Symposium on Engineering and Public Policy

Local: Room B326

Date: Monday, June 30^th, 2025 | 15h30-16h30

Bridging Perceptions and Patterns: Rethinking Fire Risk and Governance

Rural fires are a recurrent concern in Portugal that devastates immense areas every year. Join us in this session to explore the multifaceted dynamics of rural fire risk, from public perceptions to spatial fire behaviour. Through diverse methodological approaches presenters will address the gaps between expert knowledge and community beliefs, offering practical insights for data-informed policy and governance. Together, these contributions highlight the need for socially grounded and scientifically robust wildfire management strategies.

Local: Room B326

Date: Monday, June 30^th, 2025 | 17h00-18h30

Navigating Transformation: Education, Innovation, and Decision-Making for Sustainable Futures

Sustainable development has multiple fronts as evidenced by the United Nations’ 12 Sustainable Development Goals. This session explores how data-driven tools, systemic thinking, and institutional collaboration can enhance sustainable development, particularly in education and innovation ecosystems. Oral communications will range from multidimensional assessments of educational quality and regional performance trends in Europe to a comprehensive review of multi-criteria decision-making in sustainability, and an in-depth study of Industry 4.0’s impact on University–Industry partnerships. Together, they provide a critical reflection on how metrics, models, and cooperation can drive more inclusive, adaptive, and forward-looking policies.

Local: Room B326

Date: Tuesday, July 1^st, 2025 | 09h00-10h30

Operational Intelligence: Building Resilient Systems through Digitalization

In an increasingly digital world, it is crucial that we understand how to coordinate man and machine to extract the best of both worlds. Session III delves into how digital technologies, such as Digital Twins, Generative AI and crowd-based logistics are reshaping operations, foresight and strategic control in complex environments. From optimizing last-mile delivery through multi-objective heuristics to enhancing supply chain visibility with intelligent control towers, the presentations reveal how data, algorithms, and design shape modern decision-making. These oral communications highlight both the potential and the practical pathways for deploying digital tools in logistics, policy, and operational planning.

Local: Room B326

Date: Tuesday, July 1^st, 2025 | 11h00-12h30

Moderator: Joana Maia Dias, Associate Professor, FEUP

Round Table – Trash Talk: Collaborative Paths to Sustainable Waste Management

The shifting consumption patterns are giving rise to critical levels of waste generation. Given this, issues about the sustainability of the environment and societies are becoming a daily concern of businesses, policymakers and scholars alike. Considering the current situation, it is imperative that socio-technical changes are implemented that drive us to a more sustainable future. Join us in this deep dive into the current and future landscape on urban waste management. During this time, we will bring together members of the high and low management of waste management organizations with key members of academia working the forefront of waste management problems. Leveraging this pool of expertise, we will reflect on how we must change to achieve a more sustainable future for the environment and societies and how can academia and research contribute to that change.

Joana Maia Dias

Associate Professor, FEUP

Biography

Joana Maia Moreira Dias, PhD in Environmental Engineering, is an Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of FEUP’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses in Environmental Engineering.
She coordinates continuing education courses in Circular Economy, is a member of FEUP’s sustainability commission and belongs to the executive committee of the Education for Sustainable Development project at FEUP.
She integrates LEPABE research unit and has a large number of scientific publications having supervised several thesis in the field of Environmental Sciences and Technologies, in particular sustainable waste management and the production of renewable fuels, in collaboration with various companies and with international connections.

Soraia Taipa

Head of Inovation Management Unit, Lipor

Biography

Soraia Taipa leads the Innovation Management Unit at LIPOR, driving bold thinking and value creation. She holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from Universidade Católica and a Mini MBA in Sustainable Project Management. Currently, she is attending the Business Leadership Program at AESE Business School. She is certified in Project Management (IPMA, GPM) and trained in Creative Leadership and Design Thinking. Her work reflects a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and strategic development.

Tânia Ramos

Associate Professor, IST

Biography

Tânia Ramos is an Associate Professor at the Engineering and Management Department at IST – University of Lisbon, and President of the Research Unit CEGIST – Centre for Management Studies of IST. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Management from ISCTE-IUL, her Master’s degree in Operations Research and Systems Engineering from IST and her PhD in Engineering and Management from IST. Tânia’s research focuses mainly on modelling and solving real-world problems related with logistics systems planning, routing, sustainability, reverse logistics and waste management systems. She has several papers published in international journals. She is also the co-author of books in the field of logistics. She has coordinated several national projects on the fields of logistics and waste management.

José Matos

Waste Management and Street Cleaning Specialist, Maiambiente

Biography

With a degree in Environmental Engineering from FEUP, José Bartiloti Matos is a specialist in urban waste management and cleaning services. With 11 years of experience at Maiambiente, he has held responsibilities in urban cleaning, waste collection, recycling center management, and environmental compliance. Focused on innovation, operational efficiency, and data analysis, he has contributed to the company’s key projects. He currently serves as Director of the Urban Cleaning Unit and oversees part of the waste collection operations in the municipality of Maia.