From 29 to 31 January 2026, CES BIOASSEMBLER team member Kristen Connor participated in the 9th Annual Meeting of Political Economy, held at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto and the Católica Porto Business School of the Portuguese Catholic University, in Porto, Portugal.

The research was presented in an oral presentation co-authored with CES BIOASSEMBLER researchers Joana Vaz Sousa, Filipe Santos, Gustavo García-López, and Rita Campos, as part of the panel “Political Economy and Sociology from Laboratories to Territories: Conflicts for Justice in the Techno-Scientific Era”.

Titled “From Crime Scenes to Aquaculture: Social and Political Dimensions of Emerging Biosensor Technologies in Portugal”, the presentation examined potential real-world applications of biosensors in forensic science and food safety in Portugal, drawing on qualitative research including interviews and ethnographic research. In addition to emphasizing the importance of participatory research and knowledge production, including in scientific and technological innovation, the presentation discussed the iterative relationship between qualitative research and the science communication outputs in the BIOASSEMBLER project.

While science communicators play an important role in research, the presentation argued that researchers across STEM fields, the social sciences, and humanities share a collective responsibility to communicate their work in dialogue with broader publics.

The 9th Annual Meeting of Political Economy, organized by the Institute of Sociology of the University of Porto (IS-UP), was dedicated to the theme “Fundamental rights, well-being, and quality of life”. The event brought together national and international researchers to discuss contemporary challenges in political economy, sociology, and social justice.