Percorrer por autor "Varela, Carolina"
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- Beyond the Bench: The Professional Identity of Research Management and AdministrationPublication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Varela, Carolina; Fischer, Melinda; Kerridge, SimonThis study addresses the dearth of theoretical stances on the professional status of research managers and administrators (RMAs) based at higher education institutions and at other science-related organizations. Using the lens of ’narrative identities’ theory, it explores their professional identity in contemporary neoliberal research and innovation ecosystems. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study examines whether RMAs consistently articulate a distinct professional identity. Findings reveal that RMAs exhibit a strong sense of purpose, navigating dynamic professional trajectories infuenced by both public management structures and personal motivations. Despite recognizing their unique expertise, RMAs face identity tensions that bridge academia and other professional spheres. The study highlights the growing need to professionalize RMAs and the potential for more formal recognition of their role.
- Ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity and community structure associated with cork oak in different landscapesPublication . Reis, Francisca; Valdiviesso, Teresa; Varela, Carolina; Tavares, Rui Manuel; Baptista, Paula; Lino-Neto, TeresaCork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests play an important ecological and economic role. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) are key components for the sustainability and functioning of these ecosystems. The community structure and composition of ECMF associated with Q. suber in different landscapes of distinct Mediterranean bioclimate regions have not previously been compared. In this work, soil samples from cork oak forests residing in different bioclimates (arid, semi-arid, sub-humid, and humid) were collected and surveyed for ectomycorrhizal (ECM) root tips. A global analysis performed on 3565 ECM root tips revealed that the ECMF community is highly enriched in Russula, Tomentella, and Cenoccocum, which correspond to the ECMF genera that mainly contribute to community differences. The ECMF communities from the rainiest and the driest cork oak forests were distinct, with soils from the rainiest climates being more heterogeneous than those from the driest climates. The analyses of several abiotic factors on the ECMF communities revealed that bioclimate, precipitation, soil texture, and forest management strongly influenced ECMF structure. Shifts in ECMF with different hyphal exploration types were also detected among forests, with precipitation, forest system, and soil texture being the main drivers controlling their composition. Understanding the effects of environmental factors on the structuring of ECM communities could be the first step for promoting the sustainability of this threatened ecosystem.
- A framework for the management of research and innovation projects in academic settingsPublication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Varela, Carolina; Martínez-Galán, EnriqueThe contemporary complex settings under which research and innovation (R&I) activities are executed in academic institutions calls for the definition of suitable management and administration approaches. To this end, (1) the existing literature on the management of R&I projects in the academia is reviewed; (2) major specificities of R&I projects are discussed; (3) recent trends in project management are addressed; and (4) a specific framework for the management of R&I projects in higher education is proposed. The proposed management framework is defined in eight pillars, namely: (i) clarification of scope and goals; (ii) use of standards; (iii) scalability and flexibility; (iv) workflow modelling; (v) use of tools, techniques and templates; (vi) existence of a “project board” or similar; (vii) adequate risk management; and (viii) organizational learning. The authors argue that it should be seen as a practical tool for university managers and administrators to apply a structured and comprehensive overview of key action areas that will increase the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of R&I project management and administration in academic contexts.
- A framework for the management of research and innovation projects: mission impossible?Publication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Martinez-Galán, Enrique; Varela, CarolinaThe shift from discipline-based research (“mode 1”) to interdisciplinary knowledge production involving industry or service partnerships and increased social accountability (“mode 2”) have led to deep changes in the organizational structure of research and innovation (R&I) ecosystems. In particular, public researchperforming organizations have been re-shaping their management and organizational structures towards a more market-oriented direction, with a strong executive control approach also known as ‘New managerialism’. Also, since the 1990s, R&I organizations have increasingly adopted collaborative research projects, seeking access to complementary knowledge and competencies, additional drive to innovate, and increasing funding opportunities (regional, national and supranational). In this type of environment, consortia of public, academic, and private agents that share a common research interest work across disciplinary, organizational, and national boundaries to achieve innovative results. Under “mode 2” R&I projects, managers must integrate individual and small-team research activities that demand high levels of creativity and innovation. However, funding bodies and institutions require clear work plans, perfectly defined and assigned responsibilities, and strict schedules, deliverables and milestones. This apparent contradiction calls for flexible and adaptable project management principles. In fact, “traditional” management strategies, such as pure “waterfall” methods tend to fail. Success or failure of contemporary R&I endeavours is, therefore, strongly linked to the project management practices adopted by institutions and teams along a collaborative and “open” context under which new knowledge and technologies are nowadays developed. The contextual complexity, uncertainty and creative nature of R&I does definitely not mean that no structure, no planning and no management is neither necessary nor possible. But it does mean that the way we organize and manage research projects should reflect and aim to accommodate this ambiguity and complexity. By presenting, assessing and discussing the case study of ValorNatural, a project funded by the Portuguese government under the country framework programme 2014-2020 of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), the authors propose a framework for the successful management of R&I projects. To this aim, the research methodology is based on action research, participatory observation and on the own experience of the authors. This framework should be seen as a practical tool for scientific projects managers. It seeks to provide a structured, comprehensive overview of key pillars that should underpin the development and implementation of project management to R&I endeavours. We conclude that (i) R&I projects substantially differ from “traditional” projects, (ii) R&I projects are characterized by high uncertainty, high contextual complexity, and high stakeholder heterogeneity, (iii) R&I projects are conditioned by the observed strong mismatch between the flexibility requested to researchers in the pre-award phase and the rigidity demanded by the funding agencies during the post-award phase, and (iv) adequate R&I project management helps avoid common pitfalls and improve project success. Learning Outcomes (max 50 words) - R&I projects substantially differ from “traditional” projects. - Key features: high uncertainty, high contextual complexity and high stakeholder heterogeneity. - R&I projects are conditioned by a mismatch between flexibility in the pre-award phase and rigidity during the post-award phase. - Adequate R&I project management helps avoid common pitfalls and improve success.
- A framework for the management of research and innovation projects: mission impossible?Publication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Martinez-Galán, Enrique; Varela, CarolinaThe shift from discipline-based research (“mode 1”) to interdisciplinary knowledge production involving industry or service partnerships and increased social accountability (“mode 2”) have led to deep changes in the organizational structure of research and innovation (R&I) ecosystems. In particular, public researchperforming organizations have been re-shaping their management and organizational structures towards a more market-oriented direction, with a strong executive control approach also known as ‘New managerialism’. Also, since the 1990s, R&I organizations have increasingly adopted collaborative research projects, seeking access to complementary knowledge and competencies, additional drive to innovate, and increasing funding opportunities (regional, national and supranational). In this type of environment, consortia of public, academic, and private agents that share a common research interest work across disciplinary, organizational, and national boundaries to achieve innovative results.
- Genetic variation of cork oak a tool for improving regeneration of cork oak woodlandsPublication . Almeida, Maria Helena; Aranda, Ismael; Chambel, Maria Regina; Silva, F. Costa e; Dettori, Sandro; Faria, Carla Maria Gomes Marques; Filigheddu, Maria Rosaria; Fernández, Elena; Khaldi, Abedelhamid; Patrício, Maria Sameiro; Perez, Felipe; Ramirez-Valiente, José Alberto; Rodrigues, Ana; Sampaio, Teresa; Varela, CarolinaThe European Academies' Science Advisory Council (2017) reports that the Mediterranean forest is already being affected by climate change (IPCC, 2014) and cork oak woodlands are particularly vulnerable to high-end climate scenarios that go above the Paris Agreement 2° C increase in temperature. Since longer, more frequent, and more intense drought periods are expected, stress caused by the expansion of arid and semi-arid climate will affect the species distribution. Consequently, not only established stands may be prone to tree mortality, but also the current reforestation effort may be jeopardized by low survival rates attributed to the use of unsuitable genetic material. It is expected that, through genetic adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity, cork oak populations may have developed significant differences in fitness and the traits related to it. In this context, provenance and progeny trials are the best resource of material to assess the variability between and within populations from seed sources sampled in a wide range of locations (stands) covering the geographical distribution of the species. Profiting from the multi-locality provenance and progeny trials belonging to a Network, established in 1998, in the initiative frame of FAIR I CT 0202 for the evaluation of genetic resources of cork oak for appropriate use in breeding and gene conservation strategies”, where 35 cork oak populations covering all the natural distribution area are represented. The provenance trials that where set up in different countries are entering now the age of first debarking and this should allow to have first data about the influence of genetics on production by different site qualities. INCREDIBLE project should document this knowledge
- Geographic variation in cork oak and its implications for expected impacts of climate changePublication . Rodrigues, Ana; Sampaio, Teresa; Silva, João Costa e; Patrício, Maria Sameiro; Silva, Filipe Costa e; Faria, Carla Maria Gomes Marques; Correia, António H.; Varela, Carolina; Pereira, João Santos; Almeida, Maria HelenaCork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a protected tree species in Portugal, being also the source of raw material for the cork industry, a major player in Portuguese economy (representing 3% of GDP in 2010). The future climatic scenarios for Portugal point to an increase in average summer temperatures from 0.3 to 0.7ºC between 2016 and 2035, and up to 4.6ºC until 2100. In addition, precipitation estimates suggest a reduction of annual rainfall from 20 to 40%, especially in southern Portugal. Water stress will, therefore, be a leading constraint to primary production. The combined effects of drought and high temperatures will lead to decreases in carbon assimilation and increases in tree mortality, and consequently current reforestation efforts will need to account for these expected adverse outcomes through the sustainable use of suitable genetic material. There are several reasons that can be highlighted to emphasize the need for an efficient management of cork oak genetic resources in Portugal, namely: i) to avoid cork import, and thus to increase cork production to meet the industry demands; ii) to overcome a generally poor area of natural regeneration, which does not help to ensure an in situ conservation of genetic resources; iii) to deploy adapted genetic material for afforestation/reforestation; and iv) to develop a gene resources conservation program, as cork oak is a vital component of agro-silvopastoral systems in the Mediterranean region. Given the broad native range of the species, involving significant environmental and geographic gradients, a high level of genetic variation can be expected. It is possible that disruptive selection has caused a large differentiation in adaptive traits among populations, namely in the ability to tolerate different environmental stress events (e.g. drought and frost) and to cope with pests and diseases. Between 1998 and 2011, we have collected data involving survival, growth, phenology and water-use efficiency traits from five common-garden provenance trials (including family structure in two of the trials), that were established in Portugal under a concerted action launched by the EUFORGEN’s network. These multi-site field experiments are based on up to 35 tested provenances covering the entire natural distribution of cork oak, and results obtained from the genetic evaluation of the trials have indicated significant differences among populations for all the measured traits at all observed ages. Four of the tested provenances (Alpujarras – Haza de Lino, Puglia – Lucci - S. Teresa, Landes - Soustons, Rif Occidental – Ain Rami) were then chosen according to their contrasting field performance for growth, phenology and water-use efficiency (WUE), and were further evaluated under controlled-environment conditions where drought stress was induced. In this context, the main drivers of drought adaptation appeared to be early stomatal closure and root investment, which also showed significant differences among the selected provenances. The responses to drought over time also varied among these studied populations, and seemed to be related to their differences in growth rhythm. The Ain Rami population seemed to be most prone population to endure drought conditions. Facing a water deficit scenario this population, with highest growth, showed a higher investment on roots compared to the Haza de Lino population, that even under optimal hydration status, had lower biomass values, more reduced transpiration area (smallest size, with lowest Specific Leaf Area), leading to a lower water consumption. This population showed a delay in onset of stress when compared to other populations, only revealed no stomatal limitations with high stress levels. Furthermore, Ain Rami showed higher WUE under drought conditions both in the field trials and under controlled conditions, but average WUE in wet conditions. The results from the field and controlled-environment experiments were consistent in that geographic origin had an important influence on the performance of fitness surrogates and functional traits, and thus providing a strong indication that seed origin must be considered in cork oak reforestation programs.
- Professionals at the interface of science: is there more than meets the eye?Publication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Varela, Carolina; Kerridge, SimonThe increasing professionalisation, mixed profiles, and institutional formal recognition of research managers and administrators (RMAs), namely at higher education institutions, has led to an increasing but modest volume of academic studies focused on their professional identity, roles, functions and impact. Based on an extensive literature review, the authors suggest however that current definitions for RMAs miss, or at least do not explicitly address, a crucial part of the research and innovation systems worldwide: the research managers, administrators, communicators, and technicians that work at research funding and policy agencies. It is the authors’ opinion that RMAs working at research funding and policy agencies should be addressed as an intrinsic part of the global community as they provide a unique perspective of the overall research and innovation system. They are in fact a missing link in the RMA ecosystem that needs to be addressed for a holistic evolution of contemporary and future research and innovation systems.
- The interface of science: the case for a broader definition of research managementPublication . Agostinho, Marta; Alves, Catarina Moniz; Aresta, Sandra; Borrego, Filipa; Borlido-Santos, Júlio; Cortez, João; Costa, Tatiana Lima; Lopes, José António; Moreira, Susana; Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Trindade, Margarida; Varela, Carolina; Vidal, SheilaThis paper results from on-going reflection within the practitioners group Plataforma de Interface à Ciência (Platform of Professionals at the Interface of Science), an informal nationwide network in Portugal that brings together professionals involved in a large scope of activities related to research management, knowledge transfer and science communication. Due to the wide scope of functions and profiles of these professionals, they are not publicly nor institutionally recognised as part of the same professional group, which raises barriers for their recognition as relevant players in the research & innovation ecosystem and full achievement of their potential. We take stock of the several definitions of their roles found in the literature and conclude on the need for an inclusive approach to consider these roles as a profession. We propose the designation of Professionals at the Interface of Science (PIoS) to name this wide group of professionals that sits at the interface at all scientific disciplines.
- Where Do RMAs Work?Publication . Santos, José M.R.C.A.; Varela, Carolina; Kerridge, Simon; Fischer, MelindaIn this chapter, we will explore where Research Management and Administrators (RMAs) work, in terms of the types of organisations and their structures. While the majority of RMAs work in research-performing organisations (RPOs), such as universities, research institutes and hospitals, some work in other related organisations, such as research funders, think tanks and consultancy firms (non-RPOs). These different working contexts will be critically analysed in light of previous studies, and data collected through surveys and interviews. Quotes will be used to illustrate different professional settings. The interviewees selected derive from two world regions (USA and Europe) to understand the different challenges and settings associated with the diverse research ecosystems that each region represents. Finally, major conclusions and recommendations will be highlighted.