Where Ideas Grow

Science in Society

i3S is guided by a steadfast commitment to society, making a point of engaging different segments of society into its activities. The institute’s Communication Unit has a team fully dedicated to communicating the science carried out in the institution to different kinds of publics, either lay people or more specialized. Above all, i3S encourages all researchers to play an active role in our outreach and public activities.

In the process, we expect to contribute to answering the increasing need to improve science and health literacy. Beyond merely relaying their discoveries, the communication team helps scientists clarify their message, making it more intelligible for everyone, and ensuring that the public knows how their work will impact their day-to-day lives. As a result, our Science & Society program has researchers acting as key agents in public activities. In fact, some of our science communication activities emerge from researchers’ motivation and initiative.

The media are a crucial player in our endeavor, which is why the Communication Unit regularly sends off press releases concerning our research activity and findings. Should you have a particular matter to discuss or want to learn more about a subject, please contact our team.

We also want students and, really, people of all ages to follow through with their scientific curiosity by feeling at ease to contact us for a laboratory visit or just learn more about some breakthrough achieved at i3S. With almost two decades of existence, our Educational Program offers many proposals, for all learning stages, including visits to our laboratories and providing Drosophila melanogaster kits to help make science classes more dynamic and fun, as well as selected talks delivered to a wider audience in school premises.

This two-sided engagement is essential to prompt more responsible research, an area in which i3S is building upon existing structures, such as research ethics committees, interdisciplinary research, science and society services, and advanced training initiatives.

It is this integrative view of science in society that leads to an effective knowledge transfer and, ultimately, builds a vibrant and productive scientific atmosphere that benefits both civil society and the scientific community.

Are you an i3S associate or an otherwise member of the community and would like to take on a bigger part in outreach activities? Have you got meaningful suggestions to expand our sphere of influence? Drop us a line or come by the office. Our team’s vast experience goes from organizing visits and activities targeted at high schoolers all the way to managing dissemination work packages in the scope of European projects.

i3S is also a member of:

Ciência Viva

And has a seat on:
the General Council of Agrupamento de Escolas Carolina Michaëlis
CCCom (Conselho Coordenador de Comunicação da Universidade do Porto)