This is the new issue of the “INESC TEC Science & Society” magazine, created to reach a broader audience than the specialised scientific community that can follow the scientific articles we publish regularly; said audience includes managers, politicians and technicians from the entities involved in the sectors addressed in this issue, as well as other interested parties in scientific matters. Above all, we strive for a more informed, receptive and knowledgeable society. 

The sixth issue is entirely dedicated to blue economy, a domain that’s increasingly relevant at a time that climate change is part of the agenda. 

 Once again, the authors are INESC TEC researchers and external personalities that we invited to ensure a more comprehensive view of the topic. 

 The structure of this edition is slightly different from previous magazines, in order to address the wide variety of themes and our multidisciplinary outlook when addressing the main theme – foster the blue economy through innovation and technology. In this sense, the articles were divided into five main areas: sensing the sea, research and innovation infrastructure, tackle with sea pollution, sea resources, sea technology.   

 The magazine is distributed online, in PDF format, as well as on a platform that we have been improving, which allows more user-friendly access from mobile terminals. The full PDF version, obviously in a format closer to analogue, ensures a quality that is not achieved on in terms of individual article consultation – the reason why we’re currently developing a new platform. 

I would like to thank all those who contributed to this issue, highlighting the work carried out by the Editorial Board and INESC TEC’s Communication Service of INESC TEC - and, in particular, the invited theme editors and all the authors. 

We sincerely hope that the result will be to your liking. 

Artur Pimenta Alves 

Series coordinator  

Professor Emeritus of FEUP 

Associate Director of INESC TEC 

artur.p.alves@inesctec.pt