As a leading Portuguese research centre in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, we focus on producing integrative biological knowledge and addressing the interactions between organisms and their environment. Our research spans from cellular mechanisms to entire ecosystems, integrating life and environmental sciences.
By exploring ecological functions and evolutionary dynamics, we deepen our understanding of emergent environmental and health issues, with a focus on island, tropical, semi-arid, and Mediterranean ecosystems, both natural and anthropogenic.
The quality of our research is recognised by our scientific peers and supports national, European, and global policy processes, including in the outermost island regions of Europe and tropical Portuguese-speaking countries. Our goal is to shape a safe and more sustainable future.
Our Mission
CE3C aims to advance integrative biological knowledge of Ecology and Evolution across multiple scales and systems under the impact of Anthropocene’s Environmental Changes. We strive to develop innovative solutions and practical applications, ensuring our discoveries are effectively communicated to and embraced by society.
Our Vision
CE3C envisions a safe and sustainable future where scientific knowledge fosters ecological resilience, biodiversity, and the health of ecosystems and all living beings, ensuring a thriving planet for future generations.
Our Values
- Excellence: We cultivate a culture of excellence that rewards and recognises the achievements of individuals, teams, and the entire research centre.
- Collaboration: Despite our diversity, we foster a strong collaborative structure among researchers, students, and management institutions to achieve our common goals.
- Integrity: We adhere to transparent, ethical, and collaborative principles in all our endeavours.
- Engagement: We actively engage with public bodies, the private sector, and citizens to drive impactful outcomes.
- Innovation: We encourage creativity and co-creation in a supportive and inspiring environment.
Our Objectives
- Producing top-level science.
- Contributing to halting ecosystem and biodiversity degradation and loss.
- Enhancing the understanding and applicability of emergent concepts related to environment, health, and evolutionary dynamics under global changes.
- Consolidating advanced and scientific training programs.
Strategic Priorities
Our strategic priorities include securing long-term careers, supporting the practical application of knowledge through innovative solutions and informing public policies, investing in transformative research agendas, fostering an engaged scientific community, and investing in PhD and postdoctoral training and capacity building in an inclusive environment that prioritises individual development and independent thinking.
Research Areas
Our research areas leverage past successes to shape our future ambitions.
At CE3C, we are committed to addressing critical issues in ecology, evolution, health, and ecosystem sustainability through four main research areas. Each thematic line encompasses diverse research groups, infrastructures, and collaborative efforts to tackle some of our time’s most pressing scientific challenges driven by environmental changes. Our research areas operate in concert, fostering dynamic exchanges and cross-pollination of ideas, tools, and expertise among research groups to innovate and achieve impactful solutions that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
Ecology and Conservation Across Scales focuses on species distribution and abundance amidst global environmental changes, utilising long-term studies, key e-infrastructures, and natural history collections. It includes 8 research groups.
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Evolutionary Perspectives in a Changing World investigates adaptation and genetic diversity across biological hierarchies and systems, from lab models to natural populations. It includes 10 research groups.
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Environment and Health Interactions adopts a One Health approach to explore genetic and environmental factors influencing physiology and pathologies. It includes 9 research groups.
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Towards Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems examines ecosystem dynamics, sustainability, climate change, and restoration strategies. It includes 12 research groups.
Learn moreSupporting these research areas are three transversal axes: Knowledge Transfer, Training, and Outreach, which work across all research areas and research groups to ensure the dissemination of research findings and foster collaboration within and beyond the scientific community.
Building on our inspiring history, CE3C embraces a vision dedicated to shaping a safe and sustainable future.