29-03-2021
Elvira Fortunato, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Director of CENIMAT | i3N, was recently bestowed the WFEO GREE Award Women 2020, the largest international engineering decoration, aimed at distinguishing the work performed by women engineers worldwide.
"This is the biggest international engineering award, which distinguishes the work developed by women engineers around the world", highlights the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in a note published on the Presidency portal.
The application was presented by the Portuguese Engineers' Association (OE), who selected as the protagonist the Portuguese researcher, who is in addition an advisory member of this professional association. The Professor and researcher was the winner among more than two dozen entry submitted worldwide.
In the application submitted, OE, a member of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) , underlined the “revolutionary character” of the scientific solutions developed by the Portuguese engineer in the area of materials and transparent electronics, with the production of the first thin-film transistors from oxide, using sustainable materials, fully processed at room temperature.
For Carlos Mineiro Aires, president of OE, this award “is a pride for Portugal and for all Portuguese.”
“This award reflects the excellence of Portuguese engineering and science, as well as its diversity. This proves that technical competence, talent, and innovation have no gender and/or geographical limitations and that in Portugal there are top professionals that compete at the level of the best in the world," declared the President in a statement.
Mineiro Aires also highlights “the recognition of the unique technical and scientific path of engineer Elvira Fortunato, making her an inspiration for the world technical-scientific community, especially for young women and women who aspire to embrace and progress in engineering and science."
The award ceremony will take place on April 8, at 1 pm (CET/GMT + 1), through Zoom, in the presence of the members of the jury, WFEO and UNESCO officials, representative of GREE Electric Appliances, donor of the Prize, as well as the four highly praised nominees that the Award Committee selected, in addition to the Laureate.
This month, the Portuguese researcher had already been awarded the Pessoa Prize, which then highlighted her “remarkable contribution to scientific, technological and innovation development.
WFEO integrates the main engineering associations that at the international level, represent more than 30 million engineers from 100 countries, is a member of the main group of the United Nations scientific and technological community and is a member of UNESCO.
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