Electroceramics Group - Paula Vilarinho research group

03/06/2026

Students from the first year of the Master's Programme in Materials Engineering (Universidade de Aveiro - DEMaC) recently participated in a special session of the Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies course, coordinated by Professor Paula Vilarinho (vice director of CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials).

Organized around case studies in nanomaterials and nanotechnology, the activity encouraged students to work collaboratively, develop innovative solutions, and present their ideas in a professional setting. Through this experience, students strengthened essential skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, scientific communication, and problem-solving.

The initiative was supported by a panel of evaluators that brought together researchers, PhD students, and faculty members, including Cláudia Lopes, Alexandre Bastos, Ricardo Manuel Silva, Indrani Coondoo, Daniela V. R. Lopes, Oleksandr Tkach, Pedro Santos, Artur Baeta, Simão Santos, João Lopes Miranda, Ricardo Mineiro, Noelle Cardoso Zanini, and Francisco Leite. Their participation provided valuable feedback and contributed to a dynamic exchange of ideas between different academic levels.

Activities like this reinforce the importance of active learning and help students connect scientific knowledge with real challenges faced by society and industry.

21/05/2026

🗣️ ScienceCast episode with Prof. Paula Vilarinho

Our group coordinator, Prof. Paula Vilarinho (CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials), recently appeared on the podcast ScienceCast. In an interview with science journalist Vasco Matos Trigo, produced by PlaySolutions Audiovisuais and supported by CESAM (Universidade de Aveiro), they discussed the strategic importance of Materials Engineering in reclaiming Europe’s industrial strength.
Key highlights from the discussion include:
❗ Strategic Autonomy: Geopolitical shifts have proven that Europe must return to manufacturing to end total dependency on external supply chains.
❗ The Upcoming "Materials Act": Expected by the end of this year, the Materials Act will define the roadmap and key strategic areas for advanced materials production in the EU.
❗ Sustainable by Design: Innovation must be green from the start. We are committed to developing materials and processes that are circular and fully recoverable by design.
❗ The "De-risking" Challenge: To transform world-class science into market value, Europe must invest in pilot-scale testing to prove technological robustness before full industrial rollout.
We invite you to listen to this conversation about the future of European industry.
🎧 Available on all major podcast platforms and in video format on the ScienceCast YouTube channel:

Paula Vilarinho é investigadora no CICECO – Instituto de Materiais de Aveiro e professora associada na Universidade de Aveiro, no Departamento de Engenharia ...

22/04/2026

Today, April 22, 2026, Camila Ribeiro, an FCT grant holder and PhD student at the Universidade de Aveiro, successfully defended her doctoral thesis:

“Non-Conventional Sintering Processes for Dielectric Ceramic Manufacturing”

Her research was developed within the Doctoral Program in Materials Science and Engineering, under the supervision of Prof. Paula Vilarinho and Prof. Elisabete Costa.

Camila was awarded her PhD with merit and distinction, highlighting the excellence of her work.

Congratulations on this important milestone — we wish you all the best for the future! 👏🔬

10/04/2026

The REFLEX Workshop on Responsive Polymer Systems for Next-Generation Flexible Electronics was held on April 9–10, 2026, at CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, Universidade de Aveiro.

This event brought together researchers working on responsive and electroactive (bio)polymers, creating a space for discussion on topics such as materials design, processing, characterization, and applications in energy and flexible electronics.

The workshop also served as a starting point for building a European network on responsive polymers, encouraging collaboration and new research opportunities—especially for Early-Stage Researchers.

The event was chaired by Dr. Paula Ferreira and Dr. Bernd Wicklein.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this inspiring event! 🌍🔬

10/04/2026

🎉 PhD Defense – Fernando G. Sá 🎉

Today, April 10, 2026, Fernando G. Sá, an FCT grant holder and PhD student at the Universidade de Aveiro, successfully defended his doctoral thesis:

“Electromechanical Behavior in Bacterial Cellulose and its Composites”

His work was developed within the Doctoral Programme in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies, under the supervision of Dr. Paula Ferreira and co-supervision of Professor Paula Vilarinho.

We warmly congratulate Fernando on this achievement and wish him all the best for the next steps in his career! 👏🔬

09/03/2026

The Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS) celebrates the remarkable women contributing to the advancement of Materials Science on International Women’s Day, .

From groundbreaking research to technological innovation, women play a vital role in shaping the future of materials science and engineering.

🎥 Watch the special message from FEMS President Paula Vilarinho and join the celebration of women in science: https://youtu.be/73BrHOgpe88

Every year on 8 March, International Women’s Day invites the global scientific community to reflect, celebrate, and recommit to advancing women’s rights. For...

09/03/2026

On International Women’s Day, Universidade de Aveiro highlighted inspiring alumnae whose careers and achievements continue to make an impact.

We are proud to share that Paula Vilarinho, Vice Director of CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, was one of the featured alumnae recognized for her professional journey and contributions to science and research.

Together with Marta Lino and Leonor Teixeira, she represents the talent, determination, and leadership of women from the UA community who continue to inspire others.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the women who contribute every day to science, innovation, and society.

See the post below:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7436672105322205184

We are proud to share that Professor Paula Vilarinho, Vice Director of CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, was highlighted by Universidade de Aveiro as one of the inspiring alumnae celebrated on International Women’s Day. As part of the Gabinete do Antigo Aluno da Universidade de Aveiro initia...

26/02/2026

This week, the opening session of the 2025/2026 Master’s and PhD theses took place in collaboration with Palbit.

Students had the opportunity to learn more about the company and the research topics proposed, in a dynamic session that encouraged discussion, networking, and collaboration between academia and industry.

We are proud to highlight the participation of Dr. Alex Tkach and Gonçalo Costa, members of the Electroceramics Group, who were actively involved in this initiative.

We look forward to seeing the innovative projects that will emerge from this collaboration and wish all students a successful academic year ahead!

04/02/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Prof. Paula Vilarinho! 🎉

The Electroceramics Group is pleased to share that Prof. Paula Vilarinho has been elected President of the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS) for the 2026–2027 term.

FEMS is a European federation uniting national materials societies and promoting collaboration, knowledge dissemination, and the visibility of materials science across academia, industry, and society. Its activities include flagship conferences such as EUROMAT, awards recognizing scientific excellence, and initiatives supporting early-career researchers.

This new role highlights Prof. Vilarinho’s strong commitment to advancing materials science, innovation, and European cooperation.
We wish her every success in this important leadership position and look forward to the impact of her mandate on the European materials community. 🌍🔬

29/01/2026

🔬 Research Grant Opportunity – Walking to Smart Energy Project

A Research Grant (BI) is now open within the project “Walking to Smart Energy”, developed under AlticeLabs@UA / DeCA / Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais e Cerâmica - Universidade de Aveiro

The grant has a duration of 12 months and is focused on the field of Materials Engineering.

🎓 Eligibility Requirements

Enrollment in a Master’s degree

Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering

⚙️ About the Project

The Walking to Smart Energy project addresses the challenge of energy supply in public spaces and for low-power devices. It aims to develop advanced materials and technologies for hybrid nanogenerators, combining:

- Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENG) for low-frequency motions (e.g., walking, running, cycling), and

- Ferroelectric Nanogenerators (FENG) for high-frequency mechanical stimuli (mainly from vehicles).

📄 Call reference: 2326/2026/BI/DeCA/DEMaC/AlticeLabs@UA/Walking to Smart Energy

🔗 More information and application details: https://lnkd.in/d7Yxx2bb

👉 EURAXESS portal: https://lnkd.in/dWd4zDCY

This is an excellent opportunity for Master’s students in Materials Engineering interested in energy harvesting, smart materials, and sustainable technologies.

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