An academic pathway and the opportunities that arise throughout a career can shape the direction of a scientist. This was the message conveyed by professor and researcher at Instituto Superior Técnico, João Canário, during the conference “Chemistry of the Cryosphere”, held at the Loures Campus.
The session marked the launch of the Conference Cycle on Ethics, Management and Innovation in Research, organised by the PhD Comunica Group, composed of doctoral students from the Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), with an introduction by researcher Susana Sousa Gomes. The aim of the cycle is to promote good research practices, foster interdisciplinary dialogue, and encourage critical reflection on science and innovation.
João Canário revisited his scientific career and highlighted key turning points: “It’s what we call being in the right place at the right time,” he remarked. During a postdoctoral fellowship in Canada, he had the opportunity to take part in a scientific campaign in the Arctic after one of his colleagues had to return due to frostbite. It was there that his passion for polar regions began, which would later become the focus of his work: studying the impacts of climate change on permanently frozen soils, known as permafrost.
“Frozen soil preserves organic matter which, when it thaws, is processed by microorganisms. This process releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, as well as contaminants like mercury,” the researcher explained. “It is a natural laboratory: changes that would take decades to observe elsewhere occur here within years.”
A specialist in Environmental Chemistry, João Canário has studied mercury cycles and the effects of permafrost degradation on ecosystems and human communities. According to him, international cooperation is crucial for Portugal: “We are not a polar country, so we depend on partnerships with other countries and on European projects to understand these impacts,” he added, referring to collaboration with C2TN in studies on boreal ecosystems and indigenous populations.
Addressing young researchers directly, João Canário reinforced the importance of seizing opportunities: “Always try to be in the right place at the right time and do not turn down challenges that, at first glance, may seem uninteresting.”
The session, which took place on 23 February, brought together students and researchers interested in understanding how polar regions function as critical indicators of global environmental change.