28-01-2021
It is with profound sorrow and consternation that the NOVA School of Science and Technology informs about the passing away of Professor Fernando Santana.
The passing away of Professor Fernando Santana signifies the disappearance of a major academic figure, to whom we own a crucial and always passionate contribution to the development and affirmation of our School in recent decades, particularly as Dean between 2006 and 2018.
Professor Fernando Santana promoted in a visionary way a culture of development and valorization of scientific research, guiding the evolution of the NOVA School of Science and Technology in the proper path towards a research oriented school, competitive at the highest international level. He also contributed to the School’s modernization and innovation it, namely in the educational offer, in particular with the creation of the FCT Profile, a distinctive factor of our institution, recognized pioneering at the national level, an effective model for integrating complementary skills in a science and engineering school.
His support for the school's cultural and social activities, aimed at the whole community and especially, the civic and cultural training of students, was as intense as it was remarkable. His dedication to promoting the School's notoriety and the investment placed in its dissemination in society at large, has always been a source of pride for all, catalyzing the enthusiastic contribution of the NOVA School of Science and Technology community, students, teachers, non-teachers and researchers, in the numerous public events organized by the School.
Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, he is remembered as an inspiring teacher, who knew how to develop the teaching of Environmental Engineering for the increasingly complex challenges.
In addition to his pedagogical and scientific activity at the School, Professor Fernando Santana was founding President of the Academy of Engineering, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences in Lisbon, Member of the Assembly of Representatives of the Order of Engineers, Member of the Water National Council and Member of the Euro-CASE Council (European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering). He was National Director of the University of Texas Program in Austin | Portugal of the Foundation for Science and Technology (MCTES), and, by the appointment of the Minister of Health, was President of the Advisory Council of Hospital Garcia de Orta. He had an active participation in the creation of the College of Environmental Engineering (Ordem dos Engenheiros), having chaired its Founding Commission. He represented the Ministry of the Environment on the governing body of the Cabinet, which, on behalf of the State, negotiated the concession for the construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge, which he also subsequently supervised.
In 2015 he was honoured by the President of the Republic with the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Public Education, and in 2016 he was distinguished by the City Council of Almada with the Gold Medal of the City.
