Major breakthroughs in key-enabling technologies for sustainable development, such as efficient renewable energy harvesting, energy storage, information and communication technologies, preservation of oceans and water, rational use of raw materials, and improved and cost-efficient healthcare, require critical materials advances based on a transdisciplinary approach where concepts, ideas, methods and techniques originating from several scientific disciplines converge.
This high-level of transdisciplinarity is achieved by congregating theoretical and experimental physicists, materials scientists and chemical engineers specialized in several aspects of condensed matter physics, materials science and chemical engineering, which allows implementing an integrated approach to new materials development, from first principles design and modeling to materials synthesis, testing and application.
In order to ensure the cohesion of the Center, foster intergroup cooperation, fight the increasing tendency for specialization imposed by world-level research, and create teams with critical dimension in topics of the highest scientific, technical and economic relevance, Thematic Structuring Projects are periodically created in topics where CeFEMA members have outstanding expertise.
Mission
CeFEMA aims at:
- contributing to the advancement of materials science and engineering by carrying out theoretical and experimental research to the highest international scientific standards
- carrying out advanced education and training of young researchers at the highest scientific level
- promoting knowledge transfer, and applying this knowledge to regional, national and international development
- pursuing industrially-oriented projects and technology transfer to industry
- establishing itself as a reference center for research in selected thematic areas
Management structure
CeFEMA is coordinated by a President and two Vice-Presidents.
President: João Seixas
Vice-Presidents:
João Figueirinhas
Alberto Ferro
The FORUM is responsible for advising CeFEMA on its applied research strategy and facilitate in tying links with industry. It also ensures that the Center’s innovations are efficiently transferred to industry and society in general.
FORUM Leader: Diná Afonso (2017-2018)
There is an External Advisory Committee and a Industrial Advisory Board formed of representatives of industrial companies that advise CeFEMA in its strategic activities.
External Advisory Committee:
Prof. Jeff Th. M. de Hosson, Department of Applied Physics, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Prof. Neil Alford, Department of Materials, Imperial College London, UK
Prof. Slobodan Zumer, Physics Department, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Prof. Dionys Baeriswyl, Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Industrial Advisory Board:
The Industrial Advisory Board is constituted by representatives of number of industrial companies, predominantly SMEs, which are key-players in the Portuguese materials industry.
It advises CeFEMA in its research strategy and in the search for new R&D project opportunities.
Scientific structure
CeFEMA researchers are organized in five Research Groups:
- Complex Fluids, NMR and Surfaces
- Laser-Assisted Synthesis and Processing
- Membranes, Chemical and Electrochemical Processes
- Multiscale Nanostructured Materials
- Theoretical Physics
These groups contribute in various extents to the Center three interdisciplinary Thematic Lines:
- Fundamental Physics
- Applied Physics and Nanotechnology
- Engineering of Advanced Materials and Processes
Funding
CeFEMA is a research unit which activities are partially funded by FCT under the strategic project UID/CTM/04540/2013.
