Emerging ideas, cutting-edge research, and applications for national and international project funding were the focus of the Annual Workshop of Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C²TN), which brought together researchers and students to reflect on new scientific paths and strategies for C2TN.
On 16 January 2026, C²TN held the 6th edition of its Annual Workshop at the Auditorium of Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear of Instituto Superior Técnico, in Loures. The opening session featured addresses by João Galamba Correia, Sandra Cabo Verde and Nuno Barradas, members of the C²TN Executive Committee.
The first speaker in the programme was Pedro Góis, president of Research Institute for Medicines (iMED) at Faculty of Pharmacy of Universidade de Lisboa. The professor presented the organisation and functioning of a research unit external to Instituto Superior Técnico, launching the debate on institutional models for scientific units.
This was followed by the presentation of Research and Development (R&D) proposals. Ana Luísa Rodrigues described two projects being prepared for submission to the next annual call for R&D Projects in all Scientific Fields by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT): one dedicated to the dynamics of construction, occupation and abandonment of Roman military camps, and another focused on the analysis of stratigraphic contexts in uniform sedimentary units, combining geochemistry, luminescence dosimetry and sedimentology.
Air quality and urban sustainability issues were also highlighted. Tiago Faria presented a project proposal on air pollution associated with large transport infrastructures, arguing for the need to identify the most relevant sources of pollution in complex urban environments to support planning decisions and mitigate the effects of air pollution. Joana Lage, in turn, presented a project idea that proposes monitoring air quality with unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with low-cost sensors.
The morning session ended with a presentation of the organisational model of Centre for Innovation in Territory, Urbanism and Architecture (CiTUA), led by Maria do Rosário Partidário, president of the research unit. In her speech, she detailed the centre’s governance structure, the coordination mechanisms between scientific areas and how CiTUA articulates fundamental and applied research and knowledge transfer.
In the afternoon, the session continued with researchers from Técnico sharing their experiences of applying to European Research Council (ERC). Tiago Faria spoke about his journey as an applicant for a Starting Grant, addressing motivations, challenges and lessons learned. On the other hand, Ricardo Araújo, recently awarded an ERC grant to study the evolutionary origin of endothermy in the dinosaur-bird lineage, presented strategies for submitting competitive proposals for a Consolidator Grant, fostering a debate on best practices in international applications.
After the coffee break, C²TN researchers continued presenting new R&D project proposals. Rita Melo presented an exploratory study on the design of small proteins specific to RANK, while Elmar Binart presented a project aimed at obtaining high-quality nuclear data for applications in nuclear fusion, emphasising the importance of data reliability for the development of fusion technologies and carbon neutrality goals.
Innovation and sustainability initiatives were also shared. Joana Madureira explained a project to valorise citrus by-products for food applications, transforming agri-food waste into new natural products with high added value. Victória Corregidor presented an approach based on artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimise experimental analyses, reduce sample exposure and increase the efficiency of analytical processes.
The workshop concluded with a wide-ranging discussion and final considerations, highlighting the importance of exchanging ideas, scientific innovation, advanced training and sharing experiences that will enhance future international applications and research projects of excellence.