LSRE-LCM had a strong presence at the 13th National Meeting on Catalysis and Porous Materials (XIII ENCMP) and the 4th Meeting of the Carbon Group (IV RGC), held from 15 to 17 June 2026 at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL), Portugal.

Organized by the Division of Catalysis and Porous Materials, the Carbon Group, and the Lisbon Delegation of the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ), the event brought together researchers, students, and professionals from academia and industry to discuss the latest advances in catalysis, porous materials, and carbon-based technologies.

LSRE-LCM was represented by a significant number of researchers and students, who divulgated the group's latest scientific achievements through oral and poster presentations. The contributions covered several strategic research areas, including environmental catalysis, carbon materials, waste valorization, advanced oxidation processes, and sustainable water treatment technologies.

The active participation of LSRE-LCM in this important scientific forum reinforces the group's commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, and knowledge transfer, contributing to the development of sustainable solutions to current environmental challenges.

Marta Oliveira Barbosa participated in the 2025/2026 edition of the Scientist Back to School programme, promoted by Native Scientists, an initiative that connects researchers with school communities and fosters scientific literacy among young students.

As part of this initiative, Marta returned to Penafiel, her hometown, where she delivered four science workshops in primary schools, engaging around 80 students from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. The activities took place at Abragão, Luzim and Duas Igrejas Primary Schools and focused on water quality and the “invisible” pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, present in the environment.

Through hands-on experiments, demonstrations and group discussions, students were encouraged to discover that water may appear clean while still containing “invisible” substances that can be harmful to both the environment and human health.

The workshops aimed to introduce children to the work carried out by scientists in monitoring and removing contaminants from water, showing how scientific research contributes to solving real-world environmental challenges. At the same time, citizen science practices were promoted, encouraging responsible behaviours such as the proper disposal of medicines and the adoption of more sustainable habits.

This participation reflects the commitment to science communication and public engagement, helping to bring research closer to society, spark curiosity among younger generations and inspire future careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).