Renato Mendes received the FLAD Science Award Atlantic 2021 in a session organized in the FLAD auditorium. The researcher had the opportunity to present his project – Juno – which will culminate in the first crossing of an autonomous surface vehicle, fully sustainable, between Mainland Portugal and the Azores Archipelago, in an event attended by Ricardo Serrão Santos, Minister of the Sea, and Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

The official award session of the FLAD Science Award Atlantic 2021 to the researcher Renato Mendes took place this Tuesday, October 12, in the auditorium of FLAD. The winner of the 2nd edition of the award made an extensive presentation of his project, for which he will receive 300,000 euros to significantly increase the knowledge of the Atlantic Ocean in its different dimensions, culminating in the first crossing of an autonomous surface vehicle, entirely sustainable, between Mainland Portugal and the Azores Archipelago.

The opening of the session was the responsibility of Rita Faden, President of FLAD, who stressed the importance that awards such as the Science Award Atlantic represent for the promotion of science in Portugal and, in particular, for the study of the Atlantic Ocean.

“We believe that rewarding young Portuguese researchers is decisive. Last year we awarded Rui Seabra, this year, Renato Mendes. They are scientists capable of carrying out innovative projects. To bet on the Atlantic is to bet on the future of Portugal and on the role of our country in the world.”

The Minister of the Sea, Ricardo Serrão Santos, praised the winning project and emphasized the importance of the ocean in the international panorama.

“Renato Mendes takes a step forward in collecting long-lasting data in the ocean via remote control. And we need that data collection. Never before has the ocean been considered so central in international governance.”

The session also hold a debate on “Science and Technology for the sustainability of the Atlantic”, moderated by Teresa Firmino, Science Editor of Publico Newspaper, with the participation of António Pascoal, Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico, Vanda Brotas, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences (University of Lisbon) and Douglas Hart, Professor at MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

At the most anticipated moment of the session – awarding Renato Mendes – the young researcher presented the project he is developing and thanked the opportunity that this award represents for his scientific career.

“I want to leave my thanks to FLAD for rewarding a project that would hardly get funding in the most traditional ways, but hopefully in the end it will be an operational platform prepared for other campaigns in the Atlantic.”, he concluded.

The event was closed by Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education.