Sara Silva Pereira, researcher at the Católica Biomedical Research Centre (CBR) and faculty member at the Católica Medical School (FM-UCP) since 2023, was recently featured on Mentes Brilhantes, a podcast series by Rádio Observador dedicated to in-depth conversations with leading figures in cutting-edge scientific research in Portugal, particularly in the fields of neuroscience, cancer and biomedical sciences.
In this 30-minute episode, hosted by journalist Paulo Farinha, Sara Silva Pereira was joined by Carlos Ribeiro, researcher at the Champalimaud Foundation since 2011. Together, they reflected on the role of science in society and on how a scientist’s perspective on the world is shaped by experience, mobility and exposure to different research environments.
Throughout the discussion, both researchers also spoke about their own scientific work and reflected on the responsibility of training new generations of ambitious scientists who are eager to make discoveries. They underlined the importance of teaching young researchers how to plan their careers and manage frustration, particularly in an era marked by artificial intelligence, information overload and rising levels of anxiety.
The episode also addressed the growing pressure associated with research funding in Portugal. According to Sara Silva Pereira and Carlos Ribeiro, being a researcher in Portugal has become increasingly challenging due to low and declining success rates in securing project funding. Short funding and evaluation cycles – typically lasting three to five years – combined with the substantial amount of time required to prepare grant applications, significantly reduce the time available to conduct and reflect on scientific research itself.
This episode of Mentes Brilhantes offers a thoughtful and candid insight into the realities of scientific research today, highlighting both the opportunities and the structural challenges faced by researchers in Portugal and beyond.
👉 Link to listen to the podcast here: https://observador.pt/programas/mentes-brilhantes/cientistas-mais-novos-querem-as-coisas-muito-mais-rapido/ (Available only in Portuguese)
👉 To watch the video: https://observador.pt/programas/mentes-brilhantes/aula-pratica-a-pressao-do-financiamento-em-ciencia-e-enorme-e-muito-real (Available only in Portuguese)