A dialogue towards establishing a new research agenda on Data Science, Climate Change, Space and Oceans to be centered on the Atlantic, together with the potential development of an Azores International Research Center (i.e., AIR Center), has been prepared by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, FCT, through a series of high level research workshops to discuss multilateral scientific cooperation through an integrative approach benefitting from the unique environment offered by the Azores and the Atlantic.

On November 16, 2016, different meetings between Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Portugal and Dr. Paulo Ferrao, President of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and representatives of the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) – Portugal program areas in portugal were held in Austin. During the meetings, the Azores International Research Center initiative was presented and the potential areas of interest and collaboration with the UT Austin Scientific Program were discussed.