#INTERACT Scientific Conferences bring together researchers and entrepreneurs
The forth edition of the #INTERACT Scientific Conferences is almost here. The event, promoted by the INTERACT scientific project (“Integrative Research in Environment, Agro-Chains and Technology”), will take place on April 10th and wants to involve the main stakeholders and researchers in a moment of interaction where the debate will be the key piece.
With three round tables, #INTERACT Scientific Conferences are the main moment of the whole project developed at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. The main objective is to disseminate the research carried out over the three years of the project to regional and national public institutions and strategic partners for the various sectors. Now that the project is heading towards its end, “the dissemination of the results obtained and the interaction with entrepreneurs and agents becomes a priority,” project coordinator Rui Cortes said. The responsible considers the 4th #INTERACT Scientific Conferences as a “great occasion to debate the importance of research in view of the challenges faced by the agrarian sector in the North of the country. It’s not enough to do excellent research: it needs to be known and applied”, he emphasizes.
Event focuses on debate
The schedule includes three round tables involving several external speakers to discuss the “Challenges for the Rural World in Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro”. All the round tables will focus on this main theme in which all the research of the INTERACT project focused.
“Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change” is the theme of the first round table. Marcelo Fragoso, professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon; and Pedro Beja, professor at CIBIO-inBio of the University of Porto are the speakers of this panel that will focus on “maintaining the sustainability of ecosystems” while trying to deal with “future challenges” such as climate change.
The second round table will have Francisco Pavão, president of the Association of Producers in Integrated Protection of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro; João Roquette, executive director of Herdade do Esporão; and Rui Soares, engineer at Real Companhia Velha. This panel will have as theme “Bioproducts and Technological Innovation” and will focus on “the technological increment of the region” through new products.
Finally, “Rural Desertification and Territorial Cohesion” will be the theme of the last round table of the event and includes Eduardo Oliveira e Sousa, president of the Portuguese Farmers Confederation; and Helena Freitas, professor at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra and who coordinated the Mission Unit for the Enhancement of the Interior.
The forth edition of #INTERACT Scientific Conferences will also have a session presenting the results of the whole project with the leaders of the research lines, Fernando Pacheco, Henrique Trindade and José Moutinho Pereira, and also the presence of the Vice-Rector of UTAD for Research and Innovation, Emídio Gomes.
Registrations for the #04INTERACT Conference are available at https://interact.utad.pt/jornadas.
