Dr. Fernanda Ferreira is an Assistant Professor at the Geosciences Department of the
University of Aveiro (Portugal), Integrated Researcher at GeoBioTec and Collaborating
Researcher at CONSTRUCT. After completing a Masters in Civil Engineering (Bologna
Integrated Master) at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto in 2010,
she obtained a PhD in Civil Engineering from the same University (2016), which was
developed under a PhD grant awarded by FCT. From 2016 to 2018, she held a Research
Associate position at the Centre for Geomechanics and Railway Engineering of the University
of Wollongong Australia. From 2019 to 2024, she served as a postdoctoral researcher
with teaching activities at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.
She has 15 years' experience in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering research and her main
areas of interest and expertise include: (1) the reinforcement and stabilisation of
earthen structures (e.g. soil retaining walls, embankments, steep slopes) with geosynthetics;
(2) the use of artificial inclusions (e.g. geosynthetics and rubber energy-absorbing
materials) for enhanced stability and longevity of transport infrastructures; and
(3) the use of recycled aggregates in Civil Engineering applications. She is the author/co-author
of over 60 scientific publications in international refereed journals and conferences
and has actively attended relevant national and international conferences since 2011.
She is Editorial Board Member of prestigious international journals, such as Geotextiles
and Geomembranes (Elsevier), Geosynthetics International (ICE Publishing Ltd.), Sustainability
(MDPI) and Frontiers in Built Environment (Frontiers Media S.A.). Her scientific contributions
have been recognised and awarded over recent years. In 2014, she was selected by the
International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) as one of the ten participants of the inaugural
"IGS Young Members Session" held at the 10th International Conference on Geosynthetics
(Berlin, Germany). In 2016, she was awarded an Honorable Mention by the Portuguese
Geotechnical Society at the 15th Portuguese Geotechnical Congress (Porto, Portugal).
Also in 2016, she received the "IGS Students Award" by the IGS during the 6th Asian
Regional Conference on Geosynthetics (New Delhi, India). In 2021, she was the recipient
of the "Bright Spark Lecture Award" by the ISSMGE at the International Young Professionals
Workshop on Rail-Road Infrastructure (Sydney, Australia). Recently, in 2023, she was
awarded the prestigious "Young IGS Award" by the IGS during the 12th International
Conference on Geosynthetics (Rome, Italy). She is a Member of the Portuguese Order
of Engineers, Portuguese Geotechnical Society, International Society for Soil Mechanics
and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and International Geosynthetics Society (IGS),
as well as the Secretary of the Portuguese Chapter of IGS (IGS–Portugal) and the Vice-Chair
of the IGS Technical Committee on Soil Reinforcement.