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We congratulate Professor Rita Bento on receiving the Springer Nature Editorial Contribution Award 2025 for her exceptional editorial work with the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering.This prestigious award recognises the meticulous evaluation of submitted manuscripts and rigorous management of the peer review process, ensuring the highest standards of scientific accuracy and research quality.We are proud to celebrate Professor Bento’s dedication to advancing earthquake engineering and her invaluable service to the international...Read More

We are pleased to announce that Rui M.L. Ferreira, a researcher at CERIS, has been selected by the Awards Committee of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) to receive the Award for Best Associate Editor in the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering (2020–2024).The award was formally presented during the 2025 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, held in Anchorage, Alaska, from May 18 to 21, 2025.The Journal of Hydraulic Engineering,...Read More

Teresa Alvarez, a researcher at CERIS and a PhD student at Instituto Superior Técnico, was awarded the APRH Young Researchers Prize (ex aequo) during the 17th Water Congress, held in Lagos from 8 to 11 April. This biennial award, presented by the Portuguese Water Resources Association (APRH), recognises the best PhD and MSc theses in the field of Water Resources.In her PhD thesis in Civil Engineering, supervised by Professor Rui...Read More

On May 28, 2025, Professor Carla Marchão, a CERIS researcher, was honoured in the Department of Civil Engineering category at the FCT Awards 2025. She was recognised for her remarkable teaching, dedication, and close engagement with students.Organised by the Students’ Union of the NOVA School of Science & Engineering (NOVA FCT), the FCT Awards aim to recognise and value Professors who have distinguished themselves through their commitment and dedication during...Read More

On “Dia do Técnico”, celebrated on May 23, 2025, Professor André Furtado was honoured with the Técnico Excellence in Teaching Award in the 2nd cycle category, for his outstanding teaching in the course Concrete Structures I. The award was presented by Professor Miguel Teixeira, President of Técnico’s Pedagogical Council.Proposed by the Pedagogical Council and awarded annually, this distinction recognises and encourages teaching excellence at Instituto Superior Técnico. It is based...Read More

On May 6, 2025, the Blocoyster project held its final workshop as part of a CERIS Pizza Seminar. Hosted at the Civil Engineering Museum, the event featured presentations by the project team coordinated by Professor Inês Flores-Colen (CERIS) and including Ana P. Soares, Maria Paula Mendes, and Manuel F. Pereira (CERENA), as well as Nicollas Moreira, Rui V. Silva and Giovanna S. Bartels (CERIS).The workshop highlighted the project’s main results...Read More

On April 15, CERIS Executive Board held a dedicated session with PhD researchers (not faculty members), aiming to strengthen dialogue and promote collaborative solutions that support the continuous improvement of CERIS. This initiative focused specifically on engaging these researchers in open discussion and idea sharing.The session was hosted by Professor Rui Carrilho Gomes, CERIS Vice-President, with the full support of the Executive Board. CERIS President, Professor João Gomes Ferreira, welcomed...Read More

On April 5, Técnico opened its doors to more than 2700 visitors at Open Day 2025. CERIS was actively involved in the event, participating in the Science Fair and offering guided tours of the Laboratory of Construction and the Laboratory of Structures and Strength of Materials.In the Science Fair, CERIS presented the activity “Exploring earthquakes”, led by researcher Mónica Amaral Ferreira. Using a portable shaking table, the demonstration showed how...Read More

CERIS researcher Mónica Amaral Ferreira was featured in the RTP programme Biosfera (Season 23, Episode 15) titled “Why does the Earth shake?”, which aired on April 12, 2025. Biosfera is a weekly show that draws attention to good environmental practices related to energy, biodiversity and nature conservation.This episode is entirely dedicated to earthquakes, including their origins and associated risks, with a particular emphasis on the Portuguese context. Given Portugal’s location...Read More

On March 19, Professor Filipa Ferreira, a CERIS specialist in sanitation and urban drainage, was interviewed for the national news programme “Portugal em Direto” (RTP). She addressed key issues related to water use and distribution in Portugal.With reservoirs nearing 80% capacity and recent heavy rains raising concerns about flooding and landslides, the interview highlighted the urgent need for improved management of water resources.The interview covers topics such as: common misconceptions...Read More

The 5th Luso-Brazilian Congress on Sustainable Building Materials | Construção 2024 Congress, held from November 6 to 8 at Instituto Superior Técnico, concluded with a stellar recognition of CERIS PhD students. During the closing ceremony, CERIS researchers received top honours for their exceptional contributions to sustainable building materials.Best Paper AwardMd Abu Toyob Shahid was awarded the coveted Best Paper Award for his groundbreaking work titled “Natural weathering of a composite...Read More

The University of Lisbon has secured outstanding positions in global and regional rankings for Civil Engineering, reflecting its academic and research excellence. The 2024 rankings demonstrate the university’s prominence in the field:Global Ranking of Academic Subjects – Shanghai (CE, 2024):Ranked 44th in the world, 9th in Europe, 3rd in the EU-27, and 1st in Portugal.Source National Taiwan University Ranking (CE, 2024):Placed 77th globally, 5th in Europe, 3rd in the EU-27,...Read More

The research article “StainView: A Fast and Reliable Method for Mapping Stains in Facades Using Image Classification in HSV and CIELab Colour Space”, published in Remote Sensing, showcases a creative leap in scientific communication. Alongside the publication, the researchers released a concise video abstract, under three minutes, to highlight the study’s findings in an engaging and accessible format for a wider audience.About the StudyAuthored by CERIS researchers Marta Torres-Gonzáles, Jónatas...Read More

On November 4–5, 2024, the Técnico Innovation Center hosted the 10th edition of PhD Open Days, a vibrant platform for showcasing cutting-edge research. Among the 150 posters presented at the event, twelve were proudly contributed by CERIS PhD students, highlighting the breadth and depth of their research across diverse fields.This year, CERIS introduced an exciting new initiative: the 1st CERIS Poster Competition, offering a prize of up to 500 Euros...Read More

On October 31, 2024, CERIS actively participated in RISCODay’2024, held at the University of Aveiro. Organized by RISCO (Risks and Sustainability in Construction), the event served as a platform to showcase ongoing research and spark discussions on pressing challenges in the built environment.Two CERIS PhD students made notable contributions to the event:Dany Kassim, supervised by CERIS members Jorge de Brito, Rui V. Silva, and Hawreen Ahmed, presented in Panel #1...Read More

The 5th Luso-Brazilian Congress on Sustainable Building Materials (5th CLBMCS) and the Construction 2024 Congress officially began yesterday, setting a dynamic start in the Grand Auditorium of the Congress Center at the Civil Engineering Building, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). Distinguished figures from the academic and research community graced the opening ceremony, including Prof. Rogério Colaço, President of IST; Prof. António Pinheiro, Head of the Department of Civil, Architecture, and Environmental...Read More

At the H2O&Sustainability Summit, 2024 held at the University of Algarve in Faro, Algarve, CERIS researchers Inês Flores-Colen, Ana Paula Dias, and Jéssica Bersch achieved an impressive milestone, securing second place in the PhD and Researchers category for their project “OCEANS: Originating Coatings for Buildings Seeking Air Cleaning with Novel Sea-Based Materials.” This accolade, awarded in the 2nd Edition of the Call for Projects by H2O&Sustainability, includes a prize of...Read More

In a recent seminar, Enrique Fernández Nieto, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Seville, presented groundbreaking research on sediment transport modelling. Invited by CERIS researcher Prof. Rui Ferreira, his talk focused on two critical geophysical processes: bedload and suspended load sediment transport, which are crucial for understanding natural phenomena in rivers and estuaries and vital for various industrial applications, including mineral processing, wastewater treatment, and hydraulic infrastructure design.Fernández...Read More

CERIS researcher Eloi Figueiredo in collaboration with Stanford University is set to host a one-day, in-person short course on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) for bridges and special civil structures. The event will take place on September 8, 2025, just before the International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (IWSHM) 2025.The course will last for six hours and provide participants with valuable hands-on experiences in SHM technology, aimed at enhancing the structural...Read More

CERIS researchers Cristina Matos Silva and Vitor Sousa, Principal Investigators of the EVIDENCE and GREENER projects funded by EEA Grants, are pleased to announce the final workshop of these groundbreaking initiatives. The event will take place on November 8th, 2024, at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Lisbon, from 14:00 to 17:30.The workshop will be held in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online participation available. It is free...Read More

In an interview with GreeneFact, Maria João Costa, the water coordinator at ANP/WWF, emphasized the pressing need to remove obsolete barriers from Portugal’s waterways, especially considering the recently passed EU Nature Restoration Law. This law mandates the liberation of at least 25,000 km of rivers across the EU, a goal that is critical for biodiversity and ecosystem health. Costa highlighted that ANP/WWF has already successfully removed two river barriers in...Read More

Pedro Cantor, a civil engineer from the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, is making significant strides in preserving historically significant structures damaged by ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With a Master’s in Structural Analysis of Historical Monuments from the University of Minho in Portugal and currently a PhD candidate at CERIS – IST, Cantor has been collaborating with ICCROM and UNESCO to mitigate the impacts of war on cultural heritage.The...Read More

Ghent, Belgium – Emma Coopman, a talented student from Ghent University, was awarded the prestigious Sackesyn Prize 2024 for her exceptional master’s thesis in Civil Engineering Technology. The award ceremony took place last Sunday, celebrating Coopman’s remarkable research on “The Effects of Exposure to Elevated Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of GFRP Bars Produced with Thermoplastic Resin.”Coopman completed her dissertation in the 2nd semester of the academic year 2023/24 at...Read More

On September 26, 2024, CERIS President Professor Dídia Covas and Professor Helena Ramos participated in the roundtable discussion, “Water and Energy: Which Future?”, during the ENERH2O – 2nd Energy and Water Innovation & Technology Trade Show, held at Exponor, Porto.Professors Didia Covas and Helena Ramos presented key insights into the groundbreaking research being conducted at CERIS in both fundamental and applied carbon net-zero initiatives within the water sector. Their presentation...Read More

On Wednesday, September 25, CERIS hosted its much-anticipated Day Out in Coimbra, supported by Itecons. The event brought together 56 participants from 12 different nationalities, blending science, culture, and recreation in a vibrant atmosphere.The day kicked off with a welcoming briefing at Itecons, followed by an inspiring keynote lecture by renowned physicist Carlos Fiolhais, titled “Artificial Intelligence: Its Impact on Life and Science.” Carlos Fiolhais’ talk explored the profound implications...Read More

The Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) will take part in the European Researchers’ Night on September 27th, held at the Oeiras Marina. This event will showcase the Horizon 2020 SCORE Project (Smart Control of Climate Resilience in European Coastal Cities), a European Union-funded initiative aimed at enhancing the climate resilience of coastal cities. The Portuguese partners in the project include IST-ID and the Oeiras City Council.The CERIS/IST team, which is composed...Read More

Stanford University (California, USA) in collaboration with Elsevier have recently unveiled its latest update of the world’s top 2% most cited scientists, featuring several distinguished researchers from the CERIS–Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability. This recognition highlights the exceptional quality and impact of the research produced at CERIS, further affirming the institution’s reputation for scientific excellence and sustainability.Researchers from CERIS have made notable contributions to fields such as civil...Read More

On July 2, 2024, CERIS – the Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability center at Instituto Superior Técnico – welcomed a delegation from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). The visit aimed to foster collaboration between the two institutions in key areas of research, student exchange, and joint supervision of academic projects.The delegation was warmly received by Professor Filipa Ferreira, Vice-President of CERIS, who provided an in-depth presentation on...Read More

On May 6-7, 2024, a delegation from Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR), comprising around 40 representatives from research institutes, visited Lisbon to explore potential partnerships with local institutions. Organized by Advantage Austria and the Austrian Embassy, the visit aimed to foster collaboration between Austrian R&D institutions and Portuguese research centers.ACR, a network of private research institutions dedicated to providing applied research to companies—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—supports innovation and competitiveness....Read More

CERIS researchers recently earned a special mention for their paper, “Innovative Precast Eco-HD-LWAC Composite Walls: Development of Dry Connections,” at the prestigious 15th fib PhD Symposium in Budapest, Hungary. The symposium’s jury awarded the distinction based on the quality of papers and presentations.The recognized research is part of a PhD project by Ricardo Martins, supported by an FCT scholarship and co-financed by the NextGeneration EU through the Innovation Pact “R2UTechologies...Read More