On May 12, 2026, the general meeting of the project WAVES – Água do Mar e Águas Residuais: Transformar Desafios em Recursos was held at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering of FEUP, in a hybrid format. Funded by NORTE2030 under the Structured R&D Projects programme, WAVES is coordinated by LSRE-LCM at FEUP, and brings together the research units LEPABE and CEFT, also from FEUP, and CIIE from FPCEUP. The project follows an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the valorisation of urban wastewater and seawater, focusing on alternative water sources for agriculture and green hydrogen production, nutrient and mineral recovery, sustainable technologies, and environmental education.

During the meeting, the teams presented the main developments in the four project activities: Wastewater & Resource Recovery, coordinated by Vítor Vilar from LSRE-LCM/FEUP; Seawater & Resource Recovery, coordinated by Adrián Silva from LSRE-LCM/FEUP and António Ferreira from LEPABE/FEUP; Social Awareness & Education, coordinated by Sofia Pais from CIIE/FPCEUP; and Project Management & Coordination, coordinated by Joaquim Faria from LSRE-LCM/FEUP. The session provided an important opportunity to consolidate the project’s current status, align priorities for the next stages, and reinforce collaboration between the participating research units.

On 18 April 2026, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) hosted another edition of the Semifinal of the Junior Chemistry Olympiad, an initiative promoted by the Portuguese Chemical Society (SPQ) and locally organized by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (DEQB).

The event brought together around 75 students from the 8th and 9th grades, representing 23 schools from the Northern region, who had the opportunity to test their Chemistry knowledge in a challenging and inspiring academic environment.

While the participants were taking the exams, the accompanying teachers attended the lecture “Pedagogical Innovation: Classrooms Inspired by the Future”, delivered by Tiago Durães. The Chemical Engineering Students’ Association (NEEQ), in collaboration with the local organizing team, also promoted a playful and interactive activity for the students, fostering an environment of sharing, learning, and closer contact with higher education.

This initiative reinforces FEUP’s and DEQB’s commitment to promoting science among younger generations, encouraging interest in Chemistry and scientific knowledge.