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Activity Funded

Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences

Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biológicas

Reference
UIDB/04033/2020
Project Start Date
2020-01-01
Project End Date
2024-12-31
Principal Investigator
Scientific Area
Agricultural sciences
Funding Program
Concurso de avaliação no âmbito do Programa Plurianual de Financiamento de Unidades de I&D (2017/2018) - Financiamento Base

Abstract

10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes The Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB) R&D Unit is composed by a multidisciplinary team of 285 researchers in the areas of agri-food, forestry and environment and a group of technological engineers, with the objective of promote and develop innovative solutions in these areas. The Unit is organized under the 4 I’s policy: Interdisciplinary activities, Internationalization, Innovative solutions and Increase links to industry. The Directorate comprises the Director and 2 Vice-Directors. The Directorate is supported by an Executive Committee (ExCo) composed of 7 members representing the two Thematic Strands i) “Sustainability of Agri-Food and Forestry Ecosystems in a Changing Environment” and ii) “Technology in Agri-Food and Forestry Chains for a more Competitive Bioeconomy”. Each TS comprises two Tasks: T1.1 Integrated monitoring of climate and environmental impacts, T1.2. Sustainability in agri- food and forestry ecosystems; T2.1 - Innovative technologies and processes, T2.2. Valorization of bio-based products and co-products, headed by a Task Leader. CITAB strategy is guided by the External Scientific Advisory Committee of 3 internationally recognized experts in areas relevant to the R&D unit. These experts make objective critical analyses of the unit’s performance in terms of R&D activities and provide recommendations to ensure that the research objectives of the Centre are scientifically sound, pertinent and provide a high impact on local, regional, national and international research and industry platforms. CITAB also rely on the advice of a Stakeholders Committee comprising key stakeholders from the private and public sector and meets with CITAB members, the Directorate and ExCo periodically, to assess overall results and activities and lay down guidelines for the future. CITAB will continue pursue new national and international partnerships via funded research projects, collaborative protocols with R&D units and associated laboratories, and applied and advanced training (i.e. International PhD programmes and training). CITAB has shown considerable improvement in internationalisation via funded European projects (Horizon 2020, INTERREG, COST Actions and EraNet) and will strengthen this strategic pillar by signing protocols with at least two associated laboratories in 2018 (INESC-TEC and CIIMAR) to boost critical mass in key areas and increase the success rate of funding and coordination of H2020 projects. CITAB will continue to organise diverse outreach activities, to engage young researchers, schools and the public. CITAB has long recognised the importance of these events for improving public perception of how researchers work contribute to societal well-being and stimulating the interest of younger people regarding the possibility of a career in research. 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation The Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB) R&D Unit is composed by a multidisciplinary team of 285 researchers in the areas of agri-food, forestry and environment and a group of technological engineers, with the objective of promote and develop innovative solutions in these areas. The Unit is organized under the 4 I’s policy: Interdisciplinary activities, Internationalization, Innovative solutions and Increase links to industry. The Directorate comprises the Director and 2 Vice-Directors who are nominated by the Scientific Council following the proposal of the Director. The Directorate is supported by an Executive Committee (ExCo) composed of 7 members representing the two Thematic Strands i) “Sustainability of Agri-Food and Forestry Ecosystems in a Changing Environment” and ii) “Technology in Agri-Food and Forestry Chains for a more Competitive Bioeconomy”. Each TS comprises two Tasks: T1.1 Integrated monitoring of climate and environmental impacts, T1.2. Sustainability in agri- food and forestry ecosystems; T2.1 - Innovative technologies and processes, T2.2. Valorization of bio-based products and co-products, headed by a Task Leader. CITAB strategy is guided by the External Scientific Advisory Committee of 3 internationally recognized experts in areas relevant to the R&D unit. These experts make objective critical analyses of the unit’s performance in terms of R&D activities and provide recommendations to ensure that the research objectives of the Centre are scientifically sound, pertinent and provide a high impact on local, regional, national and international research and industry platforms. CITAB also relies on the advice of a Stakeholders Committee comprising key stakeholders from the private and public sector and meets with CITAB members, the Directorateand ExCo periodically, to assess overall results and activities and lay down guidelines for the future. For 2018-2022 CITAB will apply Open Science principles to guarantee the centre’s mission of continued transparency in the effective transfer of scientific, technological and innovative knowledge to existing and new partners in academia, agri-food, forestry, industrial, public and private sectors. This strategy will strengthen the complementarity and multidisciplinarity inherent to the two core thematic strands and their recently streamlined tasks. CITAB will continue pursue new national and international partnerships via funded research projects, collaborative protocols with R&D units and associated laboratories, and applied and advanced training (i.e. International PhD programmes and training). CITAB has shown considerable improvement in internationalisation via funded European projects (Horizon 2020, INTERREG, COST Actions and EraNet) and will strengthen this strategic pillar by signing protocols with at least two associated laboratories in 2018 (INESC-TEC and CIIMAR, confirmed) to boost critical mass in key areas (e.g. technology – BE group, which is the smallest research group in CITAB but has great importance in the area of innovation) and increase the success rate of funding and coordination of H2020 projects. All funded projects will apply Open Science principles, covering the organisation of stakeholder relevant themed workshops, seminars and conferences (e.g. to present project findings and deliverables to different target audiences), researcher participation in conferences, open access publishing, creation of dedicated websites and use of social media to rapidly disseminate news to a broader audience. CITAB will continue to organise diverse outreach activities, to engage young researchers, schools and the public, such as open days, Science and Citizenship actions, exhibitions, films, guided tours, lectures, supervised laboratory experiments, workshops, interactive demonstrations, voluntary actions and competitions. More applied activities, such as "Living Science in the Laboratory - Scientific Occupation of Youth in the Holidays" will be organised to allow pre-university school students from different regions of the national territory to come and work in CITAB laboratories during the school holidays.. CITAB has long recognised the importance of these events for improving public perception of how researchers work contribute to societal well-being and stimulating the interest of younger people regarding the possibility of a career in research. A major 2018-2022 objective is to apply an internationally recognised policy of quality via accreditation and certification (i.e. ISO) for selected services that the unit provides, such as laboratorial analyses and procedures, field protocols and sampling methods. The implementation of this strategy (i) will strengthen links between CITAB and existing key stakeholders, (ii) provide a visible beacon of excellence and reliability that will attract new stakeholders and other clients that must apply quality and certification criteria, and (iii) allow the unit to become a member of an independent, internationally recognised network (i.e. the ISO-International Organisation for Standardisation). This international platform will allow the R&D unit to share knowledge on relevant existing standards applied in its laboratories and contribute to the development of new standards. The Fluvial Ecology Laboratory (LEF) is the first accredited laboratory in CITAB-UTAD (ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management System to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services; ISO/IEC 17025:2005 general requirements for competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling of surface waters - Certificate L0700). As a result, LEF services are sought after by many more clients for consultation services where contractual obligations demand accredited methods.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biologicas (UTAD CITAB)
  • Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD)

Funding 1.850.625,00 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

1.850.625,00 €