CIÊNCIAS Research & Innovation Day 2025

Ciências , Inovação, Investigação•15 outubro, 2025

The event that celebrates the groundbreaking research and innovation developed at CIÊNCIAS returns for the 7th edition

CIÊNCIAS Research & Innovation Day celebrates the research and innovation developed at CIÊNCIAS, highlighting the dedication and creativity of the entire community. It is an opportunity for faculty members and researchers to share their work with the internal and external community, promoting collaboration and networking.

During the morning, do not miss the FCiênciasID4you session, at 10:15, in Auditorium 6.2.56 (building C6, 2nd floor), followed by the inauguration of the permanent exhibition Passeio da Ciência 2025, at 11:15 in the atrium of building C6.

Join us at the CIÊNCIAS Grand Auditorium (building C3, 2nd floor) at 14:00 (doors open at 13:45) for the main event. This edition features a Distinguished Lecture by David Macdonald CBE¹ FRSE², Full Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Oxford, founder and director of the WildCRU — Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.

The full programme is available below.

Students are excused from classes in order to attend the event, with the exception of first- and second-year bachelor students (estudantes de 1.º e 2.º ano de licenciatura).

¹ Commander of the Order of the British Empire
² Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

David Macdonald

'The Badgers of Wytham Woods: Two Paradoxes, A State Shift and a Puzzling Problem'

A study of the European badgers, Meles meles, of Wytham Woods has involved documenting the life histories of 1823 individuals, based on 14,000 capture records, 1,350 DNA fingerprints and thousands of hours of infra-red video observation. Over this time, much has changed, illustrating the importance of long-term studies. Two paradoxes emerge. The first concerns why the badgers live in social groups, and the nature of cooperation amongst them. The second concerns territoriality, its function and permeability.

More than 35 years of demographic and life history data reveals a remarkable state-change in the population’s socio-spatial organisation; explanations for this can be found in changes in land-use and, most especially, the weather. This reveals individual differences in pace of life, and highlights a perplexing puzzle in the shifting proportion, although always a minority, of females that produce cubs. Clues to the answer, with epigenetic consequences, come from infectious disease.

This event may be subject to image recording by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon for dissemination through official channels. For more information, please contact protecaodados@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.

Este evento está sujeito à captação de imagens por parte da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa para efeitos de divulgação nos canais oficiais. Para mais informações contactar protecaodados@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.