Citizen Science Project SeaMic Showcased at ITQB NOVA Open Day 2025

On March 25, ITQB NOVA’s Open Day 2025 brought science to the forefront with the theme Science Mission: Asking is the First Step. The event highlighted the importance of curiosity in scientific discovery: asking questions, forming hypotheses, and experimenting to find answers. Throughout the day, ITQB NOVA researchers shared their work with visitors, who had the chance to explore laboratories, engage in hands-on experiments, and take part in a scientific escape room.

Among the featured initiatives was SeaMic, a Citizen Science project dedicated to developing a rapid test for assessing microbial contamination in beach water. Led by ITQB NOVA's Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Yeasts, the project partners are EUTOPIA_HEALTH, NOVA University Lisbon, the Science + Citizen Program and the Municipality of Oeiras. 
Carolina Mariano and Catarina Amaral introduced visitors to the importance of monitoring beach water quality and invited residents of Oeiras to participate as Citizen Scientists throughout the project's various phases:  

• Testing the filtration system in the laboratory
• Collecting water samples from the test beach
• Verifying the laboratory test
• Performing the test on the test beach  

Participants were able to interact with the prototype, ask questions, and register as Citizen Scientists to contribute to the project. With more than 1,900 attendees throughout the day, ITQB NOVA’s Open Day 2025 was a vibrant celebration of science, collaboration, and public engagement.