PORTWIMS is working to enhance the science, technology and innovation profile of marine science and Earth observation at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon (FC.ID), as well as individual staff members, through twinning with two research-intensive, internationally-leading institutes: Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) in the UK and Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Germany.
PORTWIMS benefits individuals at various levels from PhD students, to post-docs, to mid-career researchers and professors through a programme of training courses and exchanges that provide opportunities for learning, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Accordingly, the project is significantly increasing the research excellence of FC.ID in marine sciences and earth observation; enhancing its reputation, networking abilities and capability to compete for research funding.
PORTWIMS is based on an interdisciplinary approach, developing marine sciences services in Portugal, and creating a better-prepared cohort of scientists. The project will benefit from networking between existing nationally or internationally funded research activities that feed into the project.
Marine science is an area of high relevance to Portugal, and one of the five key areas in the Lisbon region Smart Specialisation Strategy. Sustainable development of marine resources is also an important consideration in countries prioritised by Portugal for Official Development Assistance (ODA). EO and the use of spatial technologies is a major priority for the Portuguese Ministry of Science for 2020-2030, aiming at creating new jobs in IT and responding to societal challenges through the exploitation of satellite data.
PORTWIMS is undertaking collaboration and support actions including:
- exchanges of personnel, including one-to-one mentoring, and expert visits involving one-to-many training and networking;
- summer schools, focussing on PhD students and post-docs;
- on-site training in laboratories and on research cruises, and loan of state-of-the-art equipment at no cost to the project;
- collaboration, training and partnership-building for preparation of research proposals to national authorities, the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA);
- enhancing the number and quality of outputs and increasing impact through open-access publications, attendance at conferences, open-access publication of datasets in PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science;
- improving application of research and development outputs for policy and governance;
- turning innovative ideas and research into knowledge-intensive services and products.
PORTWIMS aims to leave a long-term legacy of Research & Innovation enhancement beyond the end of the programme.
Project structure
The diagram above show the focus of the PORTWIMS project, you can find the contact details for the Work Package leaders on the contact page.
Project steering group
Prof Vanda Brotas - Chair (FC.ID)
Prof Astrid Bracher (AWI)
Steve Groom (PML)
Innovation Team
The innovation team considers all aspects of the project and its outputs from the innovation perspective and advises on appropriate mechanisms, opportunities or approaches to develop promising ideas or services, based on existing national activities that could be exported to Portugal.
The team consists of:
Prof Jose Guerreiro (FCUL)
Steve Groom (PML)
Dr Eberhard Sauter (AWI)