ACTIVITIES

Webinar Eco-Escolas on Microplastics Pollution

On 3^rd June 2025, the coordinator of the iMPact project, Vânia Martins, was invited by the Eco-Escolas programme at Universidade Lusófona (Lisbon) to give a webinar on microplastics pollution. Entitled “Microplastics: an invisible threat”, the session focused on recent findings on the presence of microplastics in the environment, their potential effects on human health and ecosystems, and the scientific challenges they raise. She also highlighted ongoing work within the iMPact project, stressing that tyre wear from road traffic is a significant and often overlooked source of microplastics in the environment.

The event was open to students, academic staff, and researchers, providing a valuable opportunity to reflect on this invisible pressing issue.

 

Portuguese National Air Day 2025

On 12^th of April 2025, C2TN – Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (Instituto Superior Técnico) hosted the "ObservAR" workshop to mark the Portuguese National Air Day. The event spotlighted both ongoing and completed projects focused on air quality—highlighting the critical role of research in protecting the air we breathe.

iMPact Project joined the celebration with a dedicated exhibit, created and presented by PhD student Alexandra Nunes, showcasing our work on airborne microplastics and urban pollution.

 

Técnico's Open Day 2025

On 5^th of April 2025, Técnico's Open Day took place at the Alameda Campus of Instituto Superior Técnico, offering visitors the opportunity to explore projects and ongoing research from all three Técnico's campuses. The iMPact team was present at C2TN (Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares of Instituto Superior Técnico) stand, sharing the science behind the project with curious minds.

 

Intensive training on chemical characterisation of air samples – IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona

From 23^rd to 27^th March 2025, PhD student Alexandra Nunes carried out a research mission in Barcelona (Spain) for an intensive training week at IDAEA-CSIC. Hosted by the iMPact Project, this training allowed her to enhance her laboratory skills in the chemical analysis of air samples collected during the Lisbon Tunnel and Urban Background campaigns. Her goal? To uncover the chemical fingerprint of particulate matter and trace it back to its pollution sources.

 

European Researchers' Night 2024

On 27^th September 2024, the iMPact project was showcased at the European Researchers’ Night, the largest science outreach event in Europe. The event took place at the Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência in Lisbon.

 

European Aerosol Conference 2024

The European Aerosol Conference (EAC2024) was held in Tampere, Finland, from 25^th to 30^th August 2024. This conference brought together scientists from various fields of aerosol science, covering a wide range of topics related to atmospheric and indoor aerosols, aerosol health effects, technology and instrumentation, and fundamental aerosol processes. On 27^th August, Tiago Faria presented the iMPact project’s results during a poster session with his work entitled "Non-exhaust emission profiling from road traffic in Lisbon".

 

Final event of the RadAR Project

The final event of the "RadAR – Students as key actors in radon management" project took place at Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear (Lisbon, Portugal) on May 21^th, 2024. This project is part of the Citizen Science Incubator within the RADONORM project and results from a partnership between the Instituto Superior Técnico and the Portuguese Environment Agency. Vânia Martins, coordinator of the iMPact project, led an on-site demonstration titled "Let's Talk About Air Quality". She highlighted the issue of microplastic pollution and introduced the iMPact project. The event was attended by students and teachers from Escola Secundária de Ponte de Sor, Escola Secundária de São Lourenço, and Escola Secundária Mouzinho da Silveira.

 

Técnico's Open Day 2024

On 20^th of April 2024, Instituto Superior Técnico hosted the 3rd edition of the Técnico's Open Day, at the Alameda Campus (Lisbon). The event consisted of a science fair, guided visits, and interaction with members of the IST community. iMPact team members were in the stand of C2TN - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares of Instituto Superior Técnico, disseminating the project to the citizens.

 

International Workshop and Conference, Particulate Matter: Research and Management – WeBIOPATR 2023

The 9^th WeBIOPATR conference took place at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Belgrade, Serbia, from November 29^th to December 1^st, 2023. The event brought together 60 keynote speakers, lecturers, and poster presentations, both in-person and online, to showcase recent developments and research on particulate matter management. During the conference's first day, the PhD student Alexandra Nunes presented the iMPact project during the poster session. Her presentation, titled "iMPact Project Overview: Road Traffic as a Source of Atmospheric Microplastics," provided insights into the project's objectives.

 

European Researchers' Night 2023

On 29^th September 2023, the iMPact project members participated at the European Researchers’ Night, a Europe-wide public event, which displays the diversity of science and its impact on citizens’ daily lives in fun and inspiring ways. The project was promoted on the event at the Príncipe Real Garden in Lisbon.

 

European Aerosol Conference 2023

From 3^rd to 8^th September 2023, members of the iMPact team attended the European Aerosol Conference held in Malaga, Spain. The following iMPact works were presented at the conference:

• Alexandra Nunes presented a poster entitled "Investigation of road traffic as a source of microplastics in the environment: overview of the iMPact project".
• Inês Cunha-Lopes gave a talk entitled "Characterisation of vehicle emissions under real-world driving conditions" and presented the poster "Non-exhaust emissions: loadings and chemical characterisation".

 

 

Técnico's Open Day 2023

On the 19th and 20th of May 2023, Instituto Superior Técnico opened the doors of the Alameda campus, in Lisbon, to present the 2nd edition of the Open Day, two days for visitors to discover what is being learned and is researched in the three campuses of the School. Members of the iMPact team participated on the second day of the event and released the project to the public.

 

European Researchers' Night 2022

All over Europe, the 30th of September 2022 was dedicated to the celebration of the European Researchers’ Night. As a Europe-wide event, it aimed to bring the diversity of scientific research and its relevance for society closer to the wider public, giving families, young people and children the opportunity to get in touch with scientists, learn about excellent research projects and find out about science and research careers. iMPact project members participated at the event, hosted by Pavilion of Knowledge (in Lisbon), and introduced the project to the public.