UC Research awards programme has already supported young scientists' projects with over half a million euros
Since 2020, the 'Seed Projects for Interdisciplinary Research' have funded 29 projects led by early career researchers at the University of Coimbra. The winners of the 6th edition were announced on 6 March.
Since its inception, the Seed Project Awards for Interdisciplinary Research, sponsored by the Santander Portugal Foundation, have funded 29 projects by early-career researchers at the University of Coimbra (UC), to the tune of €580,000.
Organised by the Centre for Strategic Areas and the UC Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, the awards were launched in 2020 with two main goals: to support young researchers in designing and implementing their own research projects—enhancing their scientific independence—and to foster interdisciplinary research that brings together scientists from different fields.
Since 2020, the "Seed Projects for Interdisciplinary Research" initiative has helped dozens of high-potential research projects take their first steps in strategic areas that the University of Coimbra considers particularly relevant. I believe we will continue to hear a lot about some of these projects, with clear benefits in terms of knowledge production and transfer to society,' says the Rector of the University of Coimbra, Amílcar Falcão.
Each edition has funded up to five projects of €20,000 each, one for each of UC's strategic areas: Health; Climate, Energy and Mobility; Natural Resources, Agri-Food and Environment; Digital, Industry and Space; and Heritage, Culture and Inclusive Society.
In addition to the project leaders, the initiative has involved an estimated 100 UC researchers from several knowledge domains.
The UC Vice Rector for Research and Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, João Ramalho-Santos, highlights the high visibility of the knowledge generated by the funded projects: "Around 18 scientific articles have been submitted as a result of these awards and 80 conference papers have been presented, which reflects the quality and impact of the research that has been carried out".
"Research and innovation drive progress, which is why we have always supported this initiative. Researchers applied for this edition of the Seed Project Awards for Interdisciplinary Research through the Santander Open Academy, a platform that shows our commitment to education, research and talent development in Portugal. We recognise the excellence of Coimbra’s ecosystem in enabling projects to go further, and today we have seen examples that demonstrate this," said Inês Rocha de Gouveia, Director of Santander Universities.
The awards ceremony for the 2025 edition took place this afternoon, honouring five projects: Design of Antimicrobial/Antiviral Coatings for Textiles used in Health Environments (SAFE-TEX) – Fábio Ferreira, researcher at the Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes; Smart Well-being for Every Space (EnviroSense) – Behrang Chenari, researcher at the Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics; A Digital Twin for Local Food Supply Chains in Estrela UNESCO Global Geopark (ESTRELA TWIN) – João Barata, researcher at the Centre for Informatics and Systems; Cognitive-Driven Robot Interaction: Exploring the Role of Neural and Psychological Feedback in Collaborative Robotics (CoDRI) – Gustavo Assunção, researcher at the Institute for Systems and Robotics; Between Voices of Music: Forging Musical Identities in Carlos Paredes' Guitar-Voice Collaborations in Fado-Canção de Coimbra (BETWEEN VOICES) – Nádia Moura, researcher at the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies.
The ceremony, which also marked the fifth anniversary of this UC research award programme, featured presentations by two Portuguese researchers who have received funding from the prestigious European Research Council: Paulo Rocha, a lecturer at the Department of Life Sciences of the UC Faculty of Sciences and Technology and researcher at the Centre for Functional Ecology, and Joana Gaspar de Freitas, a researcher at the History Centre of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Lisbon.
The transformative impact of this initiative and the crucial role of the Interdisciplinary Research Seed Project Awards in advancing careers and scientific research was also highlighted with testimonials from previous award-winning projects.
More information on previous editions of the Awards is available here.
Winners of the 2025 edition of the 'Seed Project Awards for Interdisciplinary Research'
Strategic Area: Health
Title: Design of Antimicrobial/Antiviral Coatings for Textiles used in Health Environments (SAFE-TEX)
Principal Investigator: Fábio Ferreira
Affiliation: Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE)
Description: The SAFE-TEX project will develop high-tech textiles with advanced antimicrobial and antiviral properties to help prevent infections in hospitals and everyday settings. Using cutting-edge technology, these textiles will provide enhanced protection while ensuring environmental sustainability. Led by researchers from the University of Coimbra, SAFE-TEX will contribute to a healthier and safer future for all.
Strategic Area: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Title: Smart Well-being for Every Space (EnviroSense)
Principal Investigator: Behrang Chenari
Affiliation: Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI)
Description: EnviroSense, an interdisciplinary project, proposes an innovative real-time solution for monitoring indoor environmental quality and occupant health, promoting well-being and energy efficiency. The project aims to create healthier and more sustainable indoor environments, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Strategic Area: Natural Resources, AgriFood and Environment
Title: A Digital Twin for Local Food Supply Chains in Estrela UNESCO Global Geopark (ESTRELA TWIN)
Principal Investigator: João Barata
Affiliation: Centre for Informatics and Systems (CISUC)
Description: The ESTRELA TWIN project aims to design a digital twin architecture for the Serra da Estrela cheese production chain. A proof of concept will be developed in collaboration with regional entities, alongside a model to monitor and assess sustainable production practices.
Strategic Area: Digital, Industry and Space
Title: Cognitive-Driven Robot Interaction: Exploring the Role of Neural and Psychological Feedback in Collaborative Robotics (CoDRI)
Principal Investigator: Gustavo Assunção
Affiliation: Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR)
Description: The CoDRI project is at the forefront of industrial automation and human-machine collaboration, focusing on the growing influence of robotics on human experience and performance. Its main goal is to extract relevant information from human neurological and psychological signals during interactions with collaborative robots and apply this data to regulate their physical and social behaviour. This adaptive process is expected to enhance both productivity and worker well-being.
Strategic Area: Heritage, Culture and Inclusive Society
Title: Between Voices of Music: Forging Musical Identities in Carlos Paredes’ Guitar-Voice Collaborations in Fado-Canção de Coimbra (BETWEEN VOICES)
Principal Investigator: Nádia Moura
Affiliation: Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (CEIS20)
Description: The BETWEEN VOICES project will investigate the impact of Carlos Paredes' collaborations with singers in Fado-Canção de Coimbra on the evolution of identity, stylistic innovation, and the social impact of this intangible cultural heritage. The project aims to document and preserve this musical legacy.