13 Nov. 2024 - 21:00
Water inequality exists at every level: between rich and poor nations, rural and urban areas, industrial giants and local farmers. How we manage this most vital resource will shape both our present and our future.
Join us as we explore the state of water, both globally and here in Portugal.
Catarina de Albuquerque
Samuel Viana Meyler
Laura Silva
Scott Rennie
Prannay Reddy
Water is synonymous with life. We evolved in water. Throughout history, our greatest civilizations have risen along rivers and coasts, while some have fallen in the face of drought. For thousands of years, our ability to harness water has been essential to sustaining and growing the global population. Today, nine of the world’s ten largest cities are located near coastlines or rivers. Climate change, unsustainable water use, population growth, and environmental degradation are making water increasingly scarce—and for some, it already is.
Join us on November 13th at 9 PM as we explore the state of water, both globally and here in Portugal. Catarina de Albuquerque, leader of Sanitation and Water for All, will guide us through the global water crisis, while Samuel Meyler will present the documentary The Story of Water, created by Kathleen Harris and himself, which examines the crisis in São Teotónio, Baixo Alentejo.
Catarina de Albuquerque
Catarina de Albuquerque is a leading advocate for the rights to water and sanitation, currently serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA). Since joining SWA in 2014, and taking on the role of CEO in 2018, she is a champion for enhancing global political will to water and sanitation, pushing forward progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6. As the first UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, a role in which she was instrumental in securing the recognition of these rights by the UN General Assembly in 2010 and for the inclusion of a Goal on water and sanitation in the 2030 Agenda. With over 25 years of experience in human rights and humanitarian law, as well as numerous awards for her work, she has worked for her Government, the United Nations, and the European Union.
Samuel Viana Meyler
Samuel is a professor in the Department for the Performing Arts at the University of Évora. He received his PhD in the Systems Neuroscience Lab at Champalimaud Research, focusing on perceptual ambiguity in art. He currently lives in the Alentejo, where his concern around drought and water management led him to co-direct the film “This is a Story about Water”, alongside Kathleen Harris. This is his fourth film as a freelance documentarian. Samuel is also a co-founder of the science outreach initiative Ar.
Laura is a Research Technician in the Systems Neuroscience Lab at the Champalimaud Foundation (CF) and in the International Brain Laboratory. Laura’s work focuses on understanding how neuromodulators act under visual decision making and reward. She also has been involved in scientific outreach projects, mainly with children and teenagers.
Scott Rennie
Scott is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Systems Neuroscience Lab at Champalimaud Research. Scott’s work focuses on creating immersive experimental environments to better understand human experience and behaviour through a combination of classical cognitive science approaches, virtual reality, psychedelics and large language models. Scott is also a co-founder of AR.
Prannay Reddy
Prannay is an International Neuroscience Doctoral Programme (INDP) PhD student in the Learning lab at CF. Prannay’s work focuses on understanding the basal ganglia circuits involved in impulsivity and aversion. He also makes science outreach videos on YouTube.
This live event will be in English and will also be transmitted online. A documentary in Portuguese with English subtitles will be screened during the event.
Register here.
