MCAA Career Award: Joana Magalhães

Share the journey that led you to the Award

I started my career as an MSCA fellow, in the Doctoral Network Alea Jacta Est, sharing a strong commitment and embodying from the very beginning the principles and values of the MSCA, of multidisciplinary thinking, international collaboration, openness and excellence that shaped every single step of my professional life and beyond.

My scientific and academic path of more than 20 years spans a wide range of fields, from health and material sciences—reflecting a bench-to-bedside trajectory with innovative basic and translational contributions to musculoskeletal diseases, such as the discovery of natural-based materials or biomarkers with patient involvement—to social sciences and media and communication studies. I’ve done pioneering work on media production from an evidence-based, intersectional approach, creating diverse and real-life inspired female characters to inspire girls into STEM fields through the STEAM-for-health TV series and to recognise women’s contributions in science, by collaborating extensively with the third sector and reaching and involving wider audiences, including underserved communities.  

In the last years, my scientific and senior management roles expanded towards multi-stakeholder mediation and knowledge brokering, contributing to the recognition, professionalisation and growth of the European citizen science and science communication communities, supporting evidence-informed policies and social innovation, either as a team member or scientific coordinator of the NEWSERA,IMPETUS and COALESCE projects, the latest currently building the European Competence Centre for Science Communication.

I’m truly honoured to receive this Award, although strongly convinced that it is not an individual recognition but rather the fruit of a collective effort from all those I have had the privilege and joy to learn from, work with and be inspired by, and with whom I gladly share it.

What are your future goals?

This Award reinforces my commitment to the MCAA community and wider scientific community and my motivation to continue advocating and working for our shared values and principles, contributing to an ecosystem where science is fundamental to a more democratic society. I also hope that the recognition of a diverse trajectory like mine, which embraces many aspects of contemporary and Open Science, can further encourage both researchers and research funders to advance towards the adoption and implementation of research assessment principles aligned with DORA and CoARA.

I would like to take the opportunity to invite my colleagues to take on Manuel Heitor’s pledge during the MCAA Annual Conference, to use our voices and influence each of our member states governments, national research agencies, and the like, to defend a pact for research and innovation by prioritising public expenditure on research and development, end job precarity, and reach a common ground for a long term vision, where Choose Europe for Science becomes a reality for all.