of such events to promote student’s literacy in science and technology.
It was a warm day, both regarding the weather and the happy smiles of everyone attending. The students were sharing their thoughts during the visit and their feedbacks were that “it was an enriching event”, that allowed them to “discover the importance of microorganisms in their lives” and that “they would like to come back next year and that the event should last three days!”
2. You can be part of the change: improving literacy about Antimicrobial Resistance and Science Communication
On 18 September 2023, we gathered at the University Institute of Health Sciences, IUCS-CESPU in Gandra to celebrate IMD.
Our event was a seminar that aimed to raise awareness about the global public health threat of Antimicrobial Resistance. We shared the results of the international citizen project, MicroMundo and attendees learned about science communication and how to create materials to effectively convey concise health messages effectively to educate the public.
Our event went really well, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The sessions about science communication in particular were really useful and well received by the attendees!
3. CIIMAR Open Day
On 17 September 2023, the research center at CIIMAR opened its doors to the public!
Eight thousand people attended, from children to the elderly, and explored the aquatic world around us, by practicing in various science activities, music and story sessions, art exhibitions, conversations with researchers, and much more!
Participants played games about evolution and genetics, explored underwater virtual reality, observed coastal biodiversity and intertidal aquariums, and were familiarized with the equipment used by scientists on their field trips. Since there is a world of microorganisms to discover, our visitors were invited to look at the small treasures that inhabit the oceans, through a microscope and a magnifying glass, and learned about the potential and applications of microbes in blue biotechnology.
CIIMAR microorganism culture collections (LEGE-CC and CM2C), which are integrated into the Portuguese Blue Biobank, invited the participants to visit its collection rooms, showing not only hundreds of microorganism strains but also, through some hands-on activities, the importance of culture collections for science and society.
It was a day full of awesome science activities, fun, and knowledge sharing. An awesome way to celebrate International Microorganism Day 2023!
4. Speed Dating with Microorganisms
During the weekend of International Microorganism Day (15 – 17 September 2023) in the campus area of the Science Centre for Scientific Dissemination Exploratório, we organized a "speed dating" event, where the public could meet with microbiologists from the University of Coimbra.
This event was part of the national event promoted by the Portuguese Society for Microbiology
5. The biological diversity on Earth are the microorganisms
Different academic organizations and research centers from members of the Portuguese Society of Microbiology (SPM) promoted activities in their environments/locations during the month of September.
All events were anchored together with a live stream on the PSM YouTube channel.
The biggest highlights was linking all the local events happening throughout Porugal in one space, to provide a unified celebration of microbes and microbiology.
6. MicroTechArt - combining technology and art to celebrate the IMD
When? July-September 2023
Where? University of Algarve (UAlg), Faro