Sandra Sorte is a junior researcher at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Aveiro . She holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering from the University of Aveiro, awarded in January 2022. From 2015 to 2022, she developed her research career at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies as part of the Research Group on Emissions, Modelling, and Climate Change (GEMAC). This group received the 2021 UA Investigator Award for its contributions to advancing air quality research. Sandra’s research has focused on developing and supporting strategies to improve air quality in urban and port areas while assessing human exposure to air pollution through experimental and numerical approaches. During this period, she actively contributed to 6 national research projects funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), a P2020 project, and an international project, addressing significant environmental challenges through innovative air quality modelling and assessment methods. Beyond research, she has played a significant role in consultancy (4 projects), project management (2 projects), public speaking (8 engagements), and mentoring (3 students), bridging the gap between academia, policy, and industry. A crucial aspect of her PhD research involved fostering international collaborations, leading to partnerships with the Centre for Environmental Modelling for Policy Development in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, and the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. She has worked with teams specialising in wind tunnel testing and CFD numerical methods, strengthening her expertise in environmental fluid mechanics and air quality modelling. These collaborations have enriched her research and contributed to the broader scientific community. My postdoctoral journey began with a strong commitment to expanding my knowledge and skills, embracing new challenges, and integrating into diverse research teams. Since 2022, Sandra has been an active researcher at TEMA – Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation and at RISCO – Centre for Risk and Sustainability in Construction. During her postdoctoral career over the past 3 years, she has contributed to 6 research projects, including RE-LIVE BLADES – Development of Technology for Repurposing Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades, funded by the National Innovation Agency (ANI); LLIANCE – Passive House Solutions: Energy-Efficient Façades and Flooring; and ATE – Alliance for Energy Transition, both funded by Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and NextGenerationEU. She is also the Principal Investigator of 1 project: the HiFluPT project, entitled High-Performance Computational Models for Optimising Power Transformer Cooling Systems Using HPC and ANSYS Fluent, funded by FCT. Additionally, she is the Co-Principal Investigator of the project CFD Modelling of Surcharging Manholes with Lids During Urban Flood Events, also funded by FCT. Her industrial consultancy work includes 4 specialist engineering studies, and she has supervised 13 master’s students in Mechanical Engineering (10 completed and 3 ongoing). She also mentors the Motochanics Electric Racing Team in developing a motorcycle for MotoStudent International at the Aragón circuit. Furthermore, she has acted as an evaluator, having assessed more than 70 national project proposals for funding entities such as IAPMEI, I.P. and the Environmental Fund, under the Ministry of Environment’s Sustainable Buildings programme. Sandra is the author and co-author of over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, with an h-index of 9, in addition to conference contributions and various dissemination activities, including training courses, workshops, and magazine articles aimed at the general public.