Symposium on Spatial Planning

Local: FEUP Library – Events Room (ground floor)

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

Energy Transitions and Territory

This session explores the topic of local energy and climate agencies in supporting municipalities through the energy transition. Dr. Sílvia de Sousa, member of CITTA Research Center and from the Porto Energy Agency (AdEPorto), will present her experience in the fields of Climate and Energy Agencies as promoters of Energy Transition in Municipalities. This session will be moderated by Dr. Catarina Cádima, Researcher of the Research Centre for Territory, Transports, and Environment (CITTA) at FEUP.

Sílvia Ávila de Sousa

Urban Planner and Project Manager, Porto Energy Agency (AdE Porto)

Climate and Energy Agencies as promoters of Energy Transition in Municipalities

In this presentation, Dr. Sílvia de Sousa, Urban Planner and Project Manager at the Porto Energy Agency (AdEPorto), will share insights into the role of local energy and climate agencies in supporting municipalities through the energy transition. This session highlights practical strategies for local climate action and multi-level governance: drawing from her experience leading EU-funded projects, she will explore initiatives related to climate adaptation, urban sustainability, CDP reporting, the Covenant of Mayors, and the development of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs).

Biography

Sílvia Ávila de Sousa is an Urban Planner and Project Manager at the Porto Energy Agency (AdEPorto), where she leads and coordinates multiple European Union-funded projects in the fields of energy transition, climate adaptation, and sustainable urban development. She plays a key role in supporting municipalities with CDP reporting, Covenant of Mayors commitments, and the development of Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs), among other initiatives. She is an Integrated Member of the Research Centre for Territory, Transports, and Environment (CITTA) and co-founder of the cross-thematic research area Societal and Climate Transitions (So-ACT). Her research interests focus on climate action, urban resilience, and sustainable planning strategies. Sílvia has contributed to international projects addressing urban shrinkage, public value capture, and child-friendly cities. In addition, she has held academic positions as a researcher and invited assistant professor at the University of Porto, and has served as an evaluator for initiatives such as the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Prize. Sílvia holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Porto and remains actively engaged in European urban planning networks. She is a founding member of the Portuguese Association of Urbanists (APU) and a member of the Shrinking Cities International Research Network (SCiRN).

Local: FEUP Library – Events Room (ground floor)

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

Participatory Processes in Spatial Planning

In this session, Professor José Carlos Mota reflects on the role of the “researcher-activist” in addressing complex societal challenges. He explores how stepping beyond academic comfort zones—engaging with policymakers, citizens, and interdisciplinary teams—can lead to new, co-created responses. The session II will be moderated by Dr. Catarina Cádima, Researcher of the Research Centre for Territory, Transports, and Environment (CITTA) at FEUP.

José Carlos Mota

Assistant Professor, Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences at the University of Aveiro (UA)

Collaborative planning in times of uncertainty

In these demanding times, researchers and scientists must also be, to some extent, “activists.” It’s a delicate but necessary path when facing complex problems for which there are no obvious solutions. In the absence of ready-made answers, we can at least reflect on paths already taken.
So, what does it mean to be a “researcher-activist”? It means stepping out of the comfort of the “sofa” (i.e., established methodologies and frameworks) and “taking action” – engaging with policymakers, citizens, and organisations; mobilising energy by mapping available scientific and empirical knowledge; building bridges through interdisciplinary collaboration; and fuelling the imagination of a better world by co-creating new responses and daring to experiment with critical evaluation.
Science also happens this way: by analysing, trying, failing, learning, correcting and trying again.

Biography

José Carlos Mota is an assistant Professor at the Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences at the University of Aveiro and researcher at GOVCOPP. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Director of the Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning. He has been involved in several national and international research projects focused on place-based participatory planning. He also promotes civic initiatives aimed at strengthening cities and active citizenship.

Local: FEUP Library – Events Room (ground floor)

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

Fostering City Transitions: Spatial Planning Doctoral Students’ Exhibition

Join us for this interactive session, in which PhD students and researchers from the Doctoral Programme in Spatial Planning (PDPT) will give oral presentations focusing on innovative research and emerging approaches in spatial planning. It’s also an opportunity to learn more about our research groups: SPE (Spatial Planning and Environment); GPH (Governance, Public Policies and Housing); TPE (Transport Planning and Environment); and TEM (Transport Engineering and Management), as well as their cross-thematic areas! Dr Silvia Spolaor, a researcher at the Research Centre for Territory, Transports and Environment (CITTA) at FEUP, will moderate the poster session.

Local: FEUP Library – Events Room (ground floor)

Date: Tuesday, July 1^st, 2025 | 11h00-11h45

Round Table – Next Chapter: Paths After the PhD in Spatial Planning

The last session will be a roundtable discussion, which explores the transition from doctoral studies to professional careers in spatial planning. Two former PhD students — Dr. Isabel Cunha (ENTPE Lyon) and Dr. João Teixeira (CITTA/Alliance for Energy Transition) — will share their diverse paths, challenges, and how their PhDs shaped their work in academia, research, and policy. Topics include leveraging thesis skills (e.g., participatory methods, scientific rigor), alternative career trajectories, and actionable advice for current students. Moderated by Dr. Silvia Spolaor (CITTA/FEUP), this session aims to demystify post-PhD life while inspiring attendees to envision their own futures beyond the dissertation.

Isabel Cunha

Assistant Professor, National School of State Public Works (ENTPE), University of Lyon

A Transnational Journey in Urban Mobility Research and Teaching

Isabel Cunha will share her journey from earning a PhD in Spatial Planning at FEUP in 2023, with a focus on equitable bicycle accessibility, to becoming an Assistant Professor at ENTPE – University of Lyon and Head of the MSc in Mobility Management. She will highlight key milestones, including leading EU-funded research projects, teaching and mentoring students, and contributing to European policy on inclusive urban mobility. Isabel will provide examples of innovative research projects she is currently leading on urban mobility digital solutions and the 15-Minute City, as well as engaging teaching activities designed to inspire future leaders. Drawing on international experience in France, Portugal, Germany, Brazil, and the UK, this talk aims to motivate new students by illustrating how passion, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to societal impact can shape a dynamic career in academia.

Biography

Isabel Cunha is an Assistant Professor at ENTPE – University of Lyon and Head of the MSc in Mobility Management. She holds a PhD in Spatial Planning (FEUP) and specialises in transport equity, accessibility, and sustainable mobility. Her professional experience includes fundamental and applied research, coordination of EU-funded research projects, teaching, consultancy work, peer reviewing for leading academic journals, and mentoring students and early-career researchers. She also contributes to European policy conversations on inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. Isabel has international teaching and research experience in France, Portugal, Germany, Brazil, and the UK.

João Teixeira

Junior Researcher, Research Centre for Territory, Transports, and Environment (CITTA) at FEUP

Bridging Research and Practice in Sustainable Urban Transport

In this talk, João Teixeira will discuss his journey from earning a PhD in Spatial Planning (Cum Laude) at FEUP to becoming a key researcher at CITTA and the Alliance for Energy Transition (PRR/NextGenEU). With a focus on active and shared micromobility — particularly bike-sharing systems (BSS) — he will share insights from his 8 years of research, including 15 peer-reviewed publications (12 as first author) in leading transportation journals. João will highlight his interdisciplinary approach, blending environmental engineering and spatial planning to address urban mobility challenges. His talk will also explore current projects on proximity-centered accessibility (e.g., 15-minute city) and integrated land-use planning, offering a vision for how research can shape equitable, low-carbon mobility policies across Europe.

Biography

João Teixeira is a Junior Researcher at CITTA (Research Centre for Territory, Transports, and Environment, FEUP) and the Alliance for Energy Transition (PRR/NextGenEU). He holds a PhD in Spatial Planning (Cum Laude) and a Master’s in Environmental Engineering, specializing in sustainable mobility, bike-sharing systems (BSS), and intermodal transport. With nearly 8 years of research experience, he has published 15 peer-reviewed papers in high-impact transportation journals, 12 as first author. His work bridges academia and policy, focusing on active mobility, accessibility, and integrated land-use/transport planning. João has collaborated with institutions across Europe, advancing data-driven solutions for urban sustainability.

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