Rui Prada is a Full Professor at the Department of Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence , Game Development , and Human-Machine Interaction , with emphasis on socially intelligent agents and affective computing. His work explores Multi-Agent Systems , XR Testing , and Educational Game Design , particularly for neurodiverse populations. Recent publications highlight Procedural Content Generation , Human-AI Collaboration , and Social Power Dynamics in agent-based systems. Scientific contributions include the Best Poster Award and leadership in projects like PartiPlay and RAGE , advancing Inclusive AI and Game Technologies Marketplace frameworks.
Pedro Ferreira is a Professor at Iscte Business School, ISCTE - IUL, Lisbon, Portugal. His academic work spans multiple disciplines including business model innovation, cultural management, digital display systems, and consumer behavior. Key research areas: Business Model Innovation, Cultural Management, Digital Display Systems Interdisciplinary work: Healthcare Management, Energy Efficiency, Sensory Marketing Notable collaborations: Rock in Rio, Ferreira's de Castro Cultural Complex His publications demonstrate ecosystem-based approaches to cultural economics, with applications in virtual reality exhibitions and sustainable business practices. Recent work focuses on technology integration in perfume exhibitions and energy efficiency strategies. Earlier research includes pharmacological studies on P2X7 receptors in colitis and foundational financial accounting textbooks. He has analyzed group buying systems in Portugal and explored intersections between management theory and art. Academic contributions span 45 years, with a 2024 patent on digital display systems and a 1979 report on tomato industry economics. Current affiliations include: Iscte Business School ExecED at ISCTE INDEG-ISCTE Edifício INDEG-ISCTE, Lisbon
Sandra C. Soares is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the University of Aveiro, Department of Education and Psychology, and a Researcher at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Her academic career spans over 15 years, with continuous contributions to cognitive neuroscience, emotion processing, and social cognition research. Dr. Soares' research interests focus on understanding how emotions such as fear and disgust impact behavior, psychophysiology, and neural processing. She employs a multisensory approach (primarily visual and olfactory stimuli) to investigate these phenomena, examining how emotional processes interact with cognitive functions like attention and memory. Her work integrates evolutionary theories with both basic and applied research settings, including clinical disorders such as Psychotic Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorders, and Phobias. She maintains strong interdisciplinary collaborations with computer science experts to develop personalized and preventive mental health care systems. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of emotion, perception, and cognition, with particular emphasis on how threat-related stimuli are processed. Her work spans multiple methodologies including psychophysiological measurements, behavioral experiments, and neuroimaging techniques. A significant portion of her research examines olfactory-emotional interactions and their implications for understanding social cognition in both neurotypical populations and clinical conditions. Dr. Soares leads the Social Cognition and Body Odors Team, where she combines experimental-cognitive approaches with clinical applications. Her research has significant implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying social cognition deficits in clinical populations and developing more effective interventions. With 199 publications and over 37,000 reads on ResearchGate, her work has garnered considerable attention in the scientific community, with 1,411 citations reflecting its impact in the field.
Ana Paiva is a Full Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Lisbon's Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), and coordinator of the GAIPS research group at INESC-ID, now focused on AI for People and Society. She holds a Katherine Hampson Bessell Fellowship at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Her work centers on creating socially intelligent AI and robots through agent-based approaches, emphasizing emotional and cultural competencies. Key research areas include Social Robotics, Affective Computing, and Pro-social Computing. She leads projects like the EU-funded ANIMATAS ITN network and Portugal's AMIGOS/AGENTS initiatives. Notable contributions include the FAtiMA Toolkit for developing emotional AI agents and pioneering work in hybrid human-machine societies. She has received awards such as the EurAI Fellowship (2019) and the Blue Sky Ideas Award at AAAI’18. Her research explores how machines can foster prosocial behaviors like altruism and cooperation, with applications in education, therapy, and ethical AI design. Her advising includes PhD students like Fernando Santos (Victor Lesser Award winner) and Elmira Yadollahi (ACM award recipient). Current projects focus on inclusive robotics for mixed-ability classrooms and ethical frameworks for human-robot collaboration.
Andreia Sousa is an active researcher at Universidade Lusófona's Faculty of Communication, Architecture, Arts and Information Technologies (FCAATI), where she contributes to the Human Environment Interaction Lab (HEI-LAB). With an ORCID ID (0000-0001-8070-8970), she maintains a robust research profile spanning from 2013 to the present, with multiple ongoing projects extending through 2026. Her academic work bridges design, technology, and human factors with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations including dementia patients, cancer patients, and older adults. Dr. Sousa's research interests center around human-computer interaction , user experience design , and digital health applications . Her work consistently applies user-centered methodologies to address real-world challenges in healthcare, rehabilitation, and social inclusion. She demonstrates particular expertise in interface design for medical contexts, virtual reality rehabilitation systems, and digital platforms promoting healthy behaviors. Her research fingerprint reveals strong connections to centered approaches, interface design, cancer patient care, user experience, information architecture, and journalism. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward increasingly impactful applications of design principles in healthcare contexts. Starting with foundational work on e-health trust and credibility in 2016, her research evolved toward specialized applications including cancer patient onboarding (2020), virtual rehabilitation (2022-2024), and dementia caregiver support systems (2025). A notable trend is her growing focus on algorithm experience and digital platform design, culminating in her 2025 work on YouTube advertising performance. Best Practices of research and teaching (2022) Dr. Sousa actively contributes to multiple research projects including SiX (focusing on social re-connectivity for patients with Locked-In Syndrome), MARTageCARE (developing toolkits for older adults), and FEMglocal (studying feminist movements). Her role as a researcher on these projects demonstrates her collaborative approach and ability to secure external funding. She regularly participates in academic activities including invited talks, conference organization, and peer review services, indicating her growing recognition within her fields of expertise. As a member of HEI-LAB, Dr. Sousa contributes to an interdisciplinary research environment focused on human-environment interactions through digital technologies. Her work connects design principles with practical healthcare applications, creating meaningful impact in both academic and real-world settings.
Francisco Esteves is a Researcher at the Católica Research Center for Psychological, Family and Social Wellbeing (CRC-W) within the Faculty of Human Sciences at Catholic University of Portugal. His work spans Psychology , Psychometrics , and Empathy Research , with a focus on affective systems, emotional processing, and human-robot interactions. He has contributed to studies on health literacy , subjective well-being , and clinical psychology , often integrating facial expression analysis and skin conductance responses . Esteves’ research explores empathy development across age groups, dishonesty in human-robot contexts, and attentional mechanisms in emotional and clinical domains. His publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining neuroscience , robotics , and mental health . While not explicitly mentioning students, his collaborations with CRC-W researchers like Gaspar and Almeida indicate team-based investigations. Awards and funding details are absent in the provided text.
Arminda Guerra Lopes is a Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal, with 25 years of academic service. She holds a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) and maintains a research fellowship at the Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI/LARSyS) in Portugal. Her institutional leadership includes roles as School Vice Director and President of scientific/pedagogical boards. Her research focuses on human-centered technology design, with expertise in: Social informatics and collaborative systems Human-Work Interaction Design (HWID) Creativity support tools Quality-of-life technologies AI-human interaction paradigms She maintains active international collaborations across Europe and Asia. Recent publications (2017-2023) demonstrate strong focus on AI interactions, workplace systems, and accessibility solutions, with recurring themes of pilot implementation studies, artistic interfaces, and wellbeing technologies. Her work frequently employs mixed-methods approaches bridging technical development with human behavioral analysis. Dr. Guerra leads research teams exploring affective computing, augmented reality navigation, and game-based learning, with projects involving multisensory installations, gesture recognition systems, and community information platforms.
Ana Maria Neves de Almeida Baptista Figueiredo is a Coordinator Professor and academic leader at the Institute of Engineering of Polytechnic of Porto (ISEP/IPP). She currently serves as President of the ISEP Scientific Council (since 2018), Sub-Director of post-graduation programmes in Big Data & Decision Making and Industry 4.0, and holds numerous leadership roles in accreditation processes including A3ES, EUR-ACE, and ABET. She is a Senior Researcher at GECAD (Research Group on Intelligent Engineering and Computing for Advanced Innovation and Development) and member of LASI (Associated Laboratory of Intelligent Systems). Education: PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering (2003) from University of Minho MSc in Electronic and Computer Engineering - Specialization in Industrial Informatics (1996) from University of Porto BSc in Industrial Informatics (1993) from Polytechnic Institute of Oporto - Institute of Engineering BSc in Electronic Engineering (1990) from Polytechnic Institute of Oporto - Institute of Engineering Professor Figueiredo specializes in Ambient Intelligence, Decision Support Systems, and Intelligent Systems with applications spanning multiple domains. Her research combines artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and user-centered design to develop innovative solutions. She has particular expertise in creating personalized systems that adapt to user needs and contexts, with strong emphasis on practical applications in real-world settings. Her publication record reveals consistent research activity across three main application domains: tourism technology (personalized recommendation systems, smart travel planning), Industry 4.0 (intelligent manufacturing, production scheduling), and healthcare (respiratory monitoring, medical diagnostics). The research demonstrates a clear trajectory from foundational work in scheduling algorithms to increasingly sophisticated intelligent systems incorporating machine learning, sensor networks, and emotional computing. Awards and Recognition: 2017 Award of merit for scientific publication in TELEMATICA AND INFORMATICS journal 2017 Prémio SPAIC – AstraZeneca for FRASIS respiratory monitoring project 2013 PIPED honorable mention for Android e-learning platform 2012 1st place in POLIEMPREENDE entrepreneurship competition with NearTour project 1995 Best student award in Industrial Informatics Engineering Professor Figueiredo has supervised 3 completed PhD theses with 1 ongoing, and more than thirty MSc dissertations. She has participated as Principal or Co-Principal Investigator in 6 projects and as Researcher in more than 20 projects, securing funding from FCT and other agencies. Her work has been supported by significant grants including TheRoute, GROUPLANNER, Smartravel, ATT, InVALUE, INVALUE_PT, NIS, PIANISM, Cyberfactory, SECOIIA, and produtech_R3. She leads research activities within GECAD and LASI, collaborating with international teams from Spain, Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Turkey, and Italy. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications through partnerships with business organizations, public entities, and professional associations across multiple sectors.
Ângelo Nunes Milhano is a Visiting Professor at the University of Évora and researcher at Praxis: Center for Philosophy, Politics and Culture. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Évora (2018) and a Master's in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy from the University of Porto (2010). His research focuses on the hermeneutic analysis of digital technologies' impact on human existence, critical theory of technology, and existential philosophy. He has taught courses on ethics in the digital era, philosophy of technology, and bioethics. Key professional roles include: Visiting Professor, University of Évora (2021–present) Researcher, Foundation for Science and Technology (2020–2021) Professor at Universidade Agostinho Neto, Angola (2014–2016) Organizer of international conferences on technology philosophy and ethics Editorial roles in philosophy journals and edited volumes Research interests emphasize: Hermeneutics of digital media Technological ethics and existential consequences Critical theory of technology from Feenberg to Heidegger Postphenomenological analysis of AI and digital tools His recent work addresses: Privacy in digital spaces Technological alienation in post-pandemic society AI's ethical implications in education and work He actively participates in academic governance as: Member of the Portuguese Philosophical Society's audit board Board member of the Society for Philosophy and Technology Course coordinator for undergraduate and graduate programs in philosophy His contributions include over 30 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and edited volumes on technology's philosophical dimensions.
Inês Boavida Portugal is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Geography and Territorial Planning (IGOT), University of Lisbon, specializing in geography and urban planning. Her work bridges Geographic Information Systems (GIS), agent-based modeling, and tourism research with a focus on participatory methods and biosensing technologies. Education: PhD in Geography (2016) from IGOT, University of Lisbon MSc in Territorial Management with specialization in Remote Sensing and GIS (2010) from NOVA University Lisbon BSc in Geography and Regional Planning (2007) from NOVA University Lisbon Her research explores urban tourism dynamics, pedestrian flow analysis, and affective geographies through innovative methods like mobile biosensing and social force modeling. Recent publications address digital twins, crisis communication during the pandemic, and the integration of GIS with behavioral analysis. Key trends in her work include: Smart tourism systems using geospatial data Crowd simulation for event safety Emotional mapping of public spaces Sustainable urban planning frameworks Agent-based modeling of destination decision-making She contributes to projects like UrBio, which uses participatory biosensing to identify affective geographies and memory sites. Her methodological focus spans GIS, spatial-temporal analysis, and multi-agent systems.
Rosa Serradas Duarte serves as Associate Professor at Lusófona University in Lisbon, Portugal, currently holding leadership positions as Deputy Director of the Doctorate in Education and Co-coordinator of the Master's in Special Education. Her academic trajectory spans multiple educational sectors with documented expertise in pedagogical innovation and educational policy development. Her educational qualifications include: PhD in Education Sciences from Lumière University - Lyon2, France Master's degree in Education Sciences (Special Education specialization) from University of Lisbon Postgraduate degree in Education Law Bachelor's degree in Physical Education Her research concentrates on teacher syndicalism, educational policy frameworks, and teacher training methodologies. Historical analysis of Portuguese teacher unionism (1890-1990) forms a foundational component of her work, while recent investigations examine contemporary intersections between curriculum autonomy, teacher well-being, and leadership challenges. She actively contributes to debates on teacher valuation policies and professional development structures. Analysis of her 2018-2025 publications reveals evolving research priorities: early work focused on historical teacher associationism and Mozambican teacher training, while current scholarship increasingly addresses systemic factors affecting teacher well-being through systematic reviews of curriculum autonomy and leadership models. Her methodological contributions include the ReMASE framework for research methods education and innovative approaches to integrated curriculum design. No scientific awards were documented in the provided sources. Dr. Serradas Duarte has secured research funding as Principal Investigator for the FCT-funded project 'Paths of Teacher Associationism and Unionism in Portugal (1890-1990)' (2010-2013) and currently participates in multiple institutional research initiatives. She serves on educational policy committees and contributes to teacher training program development, particularly in special education contexts and continuous professional development frameworks.
Carlos Miguel Martins Campos is an Assistant Professor at Lusófona University , conducting core research at the HEI-Lab - Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab and collaborating with the Center for Rehabilitation Research (Polytechnic Institute of Porto). His work bridges social and affective neuroscience, focusing on interoception, psychopathy, empathy, and their links to psychopathology. Dr. Campos leads two major funded projects: Interoceptively Expecting (FCT-funded) examines interoception's longitudinal role in pregnancy and early parenthood, while Empathic Heart (BIAL Foundation) explores neurophysiological links between empathy and interoception. He integrates behavioral, neurophysiological, and computational methods, with advanced training at institutions like the Donders Institute and Oxford University. His recent publications span social cognition , neurobiology , and mental health , emphasizing interoception's role in psychopathy dimensions and maternal-infant bonding. He supervises students across levels (>45 undergraduates, 12 masters, 1 PhD) and serves on editorial boards for journals like Frontiers in Psychology . Collaborations include COMPETE2020 and FCT grants, with a focus on neuroplasticity and predictive processing frameworks.
Patrícia Oliveira-Silva is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology , Catholic University of Portugal, and a researcher at the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH) . She directs the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory (HNL) , fostering interdisciplinary research in cognitive and affective neuroscience.
Patrícia Raquel de Jesus Araújo Alves is a PhD student at the University of Minho and a Guest Assistant Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ISEP-IPP). She holds a Master in Informatics and Computing Engineering from the University of Porto and a Bachelor's in Chemistry. Her academic career includes multiple research grants from FCT and participation in projects related to artificial intelligence, gamification, and group recommender systems in tourism. PhD in Informatics (ongoing), University of Minho MSc in Informatics and Computing Engineering, University of Porto BSc in Chemistry, University of Porto Microbiological Analysis Technician Certificate, Portuguese Catholic University Her research focuses on Artificial Intelligence applications in tourism, particularly group recommender systems, gamification, and affective computing. She has developed frameworks for context-aware group recommendations and multi-agent microservices, addressing challenges like conflicting preferences and cold-start problems. Her work has been published in journals like Applied Sciences and Neurocomputing , as well as conferences such as ACM UMAP and AAMAS. Key trends in her recent publications include: Integration of personality traits into group recommendation algorithms Use of gamification for user engagement and data collection Application of microservices architecture for scalable decision support systems Exploration of augmented reality and pervasive games in tourism Development of consensus-based multi-agent frameworks Advancing dispersed group decision-making methodologies Scientific recognition includes: Second Best Paper Prize at Pro-VE 2012 IBM Demonstration Award for PAAMS'22 She has served as co-orientador for multiple undergraduate and master's theses at ISEP-IPP, covering topics from multi-agent microservices to gamification in education. Her professional experience spans academic research at institutions like ALGORITMI Centre and GECAD, as well as industry roles at Altran Portugal and SPMS.
Maria Helena de Aguiar Pereira e Pestana is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Quantitative Methods for Management and Economics, Institute of Business Sciences (IBS) at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon. She has been a professor at ISCTE since 1982 and holds a PhD in Quantitative Management Methods. Dr. Pestana is also a researcher at Unifai-University of Porto and collaborates with Dinamia-ISCTE and CEPCEP-UCP, CINTESIS (Center for Research in Health Technologies and Services at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto). Her educational background includes a PhD in Quantitative Management Methods from ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon (2003), a Master's degree in Quantitative Management Methods from the Higher Institute of Economics (1984-1985), Scientific Pedagogical Tests from ISCTE (1985), and a Bachelor's degree in Business Organization and Management from ISCTE-IUL (1981). Dr. Pestana's research spans Statistics, Econometrics, and Data Analysis applied to Demography, Economics, Finance, Gerontology, Administration, Psychology, Health, Sociology, and Tourism. Her recent work focuses on multivariate analysis, scientometrics/bibliometrics, programming, big data, and social networks with applications in health and social sciences. She has pioneered statistics and data analysis books in Portugal complemented with SPSS applications since 1998. Her publication record shows a strong trend in senior tourism research, dementia studies, and the application of network science to analyze intellectual structures in various fields. The most recent articles demonstrate her expertise in scientometric analysis, virtual reality applications for dementia, and the psychological impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on university students. Certificate from PSE (IBM-SPSS representative in Portugal) for pioneering the first statistics and data analysis books in Portugal Dr. Pestana has authored numerous books on data analysis using SPSS, with her publications cited over 10,000 times according to Google Scholar. Her work spans multiple disciplines, demonstrating interdisciplinary research capabilities that bridge quantitative methods with practical applications in social sciences and health. She has collaborated with researchers from various institutions globally, particularly in tourism and health-related studies. Her research activities include leading scientometric analyses of dementia, senior tourism, and affective computing, as well as investigating the impact of Tai Chi on elderly health and the application of virtual reality in dementia treatment. She has also conducted extensive research on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on university students' lives and adaptive behaviors.
