Técnico hosted this Monday, September 17, the 2nd edition of the International Microorganism Day (IMD 2018), an event that happens throughout Europe and aims to strengthen the link between Microbiology and society. The celebrations included lectures, training sessions, exhibitions and craft beer production.
The opening session was attended by professor Arlindo Oliveira, President of Instituto Superior Técnico, professor Isabel Sá-Correia, President of the Portuguese Society of Microbiology (SPM), professor Ana Noronha, Executive Director at Ciência Viva, Dr. José Matos, from Ordem dos Biólogos and professor Maria Amélia Martins-Loução, President of the Portuguese Ecological Society (SPE). Professor Isabel Sá Correia stressed the importance of this event for the “promotion and dissemination of microbiology”, and shared: “I hope that next year we can celebrate microbiology in all continents”. The importance of celebrating the International Microorganism Day was highlighted by the other participants, namely Professor Arlindo Oliveira, who underlined that such events are aprt of Técnico’s main goals: to promote and disseminate engineering and science. “21st century will undoubtedly be the century of biology”, said the president of Técnico.
In order to simplify Microbiology while simultaneously demonstrating its potentialities, the various lectures that took place during the day at Salão Nobre showed the audience “the essential role that a multitude of invisible living beings” play in multiple domains. Professor José Paulo Sampaio, professor at Faculdade de Ciências – Universidade Nova de Lisboa, talked about the need and relevance of collections of microorganism. “These collections provide microorganisms for research and industry; obtain, store and distribute relevant information about themselves; identify microorganisms in culture; carry out research in Microbiology allowing to discover new species, “explained the professor José Paulo Sampaio. ” The work of scientists is increasingly important in an era of disinformation” said the professor, stressing once again the importance of the event as a means of disseminating scientific knowledge to society.
