Dr. Carla Vilela is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aveiro and Principal Researcher at CICECO. She coordinates the Sustainable Materials research line and leads projects on cellulose-based materials and circular economy. Her research focuses on sustainable materials from cellulose and renewable resources for applications in water remediation, food packaging, and textiles. Education includes a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Aveiro and postdoctoral work at CICECO and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (UK). Research interests include: Development of cellulose-based functional materials Nanocomposites for biomedical applications Sustainable packaging solutions Biopolymer modification and characterization Publications demonstrate strong focus on cellulose nanocomposites, bioprinting bioinks, and active packaging. Recent articles frequently involve nanocellulose modifications, drug delivery systems, and sustainable material design. Awards include being named among World's Top 2% Scientists annually since 2020. Funding includes national projects (Cell4Janus) and EU collaborations (PRIMA Im-Pack). Leads the BioPol4Fun research group and supervises 6 PhD students. Current projects explore cellulose-based microrobots, resin valorization, and marine biopolymers.
Zita Vale is a Full Professor at the Institute of Engineering (ISEP) of the Polytechnic of Porto (IPP), where she holds the first Full Professor position since 2017. She is a co-founder of GECAD (1999) and coordinates GECAD's Power and Energy (PES) activities. GECAD is recognized by FCT since 2004 and classified as Excellent. She has served as GECAD director (2010-2017), vice-director (1999-2009, 2017-present), and is a member of the administration board. She is also co-founder and member of the coordination board of the National Associated Laboratory on Intelligent Systems. Her educational background includes a PhD (1993) and Agregação/Habilitation (2003) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Porto. She began her academic career at the University of Porto as a Teaching Monitor (1985), Assistant (1985-1993), and Professor (1993-1998) before moving to ISEP in 1998. Zita Vale's research focuses on the design and development of artificial intelligence-based models for Power and Energy Systems. Her work spans knowledge-based systems, multiagent systems, machine learning, metaheuristics, and semantics, with applications in smart grids, energy management, electricity markets, and renewable energy integration. She has an extensive international network and has participated in 80 R&D projects, raising over 22 million Euros for GECAD. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on optimization techniques, explainable AI, energy storage systems, and the integration of distributed energy resources in power systems. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Applied Energy (Elsevier), a leading journal in the field with an Impact Factor of 11.2. Her citation metrics are impressive, with over 17,000 citations on Google Scholar and an H-index of 64. Editor-in-Chief of Applied Energy (Elsevier) Over 17,000 citations on Google Scholar H-index of 64 Zita Vale has supervised 29 PhD students (25 completed) and 72 MSc students (66 completed), demonstrating her strong commitment to academic mentorship. She has also been involved in numerous international and national evaluation processes, including project proposals, faculty positions, and PhD juries across 15+ countries. She has contributed to over 225 evaluation processes from 2018-2023, including 150+ project proposals/execution, 50+ Faculty/Researchers positions, 2 Habilitation juries, and 25+ PhD juries. She leads GECAD's involvement in several major research initiatives, including the National Associated Laboratory on Intelligent Systems and various European projects such as IoTalentum, TRADERES, DOMINOES, and EcoRural-IoT from Horizon 2020, as well as PRODUTECH EU DIH from Horizon Europe. Her leadership extends to international organizations where she serves as President of Intelligent Systems Applications in Power (ISAP) and Technical Committee Program Chair of IEEE PES Analytic Methods for Power Systems Committee.
João F. Mano is a Full Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, and Director of the Doctoral Program on Biotechnology. He leads the COMPASS Research Group and serves as Vice-Director at CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials. His academic appointments include Invited Professor at University of Lorraine (France), Visiting Professor at KAIST (South Korea), and Adjunct Professor at Ajou University (South Korea). Education: PhD in Chemistry (1996, Technical University of Lisbon); D.Sc. in Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells (2012, University of Minho) Research Interests focus on Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine , integrating Nanotechnology , Microtechnology , and Biofabrication . His group develops Bioinspired Materials using polymer chemistry, Decellularized Extracellular Matrix , and 3D Bioprinting to engineer Cell Microenvironments for therapeutic applications. Recent Publications highlight advancements in Human-Derived Hydrogels , Photopolymerizable Scaffolds , Magneto-Responsive Biomaterials , and Programmable Bioinks . Trends show emphasis on Organ-on-a-Chip integration, Smart Living Materials , and Green Bioprinting methodologies. Scientific Awards include: European Research Council Advanced Grants (2015, 2020) Fellow at IUPAC, European Academy of Sciences, and American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering ERC Proof of Concept Grants Doctor Honoris Causa from University of Lorraine and Utrecht UNESCO Chair on Biomaterials George Winter Award (European Society for Biomaterials) Supervisions & Collaborations encompass 74+ MSc, 26+ PhD students, and 40+ postdocs. He co-founded METATISSUE and CELLULARIS Biomodels , and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Bio .
Henrique O'Neill is an Associate Professor (with Habilitation) in the Department of Marketing, Operations and General Management at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal. He is an Integrated Researcher at ISTAR-Iscte - Research Center in Information Sciences, Technologies and Architecture. His research focuses on information systems adoption, organizational strategy, and process optimization in healthcare, finance, and public administration. Education: PhD in Business Organization and Management - University of Cranfield (1995) Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Higher Technical Institute (1987) Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering - Higher Technical Institute (1983) Research Interests: His work spans business/IT strategy, systems modeling, process analysis, and technology implementation. Key domains include healthcare informatics, banking systems, and Industry 4.0 applications. He emphasizes practical solutions for organizational performance through technology integration. Publication Trends: Recent articles explore intelligent business systems, telemedicine, design science methodologies, and supply chain innovation. His work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with sector-specific applications in healthcare, education, and logistics. Professional Engagement: Member: Portuguese Telemedicine Association, Order of Engineers Commissioner: INEM (National Institute of Medical Emergency) reform study Director: Center for IT Development (2010-2014) Advising & Projects: Supervises 7 graduate students (1 PhD, 6 Master's). Leads EU-funded projects including: Atlantic Crossing (2024-2025): US-Portugal academic collaboration in AI/cybersecurity AAL4ALL (2011-2015): Ambient Assisted Living ecosystem UNITE (2000-2002): Ubiquitous teamwork platforms
João Paulo Costeira is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon. He holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from IST (1995) and was a Visiting Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (1991–1995). His research focuses on Computer Vision, 3D Reconstruction, and Structure from Motion, with contributions to object recognition, robotics, and multimedia analysis. Education: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, IST (1995); Visiting Scientist, CMU Robotics Institute (1991–1995). Roles: Coordinator of the Signal and Image Processing Group (SIPg), Co-director of the Carnegie Mellon|Portugal Dual PhD Program in ECE and Robotics (2007–2018), and Scientific Director of Carnegie Mellon|Portugal (2014–2018). Research Interests: João's work emphasizes 3D reconstruction from video, rigid and non-rigid motion analysis, and applications in robotics and urban surveillance. He has pioneered methods for motion segmentation and robust correspondence problems in computer vision. Publications: His recent work includes advancements in apple counting systems, rotation averaging for robotics, and domain adaptation for traffic density estimation. These contributions highlight his expertise in real-world computer vision challenges. Awards: None explicitly listed. However, his extensive publication record and academic leadership reflect significant scholarly impact. Advising & Grants: Supervised 13 PhD students, many co-advised with CMU faculty. Active in projects like CityCam (vehicle counting) and MultiDrone (robotics collaboration). Funded by FCT, EU, and industry partnerships. Labs/Teams: Leader of the Signal and Image Processing Group (SIPg) at ISR. Involved in NETSyS program for networked systems and robotics.
Rute C. Sofia is Industrial IoT Head at fortiss – the Bavarian research institute for software-intensive systems – and Invited Associate Professor at Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (ULHT). She is also an Associate Researcher at ISTAR, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL). Previously she co-founded and served as Scientific Director of COPELABS/ULHT (2013-2017) and was Senior Researcher there from 2010-2019. Education Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Lisbon, 2004 Visiting Scholar, Northwestern University (ICAIR) & University of Pennsylvania, 2000–2003 M.Sc. in Computer Science, University of Lisbon, 1999 B.Eng. in Computer Engineering, University of Coimbra, 1995 Research Interests Her work spans network architectures and protocols , Internet of Things (IoT) , edge and in-network computing , deterministic wired/wireless industrial networks , and network mining . A current focus is on resilient, AI-driven orchestration across the IoT–Edge–Cloud continuum for 6G and Industrial IoT systems. Scientific Awards & Recognition ACM Europe Councilor (2021–2025) ACM Senior Member & IEEE Senior Member IEEE ComSoc N2Women Awards co-chair (2020–2021) Highly Cited Paper Award, Applied Sciences MDPI (2023) Labs, Teams & Grants She currently leads the Industrial IoT competence field at fortiss, coordinating projects such as SemComIIoT (semantic communications for IIoT) and the open-source ns-3 DetNetWiFi framework. Earlier she co-founded the Portuguese startup Senception Lda (2013-2019) and the research unit COPELABS , driving EU H2020 initiatives like UMOBILE and shaping national strategies for cyber-physical systems.
Luís B. Elvas is an Assistant Professor at ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon's Department of Social and Business Sciences (SINTRA) and a Research Assistant at ISTAR-Iscte Research Center. He holds qualifications including a Technical Specialization in TensorFlow for AI (Coursera, 2021) and certifications in IoT/Blockchain from ISCTE and cybersecurity from Palo Alto Networks. His research spans artificial intelligence, healthcare informatics, smart cities, and blockchain, with applied work in medical imaging, data sharing, and urban analytics. Research interests include: Healthcare AI : Developing deep learning models for cardiac diagnostics, medical imaging analysis, and blockchain-based health data systems Smart Cities : Implementing IoT solutions for urban mobility optimization, disaster management, and sustainable transportation Data Science : Creating predictive analytics frameworks for clinical decision support and urban planning His publications demonstrate a strong focus on AI-driven healthcare solutions (67% of recent works) and smart city technologies (33%), with emerging interests in blockchain and NLP. Research consistently targets real-world applications in clinical settings and urban environments. Awards: Award for best internship, Order of Engineers (2022) Distinction for best internship, Order of Engineers (2021) He leads/contributes to multiple EU research consortia including AMR-EDUCare (antimicrobial resistance education), NEEM (e-health in Nepal), and Blockchain.PT. Coordinates the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Student Branch Chapter at ISCTE and developed the ManagiDiTH master's program in digital health transformation.
Juho Lee is an Associate Professor at the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Previously, he worked as a research scientist at AITRICS and completed his PhD in Computer Science & Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) under Professor Seungjin Choi, followed by postdoctoral research at University of Oxford with Professor François Caron. His research focuses on: Bayesian deep learning Bayesian inference Meta learning Generative models Uncertainty quantification Graph representation learning Professor Lee's work bridges theoretical Bayesian methods with practical deep learning applications. His recent publications demonstrate significant contributions to neural processes, Bayesian optimization, and scalable inference methods. He has developed novel architectures like Set Transformer for permutation-invariant modeling and advanced techniques for uncertainty quantification in deep networks. His research shows a clear trajectory toward making Bayesian principles applicable to large-scale, real-world machine learning problems. Notable contributions include: Set Transformer: A framework for attention-based permutation-invariant neural networks (ICML 2019) Bootstrapping neural processes (NeurIPS 2020) Deep amortized clustering (NeurIPS 2019 workshop) Learning to pool in graph neural networks for extrapolation Professor Lee actively mentors graduate students and has advised numerous PhD candidates who co-author papers with him across NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR. His research group SIML@KAIST develops scalable and interpretable machine learning methods with strong theoretical foundations.
Armando J. D. Silvestre is a Full Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro. He holds academic degrees including a Licenciatura in Chemistry (1990), PhD in Chemistry (1994), and Agregação in Chemistry (2008) from the University of Aveiro. His research focuses on renewable materials, circular economy, and functional biomaterials. Research interests include: Development of biopolymer-based functional materials Valorization of biological residues for value-added chemicals Novel polymeric materials from renewable resources Sustainable nanocomposites and coatings Professor Silvestre has supervised 18 MSc and 11 PhD students to completion and currently mentors 3 PhD and 3 MSc candidates. Research projects include EU-funded initiatives like AFORE (Forest Biorefineries) and national projects on membrane technology and biomass valorization. Scientific contributions include over 180 SCI journal publications and patents on extraction methods. He serves on editorial boards for Industrial Crops and Products and actively participates in academic activities including Erasmus coordination and Bologna process implementation.
Julien Diogo serves as Adjunct Professor at Polytechnic Institute of Viseu's School of Education of Viseu since 2020, teaching Market Analysis, Consumer Behavior, Strategic Communication, and Innovation/Creativity courses. He concurrently holds Visiting Professor positions at ISAG (Higher Institute of Administration and Management) since 2018 for Executive MBA programs and was Professor of Organizational Communication at ISCA-UA (2022-2023). His academic roles extend to Visiting Facilitator positions at Brazil's Personal Branding Academy and ISLA's Postgraduate Program in Innovation. His educational background includes: PhD in Communication Sciences (in progress, 2023-2026) at University of Coimbra Specialization in Teacher and Trainer Training (2022-2023) from Employment and Training Institute of Braga Marketing Specialist title (2019) from Polytechnic Institute of Viseu Master's in Communication and Marketing (2010-2012) from Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (Final Grade: 17/20) Bachelor's in Social Communication (2005-2008) from Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (Grade: 17/20) Diogo's research integrates neuromarketing with consumer behavior analysis, focusing on emotional responses in digital environments, Generation Z consumption patterns, and neuroscience applications in place branding. His work examines how cognitive processes influence purchasing decisions through physiological measurements and behavioral experiments, particularly investigating caffeine's neuropharmacological effects on consumer arousal and shop window design's attentional impact. He bridges theoretical neuroscience with practical marketing strategy development. His publication trajectory reveals increasing focus on digital-emotional consumer interfaces, with recent work analyzing pandemic-era behavior shifts and Gen Z's narrative processing. Key thematic clusters include neuromarketing validation in retail architecture, emotional sustainability in e-marketplaces, and neuroscientific foundations of territorial branding, demonstrating consistent application of cognitive neuroscience to contemporary marketing challenges. Scientific recognition includes: 2008 Academic Merit Award for Best Social Communication Student (Polytechnic Institute of Viseu) 2021 Nomination for Global Teacher Prize Portugal Diogo actively supervises master's research including thesis on territorial brand communication (2024), language informality in digital contexts (2024), and Apple's Lovemarks strategy for Generation Z (2024). He contributes to research projects like INOV C+ Intelligent Innovation Ecosystem (2024-present) and co-orientated neuromarketing studies on advertising reception decoding (2020). His academic service includes peer review for IGI Global and International Journal of Marketing. Through his dual leadership as CCO of ICN Agency (neuromarketing consultancy), co-director of PsicoSoma (publishing/training), and expertMind (LMS platform), Diogo maintains robust industry-academia integration, developing neuromarketing frameworks applied across retail, urban planning, and digital experience design contexts.
Luis Amaral is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering, University of Minho, where he has served since 1998. He holds a PhD in Computer Science (Information Systems) from the University of Minho (1995) and has extensive experience in teaching, research, and administrative leadership. His research focuses on Information Systems in social and organizational contexts, particularly in public administration, with over 400 publications including books, journal articles, and conference papers. Key roles include Vice-Rector for Organizational Transformation and Administrative Simplification, Director of the Information Systems Department (2005–2006, 2010–2012), and leadership in projects like the Virtual Campus (e-UM). He has held numerous administrative positions, including President of the School of Engineering’s Council (2013–2016) and Pro-Rector (2006–2009). His work emphasizes e-government, digital transformation, and public procurement systems. Recent research trends include digitalization of public services, regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR in higher education), and optimization of renewable energy systems. He has contributed to international initiatives such as the ICEGOV conference and projects in Mozambique and Timor-Leste. His publications highlight innovation in administrative processes, citizen engagement, and institutional digital readiness. Luis Amaral has coordinated postgraduate programs, including the Master’s in Information Systems (2001–2002, 2016–2017), and led research centers like IDITE Minho. His career reflects a balance between academic rigor and practical impact in technology-driven governance and organizational change.
Adriano Jorge Cardoso Moreira is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the Department of Information Systems, School of Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Portugal. He is also a Senior Researcher at the Algoritmi Research Centre and Scientific Coordinator of the Urban and Mobile Computing department at Centro de Computação Gráfica. His research focuses on indoor positioning , mobile and context-aware computing , urban computing , and simulation of wireless networks . Research Interests : Indoor Positioning, Mobile Computing, Urban Mobility, Sensor Networks, Wi-Fi and UWB Localization, Smart Cities. Leadership : Coordinated the Computer Communications and Pervasive Media Group (2008-2016), Scientific Committee member (Director of MAP-tele PhD program in multiple terms), and leads the Master in Telecommunications and Informatics since 2021. Publications : Over 100 papers, including IEEE Transactions and Sensors journal articles, with an h-index of 23 and 2136 citations. Awards : First and second prizes in EvAAL-ETRI Indoor Localization Competitions (2015, 2016, 2017).
Maria Leonilde Rocha Varela is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at the School of Engineering, University of Minho, Portugal, where she also serves as a Senior Researcher at the Algoritmi Research Centre. She has been an integrated member of the Algoritmi Research Centre since 2012 and works in the Department of Production and Systems. Dr. Varela earned her degree in Production Engineering from the University of Minho in 1994, completed a Master's in Computer Integrated Production at DPS-UMinho in 1999, and received her Ph.D. in Production and Systems from the University of Minho in 2007. Her primary research focuses on Manufacturing Management, particularly Production Planning, Control and Optimization, and Collaborative Paradigms, Networks and Decision Making Models. She maintains extensive international collaborations with institutions worldwide including the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, VSB-Technick Univerzita Ostrava, University of Belgrade, and others. Her research spans Web Applications and Services for supporting Engineering and Production Management, with increasing emphasis on Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, and Industry 4.0/5.0 applications. She has made significant contributions to scheduling algorithms, optimization techniques, and decision support systems for manufacturing environments. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating Artificial Intelligence with traditional manufacturing processes, particularly in Robotic Process Automation applications. Her research increasingly focuses on sustainable manufacturing practices, with numerous publications addressing energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and resource optimization. There is a clear emphasis on multi-objective optimization approaches to solve complex manufacturing problems, particularly in distributed job shop scheduling. Her work demonstrates an evolution from traditional production planning methods to more advanced AI-driven approaches for Industry 4.0 and 5.0 environments. Dr. Varela has held significant academic leadership roles, currently serving as the director of the master's course in Engineering and Quality Management at DPS-UMinho. She previously coordinated the industrial management and systems subgroup from 2012 to 2021 and was part of the steering committee for the master's course in systems engineering between 2016 and 2019. She has successfully supervised more than 70 MSc projects, with over 15 currently ongoing, focusing on Production and Systems Engineering. Her supervision encompasses collaborative management models, traditional decision approaches, and web-based platforms incorporating AI techniques. She coordinates research projects including 2 concluded Ph.D. projects and 6 ongoing ones. She collaborates as a research member in several R&D projects with national and international industrial enterprises and institutions, and in international Erasmus projects. Dr. Varela is an active participant in the academic community, serving on editorial boards of several international journals and as a member of organizing and scientific committees for numerous international conferences. She is a member of several prestigious research networks including the Euro Working Group of Decision Support Systems (EWG-DSS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Industrial Engineering Network, and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).
Carla Curado is an Associate Professor with Habilitation in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management, University of Lisbon. She serves as a founding researcher at the ADVANCE research center and holds leadership roles including Master's Program Coordinator for Human Resource Management and Business Sciences. She represents the University of Lisbon at the International Organization for Standardization and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance . Her research explores: Knowledge Management in healthcare, SMEs, and NGOs Digital leadership and workplace happiness HRM's role in innovation and sustainability Mixed-method approaches to organizational analysis Recent publications (2023-2025) emphasize digital transformation, healthcare efficiency, and methodological innovations in operations management. Key trends include configurational analysis of leadership and knowledge behaviors in hybrid work environments. Awards: Stanford's Top 2% World Scientist (2021, 2022, 2023) She supervises 65+ Master's students with theses on: Knowledge sharing mechanisms Leadership/organizational commitment Healthcare workplace dynamics Sustainability in HR practices At ADVANCE Research Center, she contributes to teams studying management innovation and organizational resilience, with active participation in EU research consortia.
José Manuel Ferreira Machado is a Full Professor at the Department of Informatics, School of Engineering, University of Minho, where he has been affiliated since 1988. His research integrates Artificial Intelligence, Medical Informatics, and Data Mining, with applications in healthcare, industrial systems, and public services. He founded ALGORITMI's 'Knowledge Engineering' group and served as Director of the ALGORITMI R&D Center (2018-2024). Education: Agregado in Informatics (AI), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (2011-2012) PhD in Informatics (AI), Universidade do Minho (1995-2002) Licenciatura in Systems and Informatics Engineering, Universidade do Minho (1982-1988) Research Interests: Machado's work focuses on intelligent systems for healthcare (e.g., AIDA medical platform), industrial automation, and smart cities. He emphasizes real-world applications, including clinical decision support, predictive maintenance, and sustainable urban infrastructure. Publications: His recent articles (2022-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on healthcare AI (e.g., disease prediction, COVID-19 analytics) and smart systems (e.g., traffic optimization, energy sustainability), utilizing data mining and machine learning. Awards: Hospital of the Future (2007, 2008, 2009) Good Practices in Health (2014) Portugal Digital Awards (2016) IHF Awards (2021) Advising & Grants: Supervised 16 PhD, 101 MSc, and 4 post-doc students. Leads sub-projects in PRR agendas GReenAuto and Be.Neutral. Secured funding from FCT, EU, and industry partners (e.g., Bosch) for 50+ projects. Labs & Teams: Coordinates the 'Knowledge Engineering' research group at ALGORITMI, focusing on intelligent decision support and interoperability in healthcare and industry.
