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MIT Portugal
  • About
    • Overview
    • People
    • Area Leaders
    • Resources
    • Documents and Reports
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • Overview
    • 2023 Call for PhD Grants
  • Industry
    • Overview
    • Affiliates
    • Getting Involved
    • Host an MIT Student
  • Innovation
    • MIT Portugal Innovation Workshop 2025
    • MIT Portugal Innovation Workshop Reunion 2025
  • Research
    • Overview
      • Climate Science & Climate Change
      • Earth Systems: Oceans to Near Space
      • Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
      • Sustainable Cities
    • Competitive Calls
      • 2025 Call for Seed Grant Proposals
    • Funded Projects
      • 2024 @PT Call for Exploratory Proposals
      • 2024 Seed Projects
      • Flagship Projects
      • 2021 Exploratory Projects
  • Idea Sprints
  • Annual Conference
    • Annual Conference 2024
  • News + Events
    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • Graphic Identity
    • Media Gallery
  • About
    • Overview
    • People
    • Area Leaders
    • Resources
    • Documents and Reports
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • Overview
    • 2023 Call for PhD Grants
  • Industry
    • Overview
    • Affiliates
    • Getting Involved
    • Host an MIT Student
  • Innovation
    • MIT Portugal Innovation Workshop 2025
    • MIT Portugal Innovation Workshop Reunion 2025
  • Research
    • Overview
      • Climate Science & Climate Change
      • Earth Systems: Oceans to Near Space
      • Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
      • Sustainable Cities
    • Competitive Calls
      • 2025 Call for Seed Grant Proposals
    • Funded Projects
      • 2024 @PT Call for Exploratory Proposals
      • 2024 Seed Projects
      • Flagship Projects
      • 2021 Exploratory Projects
  • Idea Sprints
  • Annual Conference
    • Annual Conference 2024
  • News + Events
    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • Graphic Identity
    • Media Gallery

About

PEOPLE

The MIT Portugal Program collaboration is based on a contractual agreement between the MIT and the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, FCT).

The governance structure of the program is based on the Program Governing Committee (PGC), responsible for policy oversight with respect to overall objectives of the relationship, as well as approval of the annual plan and budget allocation for the proposed activities. An independent External Review Committee (ERC) formed by members from the international scientific community shall review the research program and make recommendations to the Program Directors and the PGC.

FCT appoints a Director(s) of the MIT Portugal Program in Portugal and MIT appoints a Director(s) of MIT Portugal Program at MIT. Together, they will oversee, direct, and coordinate the activities of all entities participating in the collaboration. 

The coordination team oversees the day-to-day operations of the program, manages the calls for proposals, distribution of grants, and reports on all of the activities and projects conducted by the program to ensure its effective development. Area Leaders help the coordination team defining and running the Program’s operations in specific MPP’s strategic research areas. 

The foundation of the MIT Portugal team was built by its former directors, collaborators, and participants. Former Directors of the MIT Portugal Program include MIT Professor Bruce Tidor, MIT Professor Daniel Roos, and IST Professor Paulo Ferrão.  The program’s current MIT Director, Professor Dava Newman, also served in the role previously.

While Phase 3 places a strong emphasis on research, Phases 1 and 2 featured robust PhD and Master’s programs. To learn more about our alumni and faculty, click here.

Governing Committee

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Madalena Alves

President of the Board of Directors, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT)

FCT's representative and Chair of the PGC

António M. Cunha

President of Norte Portugal Regional Coordination and Development Commission

Representative of the Portuguese participating entities

Dava Newman

Dava Newman

Director, MIT Media Lab ; Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics at MIT and Harvard–MIT Health, Sciences, and Technology faculty member

MIT senior administration representative

Isabel Furtado

CEO of TMG Automotive

Portuguese Industry Representative

Maria Zuber

Maria Zuber

Vice President for Research at MIT

MIT senior administration representative

Paulo Ferrão

Paulo Ferrão

Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)

Representative of the Portuguese participating entities

Richard K Lester

Richard K. Lester

MIT Vice Provost for International Activities

MIT senior administration representative

External Review Committee

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John Beddington

John Beddington

Former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser

Pascale Ehrenfreund

Pascale Ehrenfreund

President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

Mohan Munasinghe

Mohan Munasinghe

Former vice-chair, UN Intergovt. Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

Melany Hunt

Melany Hunt

Dotty and Dick Hayman Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Caltech

Program Directors

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Pedro Arezes

Full Professor in Human Factors Engineering at UMinho

National Director of MIT Portugal Program

R John Hansman

R. John Hansman

T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics at MIT

Co-Director of MIT Portugal Program at MIT

Doug Hart

Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT

Co-Director of MIT Portugal Program at MIT

Former Program Directors

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Daniel Roos

Daniel Roos

Japan Steel Industry Professor, Emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Former Director of MIT Portugal Program at MIT

Paulo Ferrão

Paulo Ferrão

Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)

Former National Director of MIT Portugal Program

Bruce Tidor

Professor of Biological Engineering and Computer Science

Former Director of MIT Portugal Program at MIT

Dava Newman

Dava Newman

Director, MIT Media Lab

Former Director of MIT Portugal Program at MIT & MPP2030

Zita Martins

Zita Martins

Associate Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico

Former National Co-Director of MIT Portugal Program

Coordination Office

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Deliana Ernst

Deliana Ernst

Administrative Lead - MIT

Natalia Billings

Program Coordinator - MIT

Chrissy Mullin

Financial Administrator II - MIT

Lília Rocha

Project Officer – Portugal

Beatriz Silva

Communication Officer - Portugal

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MIT Portugal Program
Universidade do Minho
Campus de Azurém,
4804 – 533 Guimarães
Portugal
info@mitportugal.org

MIT Portugal Program
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Building 33-326 
Cambridge, MA 02139
mitportugal@mit.edu

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