On March 6th, 2025, CCMAR marked its 34th anniversary with an Open Day filled with inspiring moments, knowledge-sharing, and meaningful connections. This special day brought together students, stakeholders, and our vibrant scientific community to celebrate our journey and the impact of marine science in the Algarve and beyond.
A Day of Science, Inspiration, and Collaboration
The anniversary programme was designed to engage different audiences and highlight the importance of research and innovation:
Morning: Inspiring Future Scientists
We opened our doors to 83 high school students and their teachers, offering them a unique opportunity to step inside our labs and explore the world of marine research. Through seven interactive lab sessions, our researchers and technicians showcased their work, sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
Afternoon: Engaging Key Stakeholders
In the afternoon, we welcomed 14 key stakeholders, including presidents and directors from local municipalities (Lagoa, Albufeira, Loulé, and Faro), the President of CCDR Algarve, the UAlg Vice-Rector for Research, and representatives from Faro Airport and IEFP. A series of insightful talks, followed by guided visits to our research infrastructures, provided a platform for dialogue on how science can contribute to regional and societal development.
Media Coverage
Two journalists attended the event to report on our activities, helping to amplify the importance of marine science and innovation.
A Community Effort
This event was only possible thanks to the dedication of our entire CCMAR community. A special thank you to:
⭐ Our school community guides, who ensured smooth transitions between lab sessions: Marta Zita, Marta Valente, Rute Martins, Aléxis Horta, Raquel Grilo, Luis Purificação, and Luis Salvador.
🔬 Our lab hosts, who inspired students with hands-on experiences:
Miguel Mateus and Camané (FBC), Mélanie Silva, Bárbara Viegas and Veronica Rossetto (Marbiotech), Dina Simes and Carla Viegas (FBP), João Monteiro, Inês Cerveira e Miguel Pinto (EcoReach), Carina Mónico (Plataforma de Microscopia), Zélia Velez and Maria (CEIB), Bruno Ferreira and Max Domingues (BIOSKEL).
Our speakers, Jorge Assis and Adelino Canário, for delivering engaging and insightful presentations.
🏛️ Our lab and facility guides, who led stakeholders through our research spaces
Jorge Gonçalves (FBC), Luísa Barreira (Marbiotech), José Paulo Silva (Plataforma de Análise Estrutural e Química), Pedro Guerreiro (CEIB), Vincent Laize and Gil Martins (BIOSKEL), Carina Mónico (Plataforma de Microscopia), Sofia Engrola, Jorge Martins, Adelino Canário and Ana Amaral.
🎉 The Get Together team, for organizing a fantastic closing celebration: Marta Zita, Sónia Fialho, Inês Almeida, Aléxis Horta, Raquel Grilo, Carina Mónico e João Monteiro.
And our incredible SciCom team for making this Open Day a success!
Thank You!
This 34th-anniversary celebration was a true reflection of what makes CCMAR special—our passion for science, our commitment to education and collaboration, and the strength of our community.
Here are some pictures of the event:
