Students from public and private schools in Rio Grande do Norte are participating this week in the 2025 edition of the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) Science Fair and Scientific Exhibition. The event will take place from October 22nd to 24th, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, at the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS), an ISD unit in Macaíba.

The program includes the presentation of scientific papers produced by students and participation in workshops with experiments, games and recreational activities on neuroscience, neuroengineering, ocean culture and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Registration to participate in the three-day event is now closed.

"The idea is to encourage the dissemination of work done in the classroom by teachers and students and offer the opportunity to present it at a science fair to a much larger audience," said researcher and Fair coordinator Andressa Radiske. The works submitted to the Fair will be evaluated by the event's scientific committee, and at the end of each day's presentations, the highest-rated entries will be awarded in a special ceremony.

The Fair is part of the 22nd National Science and Technology Week (SNCT), promoted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), and has the support of the Ministry of Education (MEC), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES); and from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT). 

The SNCT aims to popularize science in Brazil, especially among public school students, by promoting a space for reflection and dialogue that brings together the scientific community, teachers, researchers, students, and the general public. This year's edition features the theme "Planet Water: Ocean Culture to Confront Climate Change in My Territory," inviting the public to reflect on the relationship between the marine environment, climate change, and territories.

Blue Science and Climate Change 

The ocean accounts for approximately 71% of Earth's surface and contains approximately 97% of the planet's water, playing a key role in climate balance. However, it suffers severe impacts: in Brazil, an estimated 1.3 million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans annually, placing the country among the ten largest polluters in the world.  

Globally, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimates that between 9 and 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, with more than 90% of this waste coming from single-use plastics and microplastics.  

These pressures threaten ecosystems, biodiversity, and essential marine services such as climate regulation, fisheries, and food security. At the same time, the sea supports the so-called Blue Economy—a sector that encompasses fishing, maritime transport, coastal tourism, marine energy, and ecosystem services—and generates global revenues of US$3 to 6 trillion annually. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) adds that approximately 600 million people depend on fishing or marine resources for their livelihoods.  

The ocean theme was elevated by the Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030), proclaimed by the UN General Assembly and coordinated by IOC/UNESCO, with a focus on research and sustainable use of the oceans. SNCT 2025 fits into this global context, reinforcing Brazil's leading role in debates on climate and the ocean.

Service

ISD Science Fair and Scientific Exhibitions – 22nd National Science and Technology Week

Theme: Planet Water: Ocean Culture to Confront Climate Change in my Territory

Location: Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS) – Avenida Alberto Santos Dumont, 1,560 – Rural Area, Macaíba

Dates: October 22nd, 23rd and 24th

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

About ISD

The Santos Dumont Institute is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.