Maria Manuela Pires Rosa

Maria Manuela Pires Rosa serves as Coordinating Professor at the School of Engineering, University of Algarve, where she teaches Sustainable Cities, Accessible Tourism, and Sustainable Tourism. She holds a PhD in Spatial Planning and Environmental Strategies from Universidad de Sevilla, an M.Sc. in Renovation of Architectural and Landscape Heritage from University of Évora, and a Civil Engineering degree from Instituto Superior Técnico.

Her research focuses on sustainable urban mobility, universal accessibility, and inclusive tourism development. Key contributions include methodological frameworks for evaluating universal accessibility in pedestrian routes, standards for tactile paving at bus stops, and innovative approaches to 15-minute cities and proximity urbanism. She examines how elderly and disabled populations interact with urban infrastructure and tourism destinations, bridging engineering principles with social considerations.

Professor Rosa coordinates the Research Center for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being (CinTurs), funded by Portugal's Foundation for Science and Technology. Her recent publications analyze digital literacy among elderly tourists, inclusive bus stop design, and nature-based solutions for urban resilience. She has significantly influenced accessible tourism infrastructure development in Mediterranean contexts through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications.

• Ethics Ambassador for Engineering Professors' Council/Royal Academy of Engineering (UK)
• Member of Expert Panel for Urban Transformation Capacities call (JPI Urban Europe/European Commission, 2021)
• Keynote speaker at United Nations Academic Impact webinar on Urban Sustainability (2021)
• Presenter at COP27 parallel event on Nature-based Solutions (2022)

As supervisor, Professor Rosa emphasizes collaborative design approaches, integrating students into real-world projects like the ACCES4ALL initiative. Her lab, CinTurs, maintains active collaborations with institutions across the Eurocity of Guadiana region and participates in European sustainability frameworks. Current research examines the intersection of sustainable mobility, universal design, and tourism development in Mediterranean contexts, with particular focus on creating inclusive urban environments that serve diverse populations.