Saltar para o conteúdo principal

FCCNFCT Digital Services

Access the national information on scientific and technological funding in Portugal

Activity Funded

Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center

Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos

Reference
UID/04077/2025
Project Start Date
2025-01-01
Project End Date
2029-12-31
Principal Investigator
Funding Program
Avaliação UID 2023/2024

Abstract

European Strategic documents, such as Horizon 2030, emphasize the importance of sustainability in future development. This includes ensuring the responsible use of resources and energy, promoting sustainable product and process development, and creating a sustainable environment. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) anticipates that mechanical engineering (ME) “will evolve …. to develop engineering solutions that foster a cleaner, healthier, safer and sustainable world by developing new technologies to address energy, environment, food, housing, water, transportation, safety, and health”. In shaping the future, ME should bring new skills from other areas for solving problems and challenges in a multidisciplinary manner. In brief, Mechanical engineers are critical to technologies that serve people. The Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs) mission is to provide technical solutions for a cleaner, safer and more sustainable world and we aim to be a leading institution in this field. The center presently includes 25 integrated members (IM) from the two managing institutions, with a third participating institution. The number of PhD students has fallen and is currently at 30 ongoing. In 2023, the publication ratio in journals was over 3.24/IM. Over the period of analysis, the total number of PhD completed was 3. External funding averaged 2.2 M€/year. For the forthcoming period, research activities are organized along 3 topics: Energy Conversion and Waste Valorization; Food, Health& BioEngineering; Advanced Engineering Systems. These will contribute to meet the sustainable development goals: 2 (Zero hunger), 3 (Good health and wellbeing), 7 (Affordable and clean energy), 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and the EU Green Deal strategy. In following these topics of action, the center commits to improve its productivity in key indicators such as publications and project development. In addition, it will provide opportunities for the new generations of graduates to experience new technologies, understand the benefits of knowledge and develop their skills. This is an important role of our mission. Being a center where knowledge creation is exploited for product development and innovation, there are material benefits to society and the nation. In pursuing such objectives, we will keep in mind a certain set of guides and values: a) Promote excellence in research. b) Develop advanced training for future generations and help them find an environment where they can be productive to the society. c) Promote the dissemination of knowledge by taking it to the society as a product or idea and by opening our doors to both younger generations and professionals. d) Impact on society by creating knowledge and bringing it to society. e) Internal cohesion and inclusion of our community. f) Obey ethical principles that value openness, truth, rigor and freedom.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos (MEtRICs)
  • Universidade do Minho (UMinho)

Other Institutions

  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL)
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT (NOVA.ID.FCT)

Funding 497.493,76 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

497.493,76 €